The Sphinx of Room 304

Maya's laptop died at 2:47 PM — exactly fourteen minutes before her Computer Club presentation. The charging cable had been fraying for weeks, a neon-orange disaster waiting to happen. Now it was just dead plastic.

"You're screwed," said Tyler, leaning back in his chair like he owned the place. Which, kinda, he did. His dad had donated half the equipment in Room 304. Tyler was senior class president, debate captain, and absolutely full of bull — though he'd never admit it.

Maya hated how her hands shook. "I can run to my locker. I have a backup."

"You've got seven minutes," Tyler said, checking his phone with deliberate slowness. "Mrs. Patel's already here."

And she was. The Computer Club sponsor sat in the corner like a sphinx, unreadable behind those wire-rimmed glasses, watching everything. She was the reason Maya had joined last year as a nervous freshman. Now Maya was co-president, supposedly ready to lead. Ready to prove herself.

Instead, she was panicking over a stupid cable.

"I'll go with you," someone said.

It was Marcus, that quiet sophomore who always sat in the back. He'd barely said three words all semester.

"You don't have to—"

"I've got a cable in my bag," Marcus shrugged. "Always carry spares. Being prepared is, like, the whole point of tech stuff, right?"

They ran through the empty hallway, Maya's Chuck Taylors squeaking against the linoleum. Outside, spring rain pressed against the windows in sheets.

"Thanks," she said, breathless. "For, you know, not letting me crash and burn."

Marcus shrugged again, but he was smiling. "Tyler's been a jerk to everyone since sixth grade. He threatened to kick me out of Club because I 'don't contribute enough.' Like talking constantly is the same as actually doing stuff."

Maya felt something shift inside her chest. "He said that?"

"Whatever. Your presentation's gonna be way more interesting than his debate on whatever." Marcus handed her a braided cable from his backpack. "Here. Good luck, Sphinx."

"Sphinx?"

"You're always asking the hard questions. Making people think." Marcus ducked his head. "It's cool. Don't let Tyler bull his way through this."

Back in Room 304, Maya found her presentation notes. Her hands weren't shaking anymore.

She caught Mrs. Patel's eye across the room. The sphinx smiled, just slightly.

Maya plugged in Marcus's cable. Her screen lit up.

"Alright," she said, voice steady. "Let's start with the real problems."