The Riddle of First Period

First week at Northwood High and I was already operating on zombie mode. Three nights of panic-induced insomnia would do that to anyone. I dragged myself through the crowded hallway, clutching my dad's vintage fedora like it was some kind of emotional support animal. ridiculous, I know, but it made me feel like maybe I could pull off being mysterious instead of just awkward.

"Nice hat," a voice said behind me. I turned to find this girl with neon blue streaks in her hair and a smirk that said she saw right through my whole act. "You look like you're about to face a sphinx and its riddles."

"It's... a family thing," I mumbled, immediately regretting everything.

"Riley," she said, extending a hand. "And you're the new kid whose parents dragged him here three weeks into the semester."

"Marcus. And guilty as charged."

She fell into step beside me like we'd been friends for years instead of minutes. "So, you coming to the baseball tournament Friday? Everyone's going to be there."

Baseball wasn't exactly my thing—I was more of a 'sit in my room overanalyzing social interactions' type—but I caught the hidden meaning. This was where the real game was happening. The social tournament. The proving ground.

"I wasn't planning on it."

"You should. Plus, I hear the team's sphinx mascot statue is supposed to bring good luck if you touch it before first pitch. Superstitious nonsense, but you look like you could use all the luck you can get."

I snorted. "Low blow, Riley."

"But accurate."

That was the moment everything shifted. I realized my zombie state wasn't just about sleep deprivation—it was about living in fear of being seen. The hat wasn't a shield. It was just a hat.

Friday came, and I showed up. Baseball caps and team jerseys everywhere, laughter floating through the crisp autumn air. Riley found me immediately, dragging me toward the field like she'd been waiting exactly for this.

Somehow, somewhere between strikeouts and stolen bases, between Riley's relentless teasing and my reluctant grins, I stopped feeling like a zombie walking through someone else's life. The riddle wasn't as complicated as I'd made it out to be.

I just had to show up. Hat optional. Friend required.