Zombie State of Mind

Maya felt like a zombie for real. Finals week had turned her brain into mush, and she was basically sleepwalking through life. Her cat, Luna, wasn't helping - consistently knocking over her textbooks at 3 AM like the chaotic little goblin she was.

"Dude, you look dead," said Jordan, sliding into the cafeteria seat beside her. "Rough night?"

"You have no idea," Maya groaned, pushing around the spinach on her lunch tray. She'd accidentally grabbed the spinach salad instead of the fries, because apparently her life was a comedy of errors now.

Jordan was the kind of effortlessly cool person Maya secretly wished she could be. Confident. Funny. Wore beanies even when it wasn't cold. Which was absurd, but somehow Jordan made it work.

"Soooo," Jordan said, eyeing Maya's spinach salad with judgment. "You coming to Kira's party tonight? Everyone's gonna be there."

Maya's stomach did that nervous flip thing. Parties were basically her worst nightmare - all those people, all that social pressure to not be awkward. "I don't think so. I have... studying."

"Bro, it's the last party before break. Live a little." Jordan paused. "Unless you're actually a zombie and can't leave your grave."

Maya snorted, almost spraying spinach everywhere. "I hate you."

"That's the spirit!" Jordan grinned. "Just come, okay? Even for like, an hour. I'll save you from any zombies. Real or metaphorical."

That night, Maya stood in front of her mirror wearing a vintage beanie she'd found but never had the confidence to wear. Luna purred around her ankles, probably sensing her anxiety. Maya's phone buzzed - Jordan's Snap: "Zombie apocalypse waits for no one. Get here!!"

She grabbed her keys. The spinach salad had been terrible, the zombie exhaustion was real, and the beanie might be trying too hard, but maybe - just maybe - it was time to stop sleepwalking through everything.

Luna meowed as if to say, "Finally, you're leaving me alone."

"Love you too, cat," Maya said, and walked out the door.