The Social Pyramid Scheme

Maya stared at the school lunchroom like it was a minefield, which, honestly, it basically was. The social hierarchy at Northwood High worked like a pyramid—popular kids at the top, everyone else stacked awkwardly below. And freshman year? That was the bottom layer where you just tried not to get crushed.

"You coming to Jake's party Friday?" Chloe asked, spinning her phone on the cafeteria table. Chloe existed comfortably in the pyramid's middle zone—enough friends to be happy, not enough pressure to be miserable.

Maya swallowed. "I don't think so."

"You should. His house has a pool. And rumor has it, Jordan might finally break up with Amanda."

Jordan. The boy who'd sat behind Maya in bio last semester, who'd once helped her pick up her dropped papers without making her feel like a total loser. The boy she'd been low-key thinking about even though he was practically dating the pyramid's very tip.

"Whatever." Maya shrugged, aiming for casual but probably landing somewhere near tragic. "Not my drama."

That Friday, she worked at Pet Universe instead, watching the goldfish swim in endless circles. They were the ultimate NPCs—non-player characters in someone else's game. Just floating, existing, waiting for someone else to decide their fate.

Her phone buzzed. Unknown number.

*hey, this is jordan. from bio. u coming 2 jake's?*

Maya stared so hard at the screen her vision blurred. Jordan? Texting HER? While he was still technically with Amanda, the pyramid-queen herself?

*can't. working.*

*lame. party's boring anyway. amanda's being weird.*

* sucks 4 u.*

Maya hit send, her hands shaking. Then she typed what she'd been bearing inside all semester: *maybe u shouldn't be with someone who makes everything about her then.*

Three dots appeared, disappeared, reappeared.

*ur right.*

Maya smiled at the goldfish. Their world was small, sure, but at least they owned it completely.

*so... how's the fish business?* Jordan texted back.

*riveting. u should come by. i'll show u our finest selection.*

*maybe i will.*

The pyramid didn't matter anymore. Maya wasn't at the bottom or the top—she was building something entirely her own. And somehow, that was better than climbing anyone else's ladder.