Zombie Mode at the Sphinx Pool

I was running on pure caffeine and three hours of sleep—finals week had turned me into a literal zombie. But somehow, I'd let Maya talk me into her birthday party at the rec center pool.

"You need this," she'd said. "You've been studying like a hermit."

Now I stood by the snack table, clutching a lukewarm soda while doing my best impression of someone having fun. The pool area had this ridiculous Egyptian theme with a crumbling sphinx statue near the deep end. It was so extra it almost worked.

Then I saw him. Liam from AP Bio, laughing with the swim team by the diving board. My stomach did that embarrassing flip thing. I'd been low-key crushing on him since we'd been lab partners in October.

"You're staring again," Maya whispered, appearing beside me with knowing grin. "Just talk to him."

"I can't just—you know what? Watch this."

I set down my soda and marched toward the pool like I had a plan. Which I absolutely did not. I was fully gonna spy on their conversation first, assess the situation, maybe casually insert myself into the vicinity.

But as I got closer, I realized they were talking about Sphinx—the math riddle app everyone was obsessed with. "That last level's impossible," Liam was saying, shaking water from his hair. "I've been stuck for days."

My brain short-circuited. Math riddles were literally my thing.

"It's not impossible," I heard myself say. Everyone turned. My face immediately caught on fire. "I mean, I've seen tutorials. On YouTube."

Liam's eyes lit up. "You've solved it?"

"Maybe." I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "I could show you. If you want."

"Dude, yes." He actually fist-pumped.

Later, as I sat with him on the pool edge, feet in the water, walking him through the trickiest level, I thought about how sometimes the best moments aren't the ones you plan. Sometimes you're a zombie surviving on caffeine and uncertainty, and somehow you still end up exactly where you need to be.

"You're really good at this," Liam said, leaning in close to see my phone screen. Our shoulders touched. My heart did that stupid flip thing again.

"Thanks." I smiled, actual genuine smile. "Not so bad at swimming either, if you ever need a partner."

He grinned back. "I might take you up on that."

Zombie mode officially off.