The Social Pyramid Scheme

Maya's cat Luna gave her that judgy look again as she applied too much eyeliner. 'You're trying too hard,' Luna seemed to say, which was rich coming from a cat who spent 90% of her life grooming herself.

downstairs, her dog Buster was losing his mind over the mailman like always. Some guard dog. He'd probably help a burglar pack their bags if they gave him a belly rub.

'time!' Maya yelled at her reflection. First day of sophomore year, and she'd finally ascended from the bottom tier of the social pyramid. All because she'd accidentally Snapchat-friended Alyssa, queen bee of the junior class, over the summer. Now they were 'besties,' according to Alyssa's story.

Whatever that meant.

Her phone buzzed. Alyssa: 'meet me @ bathroom 2nd floor. emergency.'

Maya's stomach did that thing where it forgot how to be an organ. She grabbed her backpack and practically flew down the stairs, Buster weaving between her legs like a furry hazard.

The bathroom was already occupied when she burst in—Alyssa and two other girls she recognized from the popular table. They were all staring at someone's phone screen.

'finally!' Alyssa grabbed Maya's arm. 'you're literally the only person I trust with this. Jordan from junior AP Calc is like, spying on my private story. I just know it.'

Maya blinked. 'wait, what?'

'someone keeps screenshotting my posts but then denying it. my story views show Jordan watching LITERALLY EVERYTHING within thirty seconds. it's giving obsessive.'

The other girls nodded solemnly like this was a federal investigation.

'so we need you to,' Alyssa continued, 'test him. post something. see if he screenshots. we'll know for sure.'

Maya stared at them. This was high school espionage now? 'you want me to... bait him?'

'it's not baiting! it's protecting my privacy!' Alyssa's eyes were wide and earnest. 'please? you're the only one who gets it.'

Something about the way Alyssa said it—like Maya was special, different—made her chest feel weird. So she nodded.

'okay. fine. what do I post?'

The other girls giggled. Alyssa smirked. 'something that looks like a secret. but isn't. make him work for it.'

Maya posted a photo of her cat Luna looking supremely unimpressed with the caption 'the only one who understands my soul.' Then she waited.

Thirty seconds later—exactly thirty seconds—Jordan viewed it. No screenshot.

'he's clean,' Maya reported, feeling weirdly disappointed.

Alyssa shrugged. 'maybe he just likes your cat. or you.'

The possibility hung in the air likeperfume that was slightly too strong.

'anyway,' Alyssa continued, 'we're doing a group study session tomorrow. you should come. like, officially.'

Maya walked home later that afternoon, Buster trotting beside her like he'd always been her wingman. The social pyramid hadn't changed, but somehow she'd figured out how to climb it without losing herself.

Or maybe—probably—it had never been about climbing at all. Just finding the right people to be weird with.