The Vitamin Trap

Leo gulped down another neon-orange gummy vitamin, his third of the morning. His mom had bought the huge bottle from Costco, swearing they'd help him focus during finals week, but honestly? He just liked the fake citrus taste that lingered on his tongue.

"Dude, you're gonna turn yourself into a human gummy bear," Maya said, collapsing onto his bed with her characteristic lack of boundaries. They'd been best friends since seventh grade, back when she'd still worn those hideous neon sneakers that made her feet look like highlighters.

"Focus, Leo. Focus." Maya snapped her fingers. "I need intel. Did you see who Maya was with at lunch today?"

Leo blinked. "You're Maya."

"My evil twin from another dimension," she deadpanned. "The one who actually knows how to flirt with Jeremy." She flopped dramatically. "I've been cyber-stalking his Instagram for literal hours. I'm basically a professional spy at this point."

"That's not spying. That's just... being a teenager with zero chill."

Maya sat up, suddenly serious. "Speaking of which. I saw something weird on your phone earlier when you were in the bathroom."

Leo's stomach dropped. "What?"

"Someone's been watching your stories. Like, every single one. Within seconds. And then DMing you about how great your hair looks or how funny your memes are." She studied his face. "And you've been replying. Fast. Like, uncharacteristically fast."

Leo felt his face burn. "It's just... someone from camp."

"Just someone from camp who you've never mentioned before?" Maya's voice went tight. "Spill."

So he told her everything—about Chloe from the summer program, about how she seemed perfect online, about how they'd been talking for weeks but never video chatted because her "camera was broken." How she'd asked for his address because she wanted to send him something special.

Maya's expression darkened. "That's not suspicious at ALL or anything. Let me see your phone."

She grabbed it, tapping and scrolling while Leo's heart hammered. Finally, she held it up.

"Look at this profile. Zero followers from your actual school. No posts of her face. And she just happened to be at the exact same camp as you, in the exact same cabin, but you never saw her in person?"

Leo's stomach twisted as she pointed out all the red flags he'd been too lonely to notice.

"I think," Maya said softly, "someone's been catfishing you. Or worse."

That weekend, Leo discovered the truth: Chloe was real, but she wasn't interested in him. His older cousin Jake had made the whole profile as a "joke" to teach Leo about internet safety. "It's character development," Jake had said when Leo confronted him, confused and hurt.

"You're the worst," Leo'd told him, but even as he said it, he realized something.

Maya had noticed. Maya had cared enough to investigate. Maya—real, tangible, annoying Maya who stole his snacks and made fun of his music taste—had been looking out for him the whole time.

That night, Leo tossed the remaining vitamin gummies in the trash. He didn't need artificial supplements to feel better. He had something real already.