The Pyramid Scheme

Jordan tugged their beanie down lower, eyes fixed on the iPhone screen where everyone at Northwood High seemed to be living their best life. The social pyramid was real, and Jordan was somewhere in the basement level, scrolling through posts of people whose biggest problem was which color iPhone case matched their outfit.

"You okay, kiddo?" Jordan's mom appeared in the doorway, holding a stack of glossy folders. "Great news! I finally found my path to financial freedom."

Jordan knew that tone. Last time it was essential oils. The time before, some crypto thing.

"What is it this time, Mom?"

"Vibrational wellness crystals!" She beamed, spreading out papers covered in circles and arrows. "Look, you start at the base, then you recruit two people, and THEY recruit two people..."

Jordan's cat, Miso, chose that moment to knock a crystal pyramid off the table. It clattered across the floor.

"That pyramid was supposed to bring abundance," Mom sighed.

"Miso brought realism," Jordan said, scratching behind the cat's ears. "Mom, that's a pyramid scheme."

"It's NETWORK MARKETING, Jordan. You're so cynical for your age."

Jordan's phone buzzed. A notification from Riley: "party @ chris's tonight u coming?"

Riley was top-tier. The kind of person who could wear a fedora to school and make it iconic. Jordan had been low-key crushing on them since September, when Riley had complimented Jordan's skateboard deck in the hallway.

"Mom, I need to go to a party tonight."

"Perfect! Bring your crystals! Share the abundance!"

Jordan stared. "I'm not selling your crystals at Chris Miller's party."

"But the investment—"

"No."

At the party, Jordan hovered near the snack table, phone clutched like a shield. The social hierarchy was on full display—choreographed laughter, calculated casualness, everyone performing for everyone else's iPhone cameras.

Then Riley appeared, sliding in next to Jordan. "Hey."

"Hey."

"You wearing that hat all night?" Riley grinned.

Jordan's hand went to the beanie. "Maybe."

"It looks good on you." Riley leaned closer. "You know, I've been trying to figure out why you always wear those hats."

Jordan's heart did that thing where it forgot how to rhythm. "Just... comfortable."

"Hmm." Riley studied Jordan's face. "You know what I think? I think you're hiding."

"I'm not—"

"It's cool if you are." Riley's voice dropped. "I hide too. Everyone does."

Outside, under the constellation of phone screens and distant stars, Jordan pulled off the hat. The cool air hit their hair, and for the first time in forever, they didn't immediately put it back on.

"Better?" Riley asked.

"Maybe."

"Good." Riley smiled, and something in Jordan's chest unclenched. "Now tell me everything. Starting with why your mom posted four Facebook albums about crystals today."

Jordan laughed, and it sounded real. "Oh my god, you saw that?"

"Everyone saw that. Your mom commented on my post from March." Riley shook their head. "She invited me to a 'wellness webinar.'"

"I am SO sorry."

"Eh, at least she's trying." Riley bumped Jordan's shoulder. "Unlike some people who keep everything inside and hide under hats."

Jordan looked at them—really looked. The pyramid of popularity didn't matter anymore. The iPhone notifications could wait.

"Yeah," Jordan said, leaving the hat off. "I'm working on that."

Miso would be proud. Jordan was finally learning to knock down the pyramids too.