The Zombie Apocalypse of First Period

The hallway stretched before me like a digestive tract, and I was nothing more than a scheduled meal. Everyone moved with that glazed, pre-coffee shuffle that perfectly resembled the walking dead. I'd been running from this moment all summer—the inevitable first day of sophomore year where I'd have to face what happened at Taylor's party last May.

'Morning, zombie,' Marcus called, high-fiving me with entirely too much energy. My best friend since seventh grade, somehow immune to the social contagium that turned everyone else into a brain-dead shell before 9 AM.

'Shut up,' I mugged, though I appreciated the normalcy. 'You know I died twice just getting out of bed.'

The air conditioning was broken again, making the school feel like a swamp. I was sweating through my strategically chosen flannel, the fabric clinging to my back like second skin. I'd spent forty-five minutes on my hair, trying to look effortless. The irony wasn't lost on me.

'You see who's in our homeroom?' Marcus raised his eyebrows, doing that thing where he spoke volumes without saying anything. 'Zoë.'

My stomach did a complex gymnastic routine. Zoë, who I'd drunkenly confessed feelings to while somehow believing karaoke was a good idea. Zoë, who I'd avoided all summer because I couldn't handle the awkward aftermath. Zoë, who apparently was assigned to Room 304 with us.

The bears in the football hallway materialized before I could strategically retreat. Jason, our star running back, stood surrounded by his entourage, taking up way more space than physics should allow. They were loud, confident, everything I wasn't.

'Yo, Marcus!' Jason shouted. 'You catch the game?'

I tried to slip past, but Jason's eyes locked onto me like predator sensors. No escape.

'Karaoke kid,' he grinned, and I felt my face heat with what had to be nuclear radiation. 'That was legendary.'

'My man!' someone else yelled. 'You have zero shame!'

I expected laughter. Expected the cycle of high school cruelty to complete its rotation. But they were... impressed? Jason nodded at me, actual respect in his expression.

Water burst from the drinking fountain behind me, sudden and loud, making everyone jump. My hand had automatically slapped the button while I'd been mentally preparing for social execution.

'Sorry,' I said, wiping my wet hand on my jeans. 'Reflex.'

'You good,' Jason said, and they moved past like water around a rock.

Marcus shook his head, grinning. 'That was the weirdest interaction I've ever witnessed.'

'Tell me about it.'

We reached Room 304. And there she was. Zoë. Sitting at a desk, reading a book with a cover I recognized immediately—The Zombie Survival Guide.

She looked up, caught my eye, and smiled. Not awkward. Not mocking. Just... genuinely glad to see me.

'Morning, karaoke kid,' she said. 'Saved you a seat.'

I sat down, and the running stopped. The bears and zombies and anxieties faded into the background noise of high school existence.

'Nice book,' I said.

She shrugged. 'Preparation is key.' Then she leaned closer, lowering her voice. 'Also, you're not the only one who sings karaoke when you're nervous.'

Maybe sophomore year wouldn't be the apocalypse after all.