The Sphinx's Riddle

Maya's mom stood in the doorway, holding out the orange bottle like it was a peace offering.

"You forgot your **vitamin** again. Can't have you getting sick before finals."

Maya grabbed it without making eye contact, popping the chalky tablet into her mouth. Senior year was eating her alive, and her mom's wellness obsession wasn't helping. Neither was the fact that Maya had been secretly crushing on Leo since sophomore year, and tomorrow was finally—FINALLY—going to be the day she talked to him at Jordan's party.

The problem? She had nothing to wear. Nothing cool enough.

"Save me," she groaned to Sasha, who was sprawled across Maya's bed, scrolling through TikTok.

Sasha sat up. "Okay, so my cousin works at that vintage store downtown? They got this insane Egyptian-themed jacket from some old movie production. It's giving major main character energy."

"I'm not wearing some costume-looking thing to a party, Sash. That's social suicide."

"No, listen! It's actually sick. All these gold threads, like a **sphinx** vibe but make it fashion. Leo's gonna be obsessed."

Maya hesitated. Her social anxiety was already spiking about tomorrow night. But Sasha was right—she needed something that would make Leo actually notice her.

They biked to the vintage shop after school. The jacket was ridiculous and magnificent—embroidered with ancient Egyptian patterns, the fabric shimmering like actual gold. Maya felt like a different person when she put it on. Confident. Someone who could walk up to a crush and start a conversation without overthinking everything.

"You're getting it," Sasha declared.

Maya's phone buzzed. 2%. Dead.

"OMG, no! I need my phone for tomorrow!" She scrambled through her backpack. Nothing. No charging **cable** anywhere. The vintage store didn't sell them. Neither did the bodega next door.

"My house," Sasha said. "We can charge it there."

They spent two hours at Sasha's, eating popcorn and overanalyzing every possible conversation Maya could have with Leo tomorrow. By the time her phone hit 100%, Maya felt ready. Armed with her sphinx jacket, her vitamin-fueled immune system, and a fully charged phone for emergency SOS texts to Sasha, she could do this.

She could talk to Leo. She could stop being the girl who watched from the sidelines.

Tomorrow, she'd finally be the main character in her own life.