Sphinx's Goldfish

Maya's palms were sweating — like, actually dripping — as she gripped the detention slip. First time ever. Her mom was going to absolutely lose it.

"Caught you," smirked Leo, leaning against the lockers like he owned them. "What did you do, genius?"

"None of your business," Maya snapped, but her face burned hotter. She'd only been trying to return the stolen goldfish from the science lab. It looked depressed in that tiny bowl, okay? She wasn't a criminal, she was just... emotionally compromised.

Leo had dubbed himself the school's unofficial spy freshman year. Nothing happened without him knowing — who liked who, who cheated on the math final, which teacher cried in the supply closet. His intel was usually solid, but Maya wasn't about to give him more ammo.

"You're spying on the wrong person," she said. "Go bother someone else."

"Ooh, touchy." Leo fell into step beside her. "You know, that's exactly what Sphinx said before she transferred."

Sphinx. Even the name made Maya's stomach do that weird fluttery thing. The girl had shown up in September with dyed-blue hair and zero interest in making friends. She sat alone at lunch, wrote in a beat-up notebook, and disappeared after six weeks like she'd never existed. Nobody knew why she left, but Leo claimed he had "sources."

"Don't call her that," Maya said quietly. "Her name was Samira."

They reached the detention room, but Mrs. G was nowhere to be found. Just a sign: COMPUTER LAB — GO THERE.

"Well, well," Leo said, suddenly interested. "Lab detention? That's new."

Maya's dog, Buster, had chewed through her headphones that morning. Her mom had lectured her about responsibility. The goldfish rescue had been a desperate attempt to feel like she could actually save something. Now she was stuck here with Leo "Information Broker" Torres, questioning every life choice that led to this moment.

"You know what your problem is?" Leo asked, surprisingly gentle. "You think nobody sees you. But they do. Sphinx saw you. That's why she gave you her notebook before she left."

Maya froze. "What?"

"Oh, you didn't know?" Leo's grin was genuine this time. "Check your locker, genius. Some things are worth spying for."