The Vitamin Fox Protocol

Maya stared at the social pyramid that was Roosevelt High's cafeteria. Seniors at the top, then juniors, sophomores, and freshmen scattered like fallen debris at the base. She'd spent freshman year as a total zombie—8 AM classes, AP everything, volleyball practice until 6 PM, then homework until her eyes burned. Her mom had started her on those gummy vitamins to keep her immune system from imploding, but honestly? They tasted like artificial betrayal.

Now she was a sophomore, and things were supposed to be different. Better. Less zombie, more actual human.

Then she saw Liam—current junior, varsity lacrosse, the kind of effortless that made everyone else feel like they were trying too hard. He was sitting with the fox clique, those artsy weirdos who somehow made being different look like a conscious choice instead of a failure to fit in. They were at a table by the windows, laughing at something that probably wasn't even funny.

Maya's best friend Jacey nudged her. "You're staring again. Creep vibes."

"I'm not staring," Maya lied, grabbing a carton of chocolate milk. "I'm observing. There's a difference."

"Sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night." Jacey rolled her eyes. "You gonna talk to him, or are we gonna pretend you're not lowkey obsessed?"

"I'm not obsessed. I just—"

"You literally wrote his initials on your vitamin bottle with Sharpie."

Maya's face burned. "That was ONE TIME. And I was delirious from finals week."

"Mhm."

Liam looked up then, catching her eyes across the cafeteria. Instead of looking away like a normal person, Maya just stood there like she'd forgotten how to human. He smiled, and oh no, that was dangerous.

"Hey," he said, suddenly right there. Since when did he move that fast? "You left this in bio yesterday." He held out a notebook with a fox sticker on the cover—something about the school's mascot, probably.

Maya's brain short-circuited. "Oh. Thanks. I—"

"You're Maya, right?"

She nodded. Words had abandoned her.

"Cool. I'm Liam." He shifted his weight, weirdly nervous for someone at the top of the food chain. "So, I was wondering—you know how Mr. Harrison assigned that partner project for bio?"

"Yeah?"

"Want to be partners?"

Jacey made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a suppressed squeal.

"Yeah," Maya said, and it came out more breathless than she intended. "Yeah, absolutely."

"Sick." Liam's shoulders dropped like he'd been bracing for rejection. "I'll text you. If that's cool."

"That's cool."

He walked back to his table, and Maya stood there holding her chocolate milk like it was a trophy.

"You're welcome," Jacey whispered.

"For what?"

"For not pushing you into him just now. I have self-control."

Maya laughed, and for the first time in forever, she didn't feel like a zombie anymore. The social pyramid still existed, but maybe—just maybe—she'd figured out how to climb it on her own terms.

And she'd definitely need more vitamins for whatever came next.