Swiped, Spied, and Shook

Maya stared at her iphone, thumb hovering over the notification. Your friend Tylers sent you a snap! But Tyler wasn't really her friend—not anymore. Not since the incident last Friday when Jordan accidentally posted their group chat screenshot for everyone to see. The one where Maya had poured her heart out about crushing on Jordan since seventh grade. So much for trust.

Now Tyler was acting weird. Showing up places Maya mentioned in posts. Knowing stuff she'd only told Jordan in what she thought were private DMs. Maya's stomach did that uncomfortable flip-flop thing, like when you realize someone's been screenshotting your secrets.

"Whatever," she muttered, forcing down her vitamin D gummy. Mom was obsessed with them ever since the doctor said Maya's levels were low. As if that was her biggest problem. Maya grabbed her backpack and headed to Java Hut, her safe space away from the drama.

Jordan was already there, sitting in their usual corner, their elderly tabby cat Lemon perched on the windowsill next to them. The café owner let the cat hang around because customers loved her. Maya paused. Something felt off.

"You okay?" Jordan asked, not looking up from their phone.

"Are you and Tyler..." Maya started, then stopped. This wasn't the conversation she wanted to have. But something had been gnawing at her all week.

"What about Tyler?" Jordan finally looked up, confused.

"Tyler knows stuff, Jordan. Stuff I only told you."

The silence stretched between them. Outside, a car alarm started blaring.

"I didn't tell Tyler anything," Jordan said, voice weirdly quiet. "But I've been meaning to tell you something. I saw something on Tyler's phone last week when they left it unlocked during chem lab. They've got this fake account. They've been... watching people's stories and screenshotting stuff. Even private accounts."

Maya felt cold. "You think they're spying on us?"

"I don't think," Jordan said, finally making eye contact. "I know. I saw screenshots. Of your DMs to me. And I didn't say anything because I was scared and that was messed up and I'm sorry."

Maya sank into the chair across from them. Lemon the cat jumped into her lap, purring like nothing in the world was wrong. Like friends didn't betray each other. Like trust wasn't the most fragile thing in the universe.

"We need to block Tyler," Maya said finally. "And report the account."

"Yeah," Jordan agreed. "We do. And Maya? I'm really sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

Maya petted the cat's soft fur, thinking about how the things you can't see—fake accounts, hidden motives, people who aren't really your friends—can hurt you more than the stuff that's right in front of your face. At least now she knew.

"Next time," she said, "just tell me, okay? Even if it's scary."

Jordan nodded. "Deal."

Outside, the car alarm finally stopped. Inside, Maya took a deep breath and picked up her phone. Time to handle this.