Stalked by My Social Feed

Maya's hair refused to cooperate. She'd spent forty-five minutes trying to curl it perfectly for Jordan's party, but now it hung in suspiciously straight strands that screamed 'I tried too hard.' Typical.

"You look fine," her little brother Leo announced, currently crouched under the kitchen table. "I'm on a mission. Being a spy is harder than it looks."

"You're literally staring at our cat, Leo. Barnaby is not a covert operative."

Barnaby, their obese orange tabby, sat in the windowsill grooming himself with the dignity of a creature who'd never had an awkward phase in his life.

Maya's phone buzzed. Her best friend Chloe had posted six new photos from Jordan's party already. Two hours ago. The FOMO hit different. Maya had begged off because of 'family plans'—total lie, but the thought of trying to make conversation with Jordan while her brain supplied helpful commentary like *don't say anything weird* had been paralyzing.

Her mom emerged from the pantry holding a cutting board. "Try this papaya before you go."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"It's exotic. Sophisticated. Like you."

Maya took a bite. The texture was wrong—squishy in a way that felt personal. "It's... interesting."

"You hate it."

"No, it's just—"

"You definitely hate it." Her mom sighed, setting down the papaya. "You know, when I was your age, I was so worried about what everyone thought of me that I missed out on everything. Then I realized: nobody's thinking about you as much as you think they are. We're all just walking around wondering if we have spinach in our teeth."

Maya froze. Her hand flew to her teeth.

"Metaphorically speaking. Probably."

Leo scooted out from under the table, triumphant. "Barnaby's secret mission: he eats the houseplants when nobody's looking. I have evidence." He held up a half-chewed fern leaf.

"You're both ridiculous," Maya said, but something in her chest loosened. Jordan's party was probably just awkward music and people trying too hard to look like they weren't trying. She opened Instagram and typed out a text to Chloe: *Miss you guys. Doing something spontaneous tomorrow?*

The response came instantly: *YES. Finally.*

"So," Maya said, reaching for another piece of papaya. "Tell me more about this spy operation."