Zombie Mode at Midnight

Maya's contacts felt like sandpaper against her eyeballs. Three hours of sleep after finals week will do that to you.

"You look like a actual zombie," Chloe said, passing her a red Solo cup. "No offense."

"None taken," Maya rasped. "I am operating on twenty percent battery life and approximately zero fucks left."

The graduation party raged around them — someone's older brother's backyard setup with fairy lights and a playlist that hadn't been updated since 2023. Maya had spent three weeks studying for AP Chem and exactly zero minutes thinking about social dynamics. Now she was supposed to be celebrating.

"You good?"

She jumped. Tyler. Of course. The guy she'd been lowkey crushing on since October was suddenly two feet away, looking stupidly fresh for someone who'd also been taking finals.

"Just running on caffeine and desperation," she said, because her brain-to-mouth filter had clearly quit working hours ago.

Tyler laughed. Actually laughed. Not that fake polite laugh everyone did when they didn't know what to say.

"Same, honestly. I think I blacked out during half the calc test today. Just pure zombie mode."

Something about the way he said it — no posturing, no trying to sound smart — made Maya's chest feel less tight.

"Want to get out of here?" she heard herself say. Which was bold. Maya did not do bold.

But Tyler didn't make it weird. Just nodded toward the back gate. "I saw a creek through those woods earlier. Figured if the party got too loud."

They walked through overgrown grass, the party noise fading to a distant thrum. Maya's feet were sore from her heels (why did she wear heels, she never wore heels), but something about the cool air, the escape from expectations, made everything feel lighter.

The creek appeared like magic — clear water tumbling over smooth stones, reflecting moonlight like shattered diamonds. Maya sat on a large rock and kicked off her heels. Tyler did the same, rolling up his jeans.

"This is nice," he said.

"Yeah," she agreed. And it was. Not in a romantic movie way, but in a real way. Two exhausted people, weirdly honest at midnight, sitting by water while everyone else pretended to be having the time of their lives.

"Can I tell you something?" Tyler asked.

"Sure."

"I was kind of scared to talk to you all year. You always looked so focused in class, like you had everything figured out."

Maya stared at him. "Tyler, I barely survived AP Chem. I have no idea what I'm doing with my life. I've been running on autopilot since September."

"Same," he said, and the simple admission felt like permission to breathe.

They sat there until her phone buzzed with a text from her mom — COME HOME, IT'S LATE.

Walking back, Maya didn't feel like a zombie anymore. She felt like a person who was tired, but real. Running away from the party had somehow brought her closer to something true.

"Same time tomorrow?" Tyler joked as they reached the gate.

"Zombie club meets at midnight," she said. "Don't be late."