The Sphinx at Sam's Party

The social hierarchy at Northwood High operated like a pyramid, and I was definitely at the bottom. Freshman year felt like one long exercise in trying not to embarrass myself, which was exactly why I was standing in Sam's basement, clutching a red solo cup like it was a lifeline.

"Dude, you good?" Marcus asked, grinning. He was a junior, which placed him somewhere in the upper chambers of the pyramid, probably near where the cool kids stored their confidence.

"Yeah, just needed some air," I lied. The basement was packed, the air thick with cheap cologne and the bass from whatever playlist someone's phone was broadcasting.

Then I saw it. A sphinx. A literal sphinx headband, complete with fake Egyptian headdress, sitting on a table next to a bowl of chips. Sarah—Sarah who'd been my lab partner since September and who I'd been lowkey crushing on—was wearing it like she didn't care what anyone thought.

"What?" she said, catching me staring. "It's for Sam's birthday theme. Ancient Egypt, remember?"

"Right," I said. "Cool."

"You're staring, Jace."

"Sorry, it's just... you're wearing a sphinx headband. At a high school party."

"And?" She raised an eyebrow. "At least I'm committed to the bit."

Then Sam's dog—a golden retriever named Barnaby who'd been mysteriously missing all night—came bounding down the stairs, jumped onto the couch, and immediately started licking Sarah's sphinx headband like it was made of bacon.

"Barnaby!" Sam yelled. "No!"

But it was too late. The sphinx was covered in dog drool, Sarah was laughing so hard she had to lean against me for support, and suddenly I wasn't at the bottom of any pyramid anymore. I was just a guy at a party with a girl wearing a drool-covered sphinx headband, and somehow that was enough.

"Well," she said, wiping dog slobber from her Egyptian crown, "that's one way to break the ice."

"Yeah," I said. "Not exactly what I planned."

"Better though?" Her eyes met mine, and something in my chest did that stupid flutter thing.

"Yeah," I admitted. "Way better."