The Goldfish Who Saw Everything

Marcus stared at his iPhone screen, thumb hovering over Maya's Instagram story for the third time tonight. She was at Jake's party—everyone was at Jake's party—and he was here, talking to a goldfish.

"You're living the high life, Bubbles," he muttered, dropping a flake of fish food into the bowl. The goldfish darted to the surface, its orange scales flashing under the LED light. "At least you don't have to deal with the social pyramid of sophomore year."

The pyramid. That's what his older sister called it—the invisible hierarchy at Northwood High where the athletes and popular kids sat at the apex, and everyone else scrambled somewhere below. Marcus figured he was currently in the basement.

His phone buzzed. A notification from Leo: *dude, Jake's asking about you. Said you should come by.*

Marcus's heart did that stupid fluttery thing. He and Jake had been lab partners last year, before Jake had joined the basketball team and basically ascended to a different social stratum. They'd barely spoken since.

"Should I go?" Marcus asked Bubbles. The goldfish swam to the other side of the bowl, unimpressed.

His phone buzzed again. Another notification: *maya's asking where you are too. come through bro*

Marcus sat up straighter. Maya—actual Maya, who'd sat behind him in English and always borrowed his pens—was asking about him?

He grabbed his hoodie and headed for the door. But then he paused. The notifications were too perfect. Too coincidental. Leo had been trying to get him to join this "investment opportunity" lately, some crypto thing that required bringing in friends beneath you.

It was a pyramid scheme. And if he showed up tonight, he'd be the latest recruit.

Marcus unlocked his phone and typed back: *Nah, I'm good. Have fun though.*

Back in his room, Bubbles swam to the front of the bowl and stared at him with that perpetual goldfish expression of mild surprise.

"You know what?" Marcus said, finally exhaling. "The basement's not so bad. At least it's honest."

He set his phone face down on his desk and watched his fish swim in contented circles, no pyramid to climb, no audience to perform for. Just being.

Sometimes that was enough.