The Mascot Bet

Maya slumped against the cafeteria wall, phone buzzing with another group chat that didn't include her. Two weeks ago, she'd been the one making plans. Now her supposed bestie Jenna was ghosting her, spreading rumors about what happened at Tyler's party.

"You look like you're contemplating existence again," said Leo, sliding onto the bench beside her. Leo, whose vintage Thrasher sweatshirt looked like it'd seen actual skateboarding action, not just aesthetic photoshoots.

"Just thinking about how the social hierarchy is a joke until you're at the bottom of it," Maya muttered, tracing patterns on the table.

"Word." Leo cracked open his soda. "Hey, at least you're not the mascot. Bro, have you seen freshman year photos of me? I looked like a confused fox that got hit by a truck and then put back together wrong."

Maya laughed despite herself. "No way."

"Way. My mom still has the picture on the fridge. I'm not being that dramatic. Anyway, about Jenna..."

"She's being petty because Tyler didn't vibe with her, and somehow that's my fault?"

"Classic toxic behavior." Leo shrugged. "But here's the thing – you've been chilling with us all week, and nobody's said anything about it being weird. Maybe the real friends were the ones who didn't make everything about drama."

Maya blinked. That was... oddly deep.

The school mascot—a bear costume that smelled like ten years of teenage sweat—caught her eye across the cafeteria. Freshman year, she'd begged Jenna to try out for mascot with her. Jenna had called it cringe and said only losers joined spirit squad.

Then came the realization: Jenna had been subtly roasting her choices for months. The music she liked. The way she dressed. The things she found funny.

"You good?" Leo asked.

"Yeah." Maya stood up. "Just realized I dodged a massive bullet. Jenna's been lowkey toxic since homecoming."

"Finally. We were wondering when you'd notice. Even Bull—" he pointed at the varsity jacket-wearing quarterback sitting nearby "—picked up on it. And he once asked if algebra had vegetables in it."

Maya grinned. The mascot tryouts were next Friday. And this time? She'd be trying out solo. Some friends turned out to be strangers who pretended to care. But the real ones? They told you the truth, even when it wasn't what you wanted to hear.