Zombie at the Top of the Pyramid

I looked like a straight-up zombie. Foundation caked, eyes half-lidded, drifting through the cafeteria like I'd risen from the grave to hunt for brains—or maybe just a decent bagel. Spring finals week will do that to you.

"You good?" Marcus asked, sliding onto the bench across from me.

"I've been studying for four days straight," I mumbled into my math textbook. "I don't remember what sunlight looks like."

He laughed. "Join the club. Everyone's dying."

That's when I noticed it—the social pyramid in action, as clear as if someone'd diagrammed it on the whiteboard. At the top tables: varsity jackets, perfect hair, effortless laughter. Lower down: band kids, theater crew, academic teams. And us, somewhere in the middle, surviving on caffeine and spite.

But my eyes locked on someone new at the summit. Maya, from my AP Bio class, sitting with the popular crowd like she'd always been there. She caught my stare and grinned, waving me over.

What?

I hesitated. My palms went full waterfall. Since when did Maya run with that crowd? Since when did *I* get invited anywhere near the summit?

"Go," Marcus whispered. "Live a little. Zombie."

I grabbed my tray and made the walk, every step feeling like a performance. Maya slid over and patted the seat beside her.

"This is Jordan," she said, like we were old friends. "Jordan saved my grade in Bio last unit."

"No biggie," I managed, setting down my tray.

The conversation flowed easier than I expected. Turns out the pyramid wasn't as solid as it looked from the outside—people just climbed different routes, and some days, you got a boost.

Maya leaned in during a lull. "I've been wanting to sit with you guys forever. You seem chill."

"We are chill," I said, and it wasn't even a lie. "But you're literally at the cool table now."

"It's just a table," she said, shrugging. "Want to study together after school?"

Maybe the zombie thing was wearing off. Maybe I was waking up.

"Yeah," I said, finally relaxing enough to actually eat my bagel. "That'd be solid."