The Pyramid Scheme

Maya's been running from everything lately. From her parents' divorce talks. From Jordan's texts asking if she's mad. From the fact that she somehow made varsity track while her actual life feels like it's collapsing.

"You in?" Chloe asks, sliding onto the cafeteria bench next to her. She's holding her hand out, palm up, like she's expecting Maya to read her future there. "Only three spots left at the top of the pyramid."

Maya stares at Chloe's hand. At the glittery blue nail polish that's already chipping. At the lines crossing her palm like some weird map Maya doesn't know how to read. "The pyramid? You mean that essential oil thing again?"

"It's NOT a pyramid scheme," Chloe says, but she's grinning. "It's multi-level entrepreneurship. And you'd be perf for it - you've got that whole mysterious track star vibe going on. People would legit buy anything from you."

Maya's about to decline - she always declines - when she spots Jordan walking past with their new squad, laughing at something Maya can't hear. The social pyramid at Roosevelt High had shifted without her, and suddenly she's tumbling down from her spot near the top.

"Fine," Maya hears herself say. "But I'm keeping eighty percent."

Chloe whoops. A breadstick from someone's tray goes flying. Maya watches it arc through the air like a tiny, yeasty comet.

That's when the bear walks in.

Okay, not a real bear. It's Bernstein - the new PE teacher who's somehow built exactly like a grizzly, shoulders like boulders, neck thick as a tree trunk. He's wearing that ridiculous bear costume for the spirit assembly later, fuzzy brown head tucked under one arm like a basketball.

He spots them. Or maybe he just spots Chloe waving her arms like she's conducting an invisible orchestra.

"Ladies," Bernstein rumbles, pulling off his sunglasses. "Everything good here?"

And then Chloe, being Chloe, says: "Actually, Mr. B, want to buy some oils? They help with, like, recovery and stuff?"

Maya's running track mentally - all the ways this could end badly. Bernstein staring. Bernstein laughing. Bernstein calling her mom.

But the bear teacher surprises her. He leans in, drops his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "My niece sells that stuff. Got anything for sore knees? These old joints aren't what they used to be."

Chloe and Maya exchange looks. Maya starts laughing. She can't help it - something about this giant bear-man asking about essential oils while wearing a PE whistle.

"I think we can work something out," Maya says, and for the first time in months, she doesn't feel like running at all.