The Cat Who Saw Everything

I felt like a zombie at Maya's pool party. Not the cool, supernatural kind—the brain-dead, shambling kind that says "yeah, totally" every five seconds even though they have zero idea what anyone's talking about.

The pool glittered with underwater lights, casting weird rippling shadows across everyone's faces. Somewhere, a papaya-flavored candle burned, filling the air with this fake tropical sweetness that made me want to gag.

"Jay! You made it!" Maya materialized, looking perfect in her bikini. "Grab a drink! There's literally everything."

"I'm good," I said, clutching my vitamin water like it was a lifeline. The truth was, I'd been exhausted lately, and my mom had me on these supplements that turned my pee neon. So basically I was glowing from the inside out.

I escaped to the side yard where Maya's cat, a mangy orange tabby with one ear, lay draped over a lounge chair like he owned the place. He opened one yellow eye, judged me silently, and went back to sleep.

"I feel you," I told him.

The gate creaked. Dylan walked in—Dylan, who I'd had a crush on since seventh grade, who was now talking to Sarah from the volleyball team like she was actually interesting.

He flopped onto the chair next to the cat. "Hiding too?"

"The cat started it," I said.

Dylan laughed. The cat ignored us both.

"They're all in there talking about how they're 'so over' high school," Dylan said, rolling his eyes. "Bro, we're literally IN high school."

"Right?" I relaxed a little. "I feel like I'm playing a character. The role of Jay: Optional Background Friend #3."

"Same. Except I'm Extra Guy Who Gets Invited Because My Parents Have a Pool."

We sat there for a while, watching the cat sleep. It was the most real conversation I'd had at a party all year.

"Wanna go zombie it up inside again?" Dylan asked eventually.

"Ugh. Fine. But only if you save me from Sarah."

"Deal."

The cat lifted his head as we left, like he knew something we didn't. Maybe he did. Maybe the trick wasn't to stop being a zombie, but to find the right people to shuffle through life with.