The Sphinx in the Corner

Maya adjusted the sequined top hat she'd thrifted for $5, tilting it at what she hoped was a jaunty, confident angle. Stupid Halloween party. She was only here because Chloe insisted it'd be "low-key, just a few people"—which apparently meant thirty sweaty juniors crammed into someone's basement, reeking of cheap punch and desperate hormones.

She wedged herself between a bookshelf and a ficus, nursing lukewarm soda. Her phone buzzed—texts from her mom asking if she was having fun. Maya snorted. Sure, Mom. Having the time of her life watching people play beer pong with terrifying intensity.

A black cat materialized from nowhere, weaving through legs and jumping onto an armchair. It fixed Maya with an unblinking yellow gaze, like it knew exactly how out of place she felt. She reached out to pet it, and the cat leaned into her hand, purring like a tiny motor.

"That's Onyx. He basically runs this household."

Maya jumped. A guy stood there—dark hair, galaxy t-shirt, holding two red cups. He offered her one. "I'm Leo. You're Chloe's friend, right? The one who's obsessed with Egyptian mythology?"

"How did you—"

"Chloe mentioned it." Leo gestured to Maya's hat. "Though the sphinx on your shirt kind of gives it away."

She looked down. Oh right. The vintage sphinx graphic tee she'd thrown on without thinking. Heat rose to her cheeks.

"Sphinxes are fascinating," Leo continued, settling on the floor beside her chair like it was the most natural thing in the world. "They guard knowledge, ask impossible riddles. Very badass energy."

Maya blinked. Most people just gave her vague nods when she talked about mythology.

"I'm researching them for my thesis," she found herself saying. "About how they're different in various cultures—Greek versus Egyptian, the symbolism shifts—"

"Wait, really?" Leo's eyes lit up. "I read something about how the Egyptian sphinx represents royal power, but the Greek one is more about wisdom and destruction."

They spent the next hour discussing everything from sphinx riddles to whether cats were actually guardians of the underworld (Leo: yes, absolutely; Maya: probably, but Onyx here seems more interested in tuna). At some point, Chloe texted: ARE YOU ACTUALLY TALKING TO LEO?

He'd invited her to his Egyptian art exhibit next weekend before she even realized she'd made a friend. Maybe wearing this ridiculous hat wasn't so stupid after all.