The Sphinx's Secret Profile

Maya's thumb hovered over the follow button again. She'd been basically cyber-stalking—okay, fine, *spying* on—Jordan's profile since freshman orientation. Two years of watching from the digital bushes like a total weirdo.

Jordan moved through Northwood High like they were the human version of the Great Sphinx of Egypt: mysterious, unreadable, and everyone was desperate to know what they were thinking. Jordan never posted anything. Just that default gray silhouette and a bio that said "living in the era of uphoria." Era of uphoria? Who even are you?

"You're doing it again," said Riley, sliding onto the bench beside her. "The lurking. It's creepy, bestie."

"I'm not lurking," Maya lied, practically throwing her phone across the cafeteria. "I was just... doing research. For journalism."

"On what, exactly? How to bear the weight of your own cringe?" Riley snorted. "Just talk to them at the party tonight. Maya and Jordan sitting in a tree—"

"Shut UP."

But here's the thing about Riley: she was sly. Sly as a fox, actually, and Maya should've known something was up when her best friend practically pushed her toward Jordan at Lucas's house party that night.

Maya stood there, heart hammering like she'd just run a marathon, while Jordan stood by the cooler looking like they'd rather be literally anywhere else.

"Hey," Maya said, and wow, her voice actually squeaked. Actual cartoon character behavior.

Jordan turned. Those eyes. That slight smile. And then—

"I've been wondering when you'd actually say hi," Jordan said. "I see you watching my stories. Even though I don't post any."

Maya's face caught on fire. "You—you—you what?"

"Your account," Jordan said. "The fox one? With all the photography stuff? It's actually kind of amazing. I've been too nervous to follow you back."

Maya's brain short-circuited. "Wait. YOU were nervous? To follow ME?"

"You're kind of intimidating," Jordan admitted. "Your photos are incredible. You see things nobody else notices."

The Sphinx had been Sphinx-ing because they were shy. The spy had been the spy all along. And somewhere in the kitchen, Riley was definitely losing her mind watching it all go down.

"Wanna get out of here?" Jordan asked. "I know this spot by the creek—"

"Yes," Maya said, before Jordan could finish. Like, immediately yes. "A thousand times yes."