Riddle of the Mascot Costume

The **lightning** flashed so bright it turned the entire football stadium into a ghost photo, and I was frozen mid-wave in this ridiculous sphinx costume that smelled like every dude's gym bag combined.

"You got this, Sphinx Man!" yelled Marcus, my best friend who talked me into this humiliation. "Own it!"

I was supposed to be the school mascot because the actual guy got mono, and apparently being five-foot-ten with zero upper body strength made me perfect for the job. The sphinx head kept sliding over my eyes, and I could feel the sweat dripping down my back. This wasn't exactly how I planned to spend my Friday night, but Marcus swore it would be "legendary."

Then I saw Jordan—the reason I'd agreed to any of this—standing by the concession stand with her friends. My stomach did this embarrassing little flip. We'd been flirting in AP Calc for weeks, and tonight was supposed to be when I finally made my move. Instead, I was dressed as an Egyptian mythological creature with foam wings that kept hitting people.

Another crack of thunder shook the bleachers. The crowd went wild, thinking it was part of the show. That's when the sphinx head decided to completely slide off, exposing my sweat-soaked hair and the fact that I was definitely not the usual mascot.

Jordan looked right at me. And instead of laughing, she smiled.

I ran—well, stumbled—over to her, still wearing the sphinx body. "Hey," I said, my voice cracking. "So, I have this riddle for you."

She raised an eyebrow, and I could tell she was trying not to laugh. "Okay, Sphinx Boy. Hit me with it."

"What's more embarrassing than asking your crush to homecoming while dressed as a mascot?"

"Not asking at all," she said immediately.

The rain started pouring, and everyone screamed and ran for cover. Jordan didn't move. "So," she said over the thunder, "are you gonna ask me properly, or do I have to solve another riddle?"

I ditched the sphinx body right there in the rain. "Jordan, will you go to homecoming with me?"

"Finally," she said. "I was starting to think I'd need to take extra **vitamin** patience supplements."

Marcus lost his mind somewhere in the background. The lightning flashed again, and Jordan took my hand, and somehow the most embarrassing night of my life became exactly what I wanted.