Riddles in the Cafeteria

Marcus's screen lit up with another Instagram notification. His iphone buzzed against the lunch table, a third wave of texts from the group chat blowing up about what happened at Maya's party on Friday. He'd stayed home sick—again—and now he was the only one who didn't get the memo that everything changed.

"You good, bro?" Liam asked, sliding into the seat across from him. Liam's bernedoodle-mix service dog, Barnaby, settled at his feet, and Marcus felt the familiar twist in his chest. Of course Liam would have the chillest dog in school. Of course Liam would be at the party.

"Yeah," Marcus lied. "Just... catching up on stuff."

The truth was, Maya had posted a picture on her story that weekend. Her and Tyler, who Marcus had liked since October, standing way too close at her kitchen counter. Tyler's arm around her waist like it belonged there. Like Marcus hadn't spent three months hoping he'd make a move, hoping he'd notice how Marcus always saved him a seat in Calc, how they'd stayed up until 2 AM playing fortnite and talking about everything and nothing.

"That's straight-up bull," Liam said, nodding at Marcus's phone, which Marcus hadn't realized was still showing the photo. "They've been talking for like two weeks. Everyone knew except you."

Two weeks. While Marcus was pouring his heart out to Tyler about how it felt to be invisible, Tyler was already seeing someone else. The Sphinx in the school courtyard—this weird statue some alumni donated back in the nineties—felt like it was mocking him. Always asking questions, giving nothing back.

"Marcus!" Tyler's voice cut through his thoughts. He was walking toward their table with Maya, both of them laughing like nothing had changed. "Dude, where were you Friday? We missed you!"

Marcus's stomach twisted. Tyler's smile was the same one he'd given Marcus a hundred times before. But now it felt different—like he was performing, like Marcus was just another prop in the scene he and Maya were acting out.

"Sick," Marcus said, his voice coming out steady somehow. "Nothing contagious."

"Well, you missed it," Maya said, linking her arm through Tyler's. "We're going to the homecoming game together. Officially."

There it was. The question answered, the riddle solved, and Marcus still felt like he'd been punched in the gut.

"That's awesome," he heard himself say. "You guys are perfect together."

Barnaby whined softly and pressed his nose against Marcus's hand. Liam gave him this look like he knew exactly how much it hurt, like maybe Marcus wasn't as invisible as he felt.

"Anyway," Tyler said, already turning away, "we're gonna grab lunch. Catch you later?"

"Yeah," Marcus said. "Later."

He watched them walk away, his iphone dark now on the table. Some sphinx he was—always asking, never knowing. But maybe that was the point. Maybe the riddles weren't supposed to be solved, just survived.

"Hey," Liam said, sliding his tray closer. "I saved you a seat."

Marcus smiled. Maybe that was enough.