Static Dreams

Leo adjusted the frayed cable behind his TV, hoping the static would clear before Marcus arrived for their study session. The coaxial cable had seen better decades, much like Leo's social life at Jefferson High.

'You're overthinking it,' his mom called from the kitchen. 'Just be yourself.'

Easy for her to say. She wasn't trying to navigate the pyramid scheme of sophomore popularity, where you paid in awkwardness to climb toward acceptance. Leo had invested plenty—stumbling through conversations, wearing the wrong brands, asking the wrong questions—and his returns were zero.

Marcus knocked exactly at four. He was everything Leo wasn't: tall, confident, on the varsity soccer team. But Marcus was also tutoring Leo in algebra, which meant one hour of pretending not to be intimidated while solving for X.

'Cable's still glitching,' Leo said as Marcus sat on his bed. 'Sorry about the static.'

'That's okay.' Marcus gestured at the poster on Leo's wall. 'Is that... a sphinx?'

'Yeah.' Leo felt his face heat up. 'My little phase where I was obsessed with ancient Egypt. Fourth grade.'

Marcus studied the poster. 'The sphinx's riddle—what walks on four legs, then two, then three?'

'Humans. Babies crawl, adults walk, elders use canes.'

'Right.' Marcus looked at Leo. 'But nobody ever asks what the sphinx does after Oedipus solves it.'

Leo blinked. 'What?'

'Sphinx doesn't have a post-riddle career plan.' Marcus chuckled softly. 'Like, imagine being this ancient creature, guardian of secrets, and then some guy shows up with the right answer and you're just... done. No pension, no severance package.'

Leo laughed. 'Ancient Egyptian unemployment line.'

'Exactly.' Marcus leaned closer. 'So what's your sphinx riddle?'

'My what?'

'The thing you're guarding. The question nobody's asking.'

Leo's pulse quickened. 'Maybe I don't want to solve it. Maybe I like the mystery.'

'Mystery's overrated.' Their eyes met. 'Sometimes you just need someone to guess right.'

The TV cable crackled behind them, but Leo barely noticed. For the first time all year, the static in his head had gone quiet.