Sphinx on the Edge of Seventeen

Jalen adjusted the papier-mâché sphinx head, feeling ridiculous. Their mom had spent three weeks on this Egyptian mythology costume, insisting it would "spark conversation" at sophomore homecoming. Spoiler: it had not.

The gym thudded with bass, couples grinding in something that barely qualified as dancing. Jalen stood near the punch bowl, sweltering inside their hand-crafted antiquity, watching Quinn—beautiful, confident Quinn—laugh with her friends by the DJ booth. Quinn had that effortless energy Jalen craved like oxygen.

Then lightning flashed through the gym windows, illuminating everything in stark white. The music stuttered. Someone screamed.

"YO, check your phone!" a guy shouted. "Tornado warning!"

Pandemonium. Everyone stampeded toward the exits. Jalen's sphinx head tipped sideways, vision blurring through the eye holes. They stumbled forward, blinded.

A hand grabbed their arm. "Hey, Sphinx-Head! This way!"

Quinn. She was pulling them toward the side door, away from the crush.

They spilled into the science wing hallway just as the lights died. Emergency floods painted everything in amber. Thunder shook the floorboards.

"That was wild," Quinn breathed, sliding down to sit against the lockers. She pulled something from her pocket. "Want some?"

Jalen leaned their sphinx head back to see. Quinn held out a Tupperware container of spinach, leaves glistening under the emergency lights.

"It's for my lizard," Quinn said. "I forgot to feed him before I left. You want? It's actually not bad, just kinda... earthy."

Jalen hesitated, then took a handful. "Why not?"

They sat there, Jalen in their ancient costume, Quinn in her homecoming dress, sharing reptile food while storms battered the school. Quinn told them about her anxiety disorder. Jalen confessed they'd only worn the costume because they were too scared to come as their real self—nonbinary, proud, but not ready for everyone's questions.

"You're gonna have to take that off eventually," Quinn said, gesturing to the sphinx head.

"Yeah," Jalen said. "But maybe not tonight."

Outside, lightning struck again, closer this time. Somewhere in the dark, a cat yowled—probably the strays Jalen fed behind the cafeteria.

"We should be safe here," Quinn said. "Hey, Sphinx... what's your name?"

"Jalen."

"Cool." Quinn smiled, and for the first time all night, Jalen felt like they might actually belong.