The Sphinx at Sarah's Pool Party

Maya's phone died at 2:47 PM — right when Taylor's group chat was blowing up about who was wearing what to Sarah's party. She stared at the black screen, the charging **cable** tangled on her floor like a dead snake, and felt something she hadn't felt in months: free.

Her mom's sphinx cat, Mr. Wrinkles, blinked his alien eyes at her from the windowsill. That hairless freak was her only company tonight while everyone else was at Sarah's pool party — the party of the year, apparently. Sarah, who'd somehow gone from Maya's lab partner in sixth grade to the girl who sat at the center of the cafeteria like she owned the whole school.

"Whatever," Maya said to the cat. "We don't need them."

But at 8 PM, her phone finally charged back to life. Seventeen notifications. Most were from Taylor's chat, but one stood out: from Sarah herself.

"hey can you come over? need to talk"

Maya's heart did that stupid thing it always did — the thing that reminded her she used to be friends with Sarah before everything got weird and divided and suddenly there were cool kids and everyone else.

She threw on her swimsuit under her clothes and grabbed her bike. The summer air was thick and smelled like someone's barbecue. When she got to Sarah's house, the backyard was chaos — music, laughing, people jumping into the pool. But Sarah sat alone on the edge of the diving board, her feet in the **water**, staring at nothing.

Maya hesitated. Then she walked over.

"Hey."

Sarah looked up, and Maya saw it — the same thing she saw in the mirror every morning since seventh grade. The feeling that everyone was watching, expecting something you didn't know how to give.

"I don't know how to be the person they want," Sarah said quietly.

Maya sat beside her and dipped her feet in. The water was perfect, cool against the humid night air. "Nobody does. We're all just winging it and hoping nobody notices."

Sarah laughed, this small surprised sound. "Remember when we did that Egypt project? We made that papier-mâché **sphinx** that looked like a cat with a human head?"

"Oh my god, don't remind me. It was so ugly."

"It was perfect." Sarah splashed water at her. "I miss doing projects with you."

"I miss it too," Maya said, and realized she meant it.

They sat there for an hour while the party continued behind them, two girls on a diving board, feet in the water, talking like they used to. Not about who was dating who or who looked good in what — just talking. Real talking.

When Maya finally biked home, her phone buzzed. A new group chat name: "Egypt Project Squad" with just her and Sarah.

She grinned. Some things were worth reconnecting to.