When Lightning Hit the Pyramid

Maya's **iphone** buzzed against her lunch tray, another Instagram notification lighting up the screen. She didn't need to check to know it was another post from Sierra's table—the undisputed peak of the school's social **pyramid**. Maya sat two tables away, practically in the basement.

'Your papaya looks radioactive,' said JJ, sliding onto the bench across from her. 'Seriously, it's glowing.'

'It's supposed to be healthy,' Maya mumbled, poking at the fruit her mom had packed. 'It's a superfood.'

'Everything your mom packs is a superfood,' JJ laughed. 'Remember that kale smoothie that tasted like lawn?'

Before Maya could respond, her phone lit up again. This time it wasn't Instagram. It was a text from an unknown number: I know what you did at homecoming.

Maya's stomach dropped. She felt like someone was watching her, like an invisible **spy** had been documenting her most embarrassing moments. At homecoming, she'd tripped over her own feet while trying to impress Ethan, spilling punch all over her white dress. She'd never told anyone about it.

'Who's that?' JJ asked, noticing her face.

'Wrong number,' Maya lied, but her hands were shaking. Her phone kept buzzing. More texts from the unknown number. Each one revealing another secret she'd never told anyone.

Then it hit her like **lightning**—the timing. The way Sierra's friends were giggling and glancing back at her table. The way Sierra's **iphone** was always pointed in her direction during lunch.

Maya stood up, papaya forgotten. She marched straight to Sierra's table.

'Funny thing about those texts,' Maya said, her voice surprisingly steady. 'They have timestamps. And I checked—they all came during lunch. When you were sitting right there.' She held up her own phone. 'So I recorded you watching me. Pretty creepy, right?'

Sierra's face went pale. The table went silent.

'That social pyramid?' Maya continued, 'It's actually pretty fragile when you realize everyone's just pretending to know what they're doing.' She smiled, actually smiled. 'Including me.'

The next day, Maya found herself sitting at a different table—with JJ, with Ethan (who'd also had a homecoming disaster), and with Sierra's ex-best friend, who'd been pushed out of the pyramid months ago.

'Is that papaya?' Ethan asked, wrinkling his nose.

'Superfood,' Maya said, grinning. 'Want some?'

Maybe the pyramid wasn't so solid after all. And maybe that was okay.