Riddles on the Court

Maya's legs burned from running three miles, but the endorphins were worth it. Track practice was her escape from the swirling drama of sophomore year — especially since The Incident with Jason at lunch yesterday.

"You're spying on him again, aren't you?" Chloe's voice made Maya jump. They were at the community center, Chloe's padel racquet slung over her shoulder like she owned the place.

"I'm not spying. I'm... strategically observing."

"Same thing." Chloe rolled her eyes. "You know he's just a guy, right? Not like, the answer to the universe or something."

Maya sighed. Her mom had started her on these vitamin gummies that were supposed to help with 'teen stress' but mostly just made her feel twelve. Nothing helped with the gut-wrenching awkwardness of being fifteen.

They walked past the old library building. The stone sphinx out front had watched generations of teenagers have their entire lives ruined and rebuilt dozens of times. Its cracked face seemed to say: honey, I've seen worse.

"What if he's like the sphinx?" Maya said suddenly. "What if he's all riddle and no answer?"

Chloe actually stopped walking. "Did you just compare Jason to a mythological statue that eats people who can't solve riddles? Because wow. That's problematic on so many levels."

"That's literally not what sphinxes do."

"That's what you're focusing on?" Chloe shook her head, but she was grinning. "Come on. Padel court awaits. And I promise not to mention how you were totally staring at Jason's Instagram earlier."

"I wasn't — "

"Save it. Let's play."

As Chloe aced the first serve, Maya thought: maybe this year wouldn't be so terrible. Even if the vitamin gummies tasted like artificial strawberry despair. Even if Jason never noticed her existed. She had running, and padel, and a best friend who roasted her but showed up anyway.

That had to count for something.