The Social Pyramid Scheme

Maya pressed her sweaty **palm** against the gym wall, watching them like a total **spy**. The popular crowd clustered around Jason near the refreshments, forming that perfect social **pyramid** she'd never cracked—the elites at the top, the wannabes beneath, and everyone else at the bottom.

She felt like a **zombie** after three hours of overthinking her outfit. Her phone buzzed: *you coming?* from Sarah, already on the dance floor. Maya had been **running** through escape scenarios in her head for twenty minutes.

*Just go,* she told herself. *What's the worst that can happen?*

She pushed off the wall, heart hammering. Jason caught her eye across the gym and actually smiled. That tiny moment was enough.

The thing about social pyramids? They only exist if you believe in them. Maybe tonight she'd finally stop **running** from her own shadow.

She waded into the crowd, letting the bass thump through her sneakers. Someone handed her a glowing cup of punch. Sarah waved from the center, already dancing like nobody was watching.

Maya took a breath. She wasn't a **spy** anymore. She was just a girl at a dance, finally ready to be seen.