Sphinx and the Silent Wave

Maya's palms were basically waterfalling as she stood outside Java Junction. This was it — finally hanging with the new girl, Skylar, who'd moved from Portland and somehow made sophomore year look effortless.

The bell chimed. Skylar waved, already seated with... a dog? An actual golden retriever wearing a vest that said THERAPY IN TRAINING.

"This is Sphinx," Skylar said, scratching behind the dog's ears. "We're fostering him for the service program. He's technically still a dog, but honestly? His riddle game is stronger than half the kids in AP Chem."

Maya blinked. "Wait, his name is Sphinx? Like, the mythological creature?"

"My little brother named him. Would've chosen something cooler myself, but it kinda fits. Look at him." Sphinx tilted his head, doing that thing where dogs look like they're judging your entire life choices.

Skylar laughed. "See? He's processing you. Bet you're wondering why I invited you when we've literally exchanged three words all week."

"Honestly? Thought maybe I hallucinated the invite part."

"Nope. Saw you sitting alone at lunch, scrolling through your phone like it held the secrets to the universe. That was my vibe at my old school. First month? Total ghost mode. Figured someone should break the cycle."

Sphinx chose that moment to rest his head on Maya's knee, letting out this dramatically soft sigh.

"He says you're approved," Skylar said, deadpan.

Maya couldn't help it — she smiled. Actually smiled. "Is this where you tell me the riddle?"

"What riddle?"

"The Sphinx thing. Isn't that, like, the whole deal?"

Skylar's face lit up. "Oh, you're going ALL in with the mythology references. Respect." She pulled out her phone. "But for real — give me your number. Sphinx thinks we should study for the history test together. And he's never wrong about these things."

"Never?"

"Once. He thought that guy in English would be cool to sit with at lunch. We learned the hard way that sometimes the dog is just a dog."

Maya laughed, and for the first time since school started, the waterfall in her palms slowed to a trickle.

"Deal," she said. "But if this is some ancient curse, I need to know upfront."

"No curse," Skylar promised, Sphinx's tail thumping like a metronome. "Just a friend, a ridiculous dog named after a riddle monster, and possibly the start of something actually good."

Maya typed her number into Skylar's phone. The screen glowed.

"Weird," she said. "I think the dog was right."