Three Screens Before the Truth

Maya's iPhone buzzed in her pocket like a trapped insect, but she ignored it. The party was already three levels past uncomfortable, and she'd spent the last twenty minutes pretending to laugh at jokes that weren't funny.

"Hey, have you tried the spinach dip?" someone asked, and suddenly Maya was being dragged toward a bowl of green sludge that smelled like desperation and garlic.

"It's amazing," Chloe insisted, and Maya realized with dawning horror that Chloe was *that* friend — the one who'd been orbiting her social circle since freshman year, waiting for an opening. And now Maya was trapped at a spinach dip station with her.

"Yeah, sure," Maya said, dipping a carrot chip like it was radioactive.

The iPhone buzzed again. A text from her actual friends: *where r u???*

But before she could escape, Chloe grabbed her arm. "Wait, I have to show you something."

They ended up in the backyard, where a carnival-style goldfish pond shimmered in the porch light. Three fish — all named Kevin, apparently — swam in bored circles.

"My sister won them at the fair last week," Chloe said, sitting on the edge. "Mom says we have to keep them until they 'naturally pass on.' Whatever that means."

Maya sat beside her. "That's actually kind of messed up."

"Right?" Chloe laughed, and something about it was genuine. "They're like, prisoners in a suburban hell."

They sat there for twenty minutes, inventing backstories for the Kevins. Maya's iPhone stayed in her pocket. The spinach dip incident faded into background noise.

"You know," Chloe said finally, "I've been trying to get you to hang out all year."

"I know," Maya said. "I was being a jerk."

"A little bit," Chloe agreed, smiling. "But you're here now."

Back inside, Maya found her actual friends by the speakers. They waved her over, but she hesitated, then pulled out her phone to text Chloe: *same time next week? kevins need us*

The response came instantly: *bet. my place. no spinach*

Maya grinned. Some connections were worth the wait.