Zombie State

The **goldfish** was still floating when I left for Tyler's party. Three days I'd had that thing, and now I was murdering pets through neglect. Mom would say it was a metaphor for my entire sophomore year.

I smoothed my dress. It was this violently **orange** number from thrift store that Sierra swore made me look like a "main character energy." Whatever that meant. Probably just that I stood out like a traffic cone against everyone's curated aesthetic.

"You're not gonna text him back?" Sierra asked, already halfway through her third spiked punch.

I shrugged. Mateo had sent three messages this week. I'd left him on read because apparently I was emotionally unavailable. Or just unavailable. Probably both.

"You're such a **zombie** lately," she said, not mean. Just stating facts like a scientist observing a particularly sluggish specimen. "AP exams turned you into an actual undead creature."

She wasn't wrong. I'd been surviving on four hours of sleep and academic anxiety since finals began. My brain felt like it was operating through a layer of thick fog. Everything was distant and muted and kind of terrible.

The kitchen counter had veggie trays. I reached for a carrot, realized too late it was actually **spinach**, and ended up with green teeth. Because of course.

A guy I didn't recognize—flannel, beanie, concerning lack of personal space—laughed. "You got a little..." He gestured at his own teeth.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. So much for main character energy. More like background character with spinach in her teeth.

But then he smiled. Actually smiled, not the polite kind. "I'm Nico. Your spinach is kind of iconic."

"Maya," I said. "And my spinach is a cry for help."

"Same." He leaned against the counter. "I came here with my cousin. Worst decision ever. Want to raid the cooler for actual drinks instead of... whatever punch is supposed to be?"

Something in my chest—that weird fluttery feeling that wasn't anxiety, wasn't fatigue, but was definitely something—sparked to life. The zombie state wavered.

"Only if there's more spinach involved," I said.

Nico grinned. "I think we can manage that."

For the first time in weeks, I didn't feel like I was sleepwalking through my own life. The goldfish would have been proud.