Zombie Mode

The third consecutive day of three hours sleep will do that to you — turn you into a actual zombie, shambling through the hallways like you're auditioning for an extra role in The Walking Dead. My iPhone battery died third period, which was honestly a blessing because I'd been doom-scrolling until 3 AM again.

'You coming to padel today?' Jake asked, falling into step beside me. 'Coach said if you skip again, you're off the team.'

Padel. The sport my parents forced me into because 'it builds character.' Translation: it's something to put on college applications. I'd been dodging practice all week, too exhausted to function, let alone sprint around a court swinging a racquet.

'I guess,' I muttered.

That's when I saw Mason — the self-appointed bull of Northwood High — cornering Sarah against the lockers. Sarah, who's quiet and reads manga during lunch and never bothers anyone. Mason's got her backed up, saying something about her 'weird hobbies' while his friends snickered.

Normally I'd keep walking. That's the survival strategy, right? Don't make eye contact, don't get involved, don't become the target. But something about seeing Sarah's face — that terrified, resigned expression — snapped me out of zombie mode.

'Hey Mason,' I called out, voice steady even though my heart hammered. 'Sarah's coming to padel with me. We're gonna be late.'

The whole hallway went quiet. Mason turned slowly, clearly weighing whether I was worth the effort. He must have decided I wasn't, because he just scoffed. 'Whatever. Enjoy your little baby sport.'

As soon as he walked away, Sarah exhaled like she'd been holding her breath forever. 'Thanks,' she whispered. 'I thought...'

'Yeah, me too,' I admitted. 'But you coming? I could use a partner.'

She smiled — actually smiled, not that polite half-smile she gives everyone. 'I don't know how to play.'

'I'll teach you,' I said, feeling weirdly lighter. 'Fair warning though: I'm terrible.'

Later, as we fumbled through serves and laughed at our own awfulness, I realized something: maybe being a zombie isn't about how much sleep you get. Maybe it's about moving through the world without really being IN it. And for the first time all week, I was actually awake.