Undercover Lunchroom

Maya pulled her beanie lower, the brim hiding eyes that had seen too much. That's what happens when you become the school's unofficial **spy**.

Three weeks ago, she'd accidentally screenshot a private Snapchat group chat. The "Popular Kids Only" server. Now she knew everything—who was secretly dating whom, who cheated on the chem final, whose parents were getting divorced. The knowledge buzzed in her brain like a secret superpower.

The cafeteria went silent as she walked in. Someone dropped their tray. Total **bull**—they were just performing for her benefit. Since the leak, everyone treated her like she was holding nuclear codes, not just middle school drama.

"Maya!" Chloe waved from the usual table. "Spill the tea. Did Jake really—"

"I plead the fifth," Maya said, sliding into her seat. Her phone buzzed. Again.

She'd stopped wearing her favorite **hat** from freshman year. Too recognizable. Now she rotated through five different beanies, like disguises for a person who didn't exist anymore. The girl who'd just wanted to survive sophomore year had died the moment she'd accidentally posted THAT screenshot to her public story for 3.2 seconds before deleting it.

Three. Point. Two. Seconds.

Long enough for half the school to see it. Long enough to change everything.

"You look tired," said Leo, sliding his tray next to hers. He was the only person who didn't treat her differently. Well, not entirely true—he treated her *better*.

"Rough night," she admitted. "Parents fighting again."

His face softened. "Wanna come over after school? My mom's making empanadas. No phones allowed."

For the first time in weeks, Maya felt something real. Not performed, not captured and posted, not screenshot and shared. Just honest connection.

"Yeah," she said, a genuine smile breaking through. "I'd love that."

The cafeteria stared. Chloe and the others waited for intel, for dirt, for the latest gossip to feed their feeds. But Maya just kept eating her lunch, hat pulled low, feeling like she might just survive this after all.