The Pyramid Scheme in Room 304

I felt like a total creep, playing spy from behind my phone screen. Taylor's Instagram story showed another "perfect" day — the fifth one this week. My thumb hovered over the screen, ready to close it, but then I noticed something weird in the background. A pyramid. Not like, Egyptian ancient stuff, but those weirdessential oils bottles arranged in a literal pyramid on her dresser.

"Whatever," I muttered, scrolling past. But then Jordan slid into the seat next to me in homeroom, eyes wide.

"Dude, did you see Taylor's post? She's selling that stuff now. Like, MLM level."

"No way."

"Way. My cousin got sucked into that pyramid scheme last year. Lost three hundred bucks and gained a collection of 'healing crystal' deodorant."

I stared at my phone. Taylor, the girl whose locker was two down from mine, who I'd been lowkey crushing on since seventh grade, was now... what? Desperate? Naive? Or just trying to fit in?

The next day, I found Mr. Bear in my backpack. Yeah, I still had the stupid stuffed bear from fourth grade — don't judge. My little sister had shoved him in there as a "joke" but honestly? I needed him. Everything felt like too much lately — grades, college applications, the crushing weight of having my whole life figured out by age seventeen.

Taylor caught me holding Mr. Bear by his ear. I wanted to die.

"That's... actually kinda cute," she said, smiling. Not her usual perfect smile. A real one.

"I'm — this isn't —" I stammered.

"Relax. I still sleep with my childhood blanket. Sometimes." She leaned against the lockers. "Hey, about those oils..."

"You don't have to —"

"No, I want to. Everyone thinks I'm doing it because I need the money, but honestly? It's just something to DO. Something mine." She laughed bitterly. "Stupid, right?"

"No," I said. "I get it."

Then it hit me like lightning — this sudden, blinding clarity. We were all just faking it. Taylor and her oils, me and my stuffed bear, Jordan pretending he didn't care about anything. The whole school was just a bunch of kids pretending to be adults, pretending to have it figured out.

"Hey," I said, "wanna skip seventh and get boba?"

Taylor grinned. "Only if you bring the bear."