Three Second Memory

The goldfish bowl sat on Maya's desk like a glass judgment. Bubble stared back with his unimpressed fish face, probably wondering why his owner was currently hyperventilating over a DM from Jason.

"You're going to Chloe's party tonight right?" the message read.

Maya's thumbs hovered. She'd been dodging this for a week. Parties weren't really her thing—too many people, too much noise, too much opportunity to say something awkward and have it replay in her head forever.

Unlike Bubble. Everyone said goldfish had three-second memories. Maybe that was the superpower she needed. Just *exist* in each moment without carrying around the entire history of her social failures.

Outside, the first flash of **lightning** cracked across the sky, followed instantly by thunder that rattled the window. Perfect storm for perfect anxiety.

Her mom appeared in the doorway, holding out a familiar orange bottle. "Did you take your **vitamin** D? Dr. Patel said—"

"Yes, Mom, I took it," Maya lied. The bottle sat untouched in her drawer. Between school pressure, friend drama, and trying to figure out who she even was, the last thing she cared about was her vitamin levels.

"Honey, you know you don't have to go to that party if you don't want to."

"I KNOW," Maya snapped, then immediately felt guilty. "Sorry. I just... I feel like I should want to go. Isn't that what normal teenagers do?"

Her mom sat on the edge of the bed. "What's normal anyway? I went through a phase where I only wore black and pretended to be profound. Your aunt spent a summer talking like a pirate because she thought it was her 'aesthetic.'" She smiled. "You're allowed to be weird about growing up. It's literally the weirdest thing that happens to us."

Maya looked at Bubble, doing his endless laps around his tiny castle. His three-second memory meant he never got bored, never got anxious, just kept swimming like it was all brand new.

Maybe that was the lesson. Not about forgetting, but about not overthinking.

She texted Jason back: "only if u promise not to let me do karaoke"

The response came instantly: "deal. also bring snacks"

The next lightning flash lit up her room, and for once, Maya didn't jump. She grabbed a hoodie and headed for the door. Bubble continued his laps, completely unbothered, which honestly? Mood.