The Riddle of Corner Table Four
Maya clutched her vitamin D3 gummy like it was a lifeline, which honestly, it kinda was. Junior year was hitting different—way harder than sophomore year had warned her it would. She slid into her usual spot at the corner table in the cafeteria, strategically positioned so she could see everything without being seen by anyone.
Her phone buzzed. Another wellness influencer post: NERD: "Your anxiety is actually a vitamin deficiency!" Maya had been taking so many supplements she practically rattled when she walked. Still, her stomach did that familiar flip whenever she saw the Sphinx across the lunchroom.
That's what she and her best friend Jen called him—this sophomore who always sat alone, reading actual books at lunch, like some mysterious creature from mythology who knew secrets nobody else could understand. He had this quiet energy that made everyone curious but too intimidated to approach.
Today, Jen was sick, and Maya was vibing solo when she noticed something weird. The Sphinx's cat—a scrawny tabby that lived behind the school—had curled up on his backpack. He was feeding it pieces of his turkey sandwich, totally calm.
Maya's anxiety spiked. That was the cat she'd been secretly leaving snacks for all semester. The cat she'd written entire journal entries about when she couldn't sleep.
Her vitamins suddenly felt ridiculous. All those supplements she thought would fix everything—her social anxiety, her fear of talking to people, her overthinking every interaction—when really, the solution was just... walking across the room.
The Sphinx looked up and caught her eye. Instead of looking away like usual, he raised an eyebrow, this tiny challenge. A riddle without words.
Maya stood up, her vitamins forgotten in her pocket, and crossed the cafeteria. Every step felt huge. When she reached his table, she didn't say anything perfect or smooth.
"That's my cat," she blurted.
He smiled, slow and genuine. "I know. I've seen you leaving her snacks."
The cat purred, weaving between them, and for the first time all year, Maya's stomach didn't flip. She sat down, and the riddle was solved.
Some things couldn't be fixed with vitamins. Sometimes you just had to take a seat.