Sphinx of the Hallway

I felt like such a total creeper, basically a low-rent **spy** as I crouched behind the janitor's closet door. But Maya had been acting weird all week — ditching lunch, giving one-word answers, straight-up ghosting me. And yeah, okay, maybe I was being dramatic. But when your bestie since third grade suddenly treats you like you're contagious, you start noticing things.

Like how she kept disappearing behind the gym during fifth period.

So there I was, crouching in my ironically oversized hoodie that I swore made me look mysterious but probably made me look like a walking potato. I heard voices. Maya's voice. And someone else.

"I just can't tell her," Maya was saying. "She'll think I'm pathetic."

"You gotta come clean sometime," said the other voice — Leo, from our English class. "Otherwise you're just gonna be a **zombie** about it forever. Walking around with that giant secret weighing down your undead soul."

I felt like I'd been punched. A secret? With Leo? The guy I'd had a crush on since literal forever? My stomach did this elaborate gymnastics routine that definitely wasn't approved for competitive sports.

"I know," Maya sighed. "But it's embarrassing. I mean, who joins Academic Team and doesn't tell their best **friend**?"

I waited for more. Something about Leo. Something about betrayal.

"That statue **sphinx** thing at regionals," Maya continued. "The riddle round? I'm freaking terrified. I suck at riddles. I'll freeze up and look like a total dumbass in front of everyone."

"You won't," Leo said. "We've been practicing for weeks. You've got this."

I sagged against the door, making it creak like a dying accordion. Both of them jumped. I considered making a run for it, but dignity was already at negative zero.

"Were you... spying on us?" Maya asked, raising an eyebrow in that way she had.

"I prefer the term 'aggressive friendship monitoring,'" I said, stepping out. "Also, you joined Academic Team without me? I'm hurt. I'm wounded. I'm calling the friendship police."

Maya groaned. "I was going to tell you. I just — I didn't want you to think I'm a nerd."

"Dude, we watched all eight Harry Potter movies in a single weekend while eating nothing but零食," I said. "The nerd ship sailed years ago."

Leo cracked up, and Maya's shoulders dropped like three inches. "So you're not... mad?"

"Only that you didn't tell me sooner," I said. "Also that you didn't think I'd want to join. Because I would absolutely destroy at trivia."

Maya grinned, and everything snapped back to normal. "Wanna come with us to practice? Coach brings donuts."

"I'm in," I said. "But I'm warning you right now — if there's sphinx riddles involved, I'm absolutely carrying the team."

"Deal," said Leo, and yeah, my heart did this embarrassing flutter thing. "Welcome to Academic Team, spy girl."