Zombie State of Mind

Maya's alarm blared at 4:45 AM, and she basically felt like a zombie already. Two weeks of joining the swim team would do that to you. But this was what it took to sit at the popular table during lunch, apparently.

She dragged herself to the kitchen, where her mom had prepped the usual: a spinach smoothie that looked like literal pond water. "It's packed with iron!" her mom had said enthusiastically when Maya first complained about looking basic in front of her new swim team friends. Now she just chugged it while her phone buzzed with texts from the group chat.

"pool sesh in 20?" from Chloe, the team captain who had somehow decided Maya was cool enough to join their squad.

"On my way," Maya typed back, trying to sound casual instead of absolutely terrified.

The November air hit her like ice as she biked to the community center, smoothie sloshing in her stomach. Early morning swimming practice before school was officially the worst idea ever, but she was committed. This was her chance to reinvent herself. No more quiet girl in the back of the classroom. Swim team Maya was different. Swim team Maya had plans on weekends.

When she walked into the pool area, the chlorine smell immediately made her feel weirdly at home. Chloe and the others were already there, looking effortlessly awake and somehow gorgeous even at dawn.

"Hey! Spinach girl!" Chloe called out. "That smoothie actually works? You've been killing it this week."

Maya's face heated up. "Thanks. I think?"

"Totally," said Marcus, the cute junior who Maya lowkey had a massive crush on. "Your lap times are improving like crazy. You're not even swimming like a zombie anymore."

The group laughed, and Maya realized something important: they weren't waiting for her to mess up. They were actually cheering for her.

That day at lunch, when she sat with her new team friends instead of her usual spot, Chloe handed her a chocolate chip cookie. "Trade you. Cookie for a sip of that spinach mystery."

Maya hesitated, then smiled. "Deal."

Maybe 4:45 AM wasn't so terrible after all. Even zombies could learn to love mornings, especially when they came with cookies and a squad that actually wanted you around.