The Riddle of Room 304

Maya's first day at Northwood High felt like climbing a social pyramid in heels. The cafeteria alone had zones: the varsity jacket crew at the apex, then the band kids, the theater weirdos (her people, hopefully), and finally, the table where she sat alone, texting her mom emoji hearts she didn't feel.

Third period: Ancient Mythology with Mrs. Chen. Maya slid into a desk near the back, accidentally knocking into a lanky guy with messy curls and a faded Star Wars shirt.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"No worries, new girl." He grinned. "I'm Leo. You're about to meet The Sphinx."

"The what?"

He pointed at the front of the room. "Mrs. Chen. She does this thing where you have to answer her riddle or you bear the consequences."

"What consequences?"

"Last guy had to wear the school bear mascot costume to every football game. Whole semester."

Maya swallowed. The bear costume was legendary — sweaty, smells-like-teen-spirit, and utterly humiliating.

Mrs. Chen's eyes locked onto her. "Fresh blood. Tell me, new student: what walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening?"

The class went silent. Maya knew this one. She'd grown up on mythology.

"A person," she said. "Crawling as a baby, walking as an adult, using a cane in old age."

Mrs. Chen's eyebrows rose. "Correct." She gestured to the back. "Leo, you're up."

"Wait, what?" Leo straightened. "I thought she was the new kid."

"You were supposed to study for today's riddle," Mrs. Chen said sweetly. "See me after class about the bear costume."

As the class erupted into muffled giggles, Leo caught Maya's eye and shrugged helplessly. But he was smiling.

"Nice one, Sphinx-slayer," he whispered.

Maya's phone buzzed. A text from her mom: How's it going??

She typed back: might survive this pyramid after all, and hit send, feeling something like hope flicker in her chest for the first time all day.