Riddle Under the Lightning

Maya stood in front of the massive stone sphinx statue at Jordan's end-of-summer party, clutching a paper plate with a slice of papaya that she'd taken just to look like she was actually eating something. The statue's stone eyes seemed to judge her awkward hovering.

"You gonna eat that or just stare at it?" Jordan called from the pool deck, where half the sophomore class was splash-fighting. His parents' garden was ridiculous—complete with Egyptian artifacts and a tiki bar.

Maya's best friend Chloe appeared beside her, smoothing her sundress. "He's literally looking at you, Maya. This is your shot."

"I can't just—" Maya started, but then the sky opened up. Not rain, but lightning crackling across the horizon like someone had scratched the dark blue velvet with white chalk.

"Everyone inside!" Jordan's mom shouted.

The party crowd surged toward the house, but Maya found herself alone with Jordan under the patio cover, watching the storm. He reached for her papaya slice.

"Weird choice for a party," he said, taking a bite. "But actually good?"

She laughed, surprising herself. "I was too nervous to try the real food."

"The sphinx over there has a riddle carved into its base," Jordan said suddenly. "Nobody's ever figured it out. My dad says it's untranslatable ancient Egyptian, but I think it's just some random dude's joke."

Maya stepped closer to the stone creature. She could barely make out the symbols in the flickering light from the house. "Wait. I take Latin for nerds. This isn't Egyptian. It's—" she squinted. "It's pig Latin."

Jordan's eyebrows shot up. "What?"

"It says... 'The real party is where you make your own.'" Maya traced the letters with her finger. "I-ay eal-pay arty-pay is-ay ere-whay ou-ay ake-may our-ay own-ay."

Jordan stared at her, then at the sphinx, then back at her. "You're kidding. We've had this statue for three years and you just solved it in thirty seconds?"

"Guess I'm good with riddles," Maya said, feeling something shift in her chest—confidence, maybe, or just the thrill of being seen.

"Hey," Jordan said, as the first real raindrops began to fall. "Next party... want to come early and help me figure out what other secrets my parents are hiding in this weird garden?"

"Only if there's more papaya," she replied.

"Deal."