The Sphinx of Room 304

Maya's palms were sweating so much she could barely grip her phone. First day at Jefferson High and she'd already managed to signup for something called "padel club" by accident—she'd thought it said "panel discussion" and figured it looked good for college apps.

The gym doors loomed ahead. Through the window, she saw them: The Sphinx Squad. That's what everyone called the six girls who basically ran the school's social hierarchy. They sat in a perfect row on the bleachers, all matching cremia sweaters and flawless hair. The one in the middle—Chloe—was staring right at her. Maya felt like she'd been caught red-handed.

"You're the new girl," Chloe said, sliding off the bleachers. Her voice wasn't mean, exactly. Just... certain. "We're doing a palm reading activity for spirit week. Want yours done?"

Maya hesitated. This felt like a trap. But behind Chloe, she noticed Maya's cousinLeo duck behind a trophy case. Leo went here? He'd said he was homeschooled this semester. Now he was SPYING on her?

"Sure," Maya heard herself say. Whatever Leo was up to could wait.

Chloe took her hand, studying it with fake concentration. "Hmm, interesting. You're going to make a complete fool of yourself in gym class today." The other Sphinxes giggled. Then Chloe's expression shifted. "But also, you're going to be fine. Better than fine."

"That's the most vague thing ever," Maya said, surprising herself.

"That's how palm readings work," Chloe shrugged. "You coming to the party tonight? Everyone from the club will be there."

That was when Principal Martinez burst through the gym doors, looking frazzled. "Which one of you thought it would be funny to let the school mascot bull loose in the cafeteria?"

"The WHAT bull?" someone asked.

"The statue bull from the front entrance! Someone moved it into the lunch line!"

Behind the trophy case, Maya caught Leo's eye. He was trying SO HARD not to laugh. He gave her a tiny thumbs-up.

Suddenly Maya got it. The Sphinx Squad wasn't scary—they were just bored teenagers playing palm readings and planning ridiculous pranks. And her cousin, the so-called homeschooled mysterious mastermind, was actually just Leo being Leo.

"I'll be there," Maya told Chloe. "And I might know something about that bull."

Her palms had stopped sweating. This school was going to be weird. But she had a feeling she was going to like it.