Zombie State of Mind

Leo dragged himself into third period like a literal zombie. Three hours of TikTok scrolling plus a Red Bull crash will do that to you. His best friend Sam was already at their usual spot by the window, furiously typing an essay that was definitely due today.

"You look dead, bro," Sam said without looking up. "Rough night?"

Leo slumped into his chair. "My cat decided 3 AM was the perfect time to reenact the Olympic parkour event. Across my face. Repeatedly."

Sam finally looked up and laughed. "Fluff strikes again. That cat has more energy than both of us combined."

"Straight up. Meanwhile I'm existing on, like, 2% brain function." Leo gestured vaguely at himself. "Presenting as a functional zombie, but internally? Straight-up graveyard vibes."

The late bell rang, but Mr. Harrison was still fumbling with the projector. Freshman year had been full of these moments—tiny rebellions, shared exhaustion, inside jokes that made the chaos feel manageable. Leo's social battery had been draining faster than usual lately, the pressure to be perfect at soccer, maintain grades, have a "thing" with Maya from chemistry... it was exhausting.

Sam lowered his voice. "Yo, I saw Maya's story. You gonna slide?"

Leo's stomach did that annoying fluttery thing. "I don't know, man. What if I'm reading it wrong? What if she's just being nice because we're lab partners?"

"Dude, she literally asked for your hoodie last week when her AC broke. That's not just lab partner energy. That's 'I'm trying to flirt with you but being low-key about it' energy."

Leo sighed, fidgeting with his pencil case. "What if I mess it up? What if I say something weird and she realizes I'm actually awkward and not the chill guy everyone thinks I am?"

Sam's expression softened. "Bro, you're allowed to be awkward. That's literally the whole point of being seventeen. Nobody knows what they're doing. We're all just zombies pretending we have our lives figured out."

The projector finally flickered to life. Leo thought about it—really thought about it. Maybe everyone was faking it. Maybe Maya was nervous too. Maybe that's what made it terrifying and amazing and worth the risk.

"Alright," Leo said, pulling out his phone. "I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna slide into her DMs like a functioning member of society."

Sam fist-bumped him. "That's the spirit. And if it goes wrong, we'll raid your kitchen and bond over how much being a teenager sucks."

"Deal." Leo typed out the message, heart pounding, and hit send.

Outside, the real world moved forward. Inside, something shifted. The zombie fog lifted, just a little, making room for something real.