The Riddle at the Aquarium Counter

The goldfish wasn't supposed to have a name, let alone a personality, but I'd been calling him Admiral Bubblebeard for three weeks. Working at Pet Paradise wasn't exactly where I saw myself at sixteen, but here I was, spending my Friday nights watching fish swim in circles and wondering why my social life had about as much excitement as a tank full of gravel.

"Hey, Leo, you look like a zombie," Maya said as she clocked in. Her hair was that perfect messy-bun I could never pull off, and she smelled like vanilla and confidence. "Another night of swimming through homework?"

"Something like that," I managed, trying to play it cool even though my stomach did that stupid fluttery thing it always did around her. We'd been working together for two months, and I still hadn't figured out if she was flirting or just naturally nice to everyone. She was like a sphinx with better skincare—impossible to read, full of riddles I couldn't solve.

Outside, lightning cracked across the sky, illuminating the entire store in this weird blue flash. The power flickered.

"Great," Maya groaned. "If the filters go down, Admiral Bubblebeard and his friends are gonna throw a protest."

I laughed. "You named him too?"

She shrugged, smiling. "He's got leadership energy. Also, I call dibs on counting the cash register if we lose power."

"Deal."

The storm intensified, rain hammering the roof like the universe was trying to send us a message. We sat on the floor behind the counter, legs crossed, eating stale granola bars from the breakroom as emergency lighting bathed everything in amber.

"So," Maya said, breaking the silence. "There's this party tomorrow night. At Jake's. His parents are out of town, obviously."

My heart kicked against my ribs. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. I was thinking I might go." She looked at me, really looked at me, and the sphinx riddle suddenly seemed less impossible. "But I hate showing up alone. It's weird, right? Like, walking into a room full of people pretending to be cooler than they actually are?"

"Not weird at all," I said, somehow finding my voice. "I mean, I've never been to a party like that. I'd probably just stand in a corner holding a red cup I don't even want to drink from."

Maya laughed, and it was the best sound I'd heard all week. "Okay, what if we go together? As in, we show up together, and if it sucks, we bounce. No pressure."

"Together like..." I started, but she cut me off, grinning.

"Together like we survive the zombie apocalypse of teenage social dynamics. Together like, maybe I've been waiting for you to ask me to hang out outside of this fish prison for weeks now."

Lightning flashed again, and I swear Admiral Bubblebeard winked at me from his tank.

"So that's a yes?" I asked, my face burning.

"That's a hell yes, Leo." She bumped my shoulder with hers. "Now help me count these cash registers before the power completely dies."