Screen Deep

Maya's iphone shook against her thigh, the buzz barely audible over seventh period lunch chaos. Another notification from the anonymous account that'd been tormenting her for weeks. She'd been playing spy detective for seventeen days, screenshotting every DM, tracking IP addresses, losing sleep. The cyberbully knew everything—her crush on Jordan, her secret Shein addiction, that time she cried in the bathroom after flunking her math test.

"You planning to actually eat that, or just stare dramatically?" Zara plopped across from her, acrylics clicking on the cafeteria table. "You look like you're plotting murder."

Maya locked her phone. "Something like that."

"Good. You're coming with me."

"Where?"

"The rodeo club's doing demonstrations behind the football field. Jordan's there."

Maya's stomach did that embarrassing flutter thing. "Since when does our school have a rodeo club?"

"Since Texas, babe. Now come on."

Behind the portable classrooms, a freshman named Cody was strapped into protective gear, facing the most intimidating animal Maya had ever seen. A bull. Not just big—towering, muscles rippling under dust-colored fur, horns that could definitely kill someone.

"This is the dumbest thing I've ever seen," Maya whispered, but her heart was racing.

Cody lasted 3.7 seconds before getting launched into the dirt. The crowd went wild. Someone yelled "YEEHAW" unironically.

"Your turn," Jordan said, suddenly beside her, grinning that lopsided grin that made her brain malfunction.

"What? No. Absolutely not."

"Live a little, Maya." He held out his phone. "I'll record it. Legend status."

The bull snorted, steam puffing from its nose. Maya's phone buzzed again—another message from the bully. "UR PATHETIC. EVERYONE KNOWS."

Something in her chest snapped.

"Fine."

She climbed onto the fence, then into the chute. The bull watched her with eyes that said I will end you. Her hands shook. The gate opened.

Eight seconds. That was all. She held on, screaming internally, dirt flying everywhere, the world tilting wildly. When she hit the ground, everything hurt and nothing did. The cheering was deafening.

Jordan's phone captured it all. Her iphone buzzed one more time.

"OMG WAS THAT YOU? THAT WAS EPIC"

The anonymous account again. But this time—different. Impressed.

Maya dusted herself off, heart hammering, and realized she'd never felt more alive.