The Night Everything Changed

Maya's vintage dad hat was pulled low, hiding the panic in her eyes. The Halloween party was already giving her major social anxiety vibes, and she'd only been there ten minutes.

She was technically a zombie cheerleader — cheap makeup, fake blood, way too much commitment to a bit — but honestly? The zombie part felt accurate. Between AP chem, track practice, and her mom's relentless "are you dating anyone yet" questions, she was running on fumes.

Then she saw him.

Tyler, dressed as some Egyptian pharaoh or something, complete with a cardboard sphinx headpiece that was honestly impressive. He caught her staring and — oh no — he was walking over. Maya's brain short-circuited. She forgot how to human.

"Nice costume," she blurted, then immediately wanted to die. Really? THAT'S what she went with?

"Thanks! My brother helped me make it." Tyler adjusted his sphinx hat thing, smiling. "You look... intense."

"Intense" = "weird." Got it.

Before she could spiral further, some sophomore crashed into them, knocking over a fishbowl from the display table. A single goldfish flopped on the floor, gasping.

Without thinking, Maya dropped to her knees, scooped it into her red solo cup, and bolted for the kitchen sink. Because apparently THAT was her personality now: saving decorative fish at house parties while dressed as the undead.

She heard Tyler behind her. "Wait up!"

They stood there, watching the goldfish swim in confused circles. Tyler laughed, and somehow it wasn't at her.

"That was honestly iconic," he said. "You're just... saving fish. In the middle of a party."

"Yeah, well," Maya straightened her hat, finally breathing again. "Someone had to."

"Hey." Tyler's voice softened. "You run track, right? I've seen you at meets. You're fast."

She blinked. He noticed?

"Maybe I could walk you home after? If you're done playing fish rescue."

The zombie makeup suddenly felt a little less like a costume and a lot more like how she felt — alive in the weirdest, most unexpected way.

"Yeah," Maya said, actually smiling now. "I'd like that."