The Friday Night Galaxy

Maya stood by the refreshment table clutching her plastic **water** bottle like it was a lifeline. This was her first high school party, and the social **pyramid** of Briarwood Academy felt more like a vertical climb she hadn't trained for.

"You look like you're hiding from a zombie apocalypse," a voice said.

Maya turned to see Leo—the guy from her history class who wore vintage band tees and had this **fox**-like way of appearing out of nowhere. His hair was messy, his eyes bright.

"Just feeling like a zombie," she admitted. "All these people, and I'm just... here."

Leo nodded toward the backyard, where Jake—the senior everyone treated like royalty—was holding court. "The pyramid's not all it's cracked up to be. Last week? He threw a party and forgot to feed his **goldfish** for three days."

Maya laughed. "Seriously?"

"Named him Bubbles. RIP." Leo's phone dinged—his ride was here. "Hey, you want to get out of here? There's a spot by the creek where you can actually hear yourself think."

"Yes," she said, before her brain could overthink it.

They sat on the creek bank, feet in the water, talking until the party noise faded. About how high school felt like performing in a play no one gave her the script for. About how Leo's dad had moved out last month and nobody noticed because he kept smiling anyway.

"The pyramid's just people pretending they know what they're doing," Leo said, skipping a stone. "We're all just... figuring it out."

Maya's phone buzzed—her mom checking in. The party had transformed without her. Something about learning that sometimes the best moments happen when you stop climbing and just sit by the water with someone who gets it.

"Next Friday?" Leo asked.

"Definitely."