Riddles at the Rec Center

Maya hated swimming. Or more accurately, she hated that her mom had signed her up for the summer swim team at the rec center, which meant spending three hours a day in a chlorinated dungeon with other teens who seemed to have been born with gills.

"You're thinking too loud again," said a voice from the lane next to hers.

Maya surfaced, sputtering. A girl with jet-black hair and knowing eyes leaned against the pool edge, watching her. This was the new girl—Cleo, who'd appeared two weeks ago and already acted like she owned the place.

"I wasn't thinking anything," Maya lied.

Cleo smirked. "You were calculating exactly how many more laps you have to do before you can go home and rot in your room. Classic overthinker energy."

Maya's face burned. "What are you, a mind reader?"

"No, I'm just observant. Like a sphinx. Riddles and observations—my love language." Cleo's grin widened. "Speaking of, here's one for you: What has to be broken before you can use it?"

Maya rolled her eyes but found herself thinking about it all through practice. By the time she dragged herself home, her brain felt fried from chlorine and the riddle bouncing around her skull.

Her cat, Barnaby, was waiting by the door like he always did—a fluffy orange judgment machine who demanded food and affection with equal intensity. Maya scooped him up, burying her face in his fur.

"You're the only one who gets me, Barnaby," she muttered.

Her phone buzzed. Unknown number: *An egg. The answer is an egg.*

Maya stared at it. How had Cleo gotten her number? And more importantly, why was she thinking about Maya's riddle?

*Another one,* the next text read. *What gets bigger the more you take away?*

Maya spent the whole night thinking about it, Barnaby purring on her chest. She texted back at 2 AM: *A hole?*

*Correct,* came the instant reply. *You're smarter than you look, swimmer girl.*

The next day at practice, Maya found herself actually trying. Not because she cared about swimming, but because Cleo was watching from the sidelines with that infuriating, knowing smirk. And somehow, that made all the difference.

"So," Maya said, pulling herself out of the pool after practice. "What's the next riddle, sphinx?"

Cleo's smile was genuine this time. "I think you've figured out the biggest one already, Maya. The one about breaking things to use them."

"Yeah? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Sometimes you have to break out of your shell before you can really live." Cleo stood up, grabbing her bag. "Same time tomorrow?"

Maya nodded, unable to stop smiling. "Same time tomorrow."

Barnaby would just have to wait.