The Goldfish Conspiracy

My life officially jumped the shark when Carlos Martinez — sophomore king, varsity baseball pitcher, and the reason I learned to breathe quietly in corners — caught me talking to my goldfish.

"Whoa, Lena. Having a moment with Bubbles?" Carlos leaned against my locker, all effortless confidence and dimpled charm.

I felt like a **zombie**, running on three hours of sleep and an unhealthy amount of existential dread. "His name is Admiral Finbarson, and he's a better listener than half our English class."

Carlos laughed, actually laughed. "No joke. Today in P.E., Coach made us run laps because Jensen kept trying to act like a **bull** charging at freshmen. Someone's gotta get it together."

I nodded like I understood sports things. Inside, my inner **spy** was furiously cataloging this moment: Carlos Martinez, talking to me, voluntarily. This went directly into my mental dossier labeled "Evidence That I Might Not Be Invisible."

"So," he said, shifting his weight. "I heard you're trying out for the spring musical."

"Yeah. I mean, probably. If I don't, like, literally die of nerves first." Admiral Finbarson swam in lazy circles in his bowl, judging my awkwardness. "Why?"

"Just wondering." Carlos tucked a strand of hair behind his ear — a nervous habit I'd cataloged from weeks of covert observation during lunch. "Maybe I could help you practice?"

My brain short-circuited. "Wait, really?"

"Unless you'd rather stay here plotting world domination with your fish."

I grabbed my backpack, heart doing something concerning in my chest. "Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you about my singing voice. It's been described as 'aggressively average.'"

"Deal." Carlos grinned, and suddenly everything felt possible. Maybe I wasn't just the girl who talked to her **goldfish** in between classes. Maybe I was the girl Carlos Martinez wanted to spend time with.

And maybe, just maybe, that was enough to make me feel alive again instead of floating through my days like the walking dead.

Admiral Finbarson would definitely approve. He always said I needed to get out more.