Zombies in the Pyramid

Maya dragged herself through the cafeteria doors, feeling like a total zombie after staying up until 3 AM scrolling through TikTok. Summer school was absolute torture, but her parents had insisted she retake Chemistry or risk her college applications. Whatever.

The social hierarchy at Lincoln High was like a pyramid scheme she'd never signed up for. At the top? The jocks and TikTok famous kids. Bottom? The summer school crew, aka the academic casualties.

"Yo, Maya!" Jayden waved from their usual table, holding something orange and weird-looking. "Try this."

"What is it?"

"Papaya. My mom's obsessed with this 'tropical wellness' phase." He slid a slice toward her.

Maya took a bite and nearly gagged. "Bro, this tastes like... soap and regret?"

Jayden snorted. "Exactly. 0 out of 10, would not recommend." Their laughter cut through the oppressive summer school atmosphere.

Suddenly, the cafeteria lights flickered. A crack of thunder shook the building.

"Did you see that lightning?" Maya asked, watching rain streak down the windows. The storm had come out of nowhere, like her emotions these days.

"Wild," Jayden said. "Hey, you wanna come over later? My parents got that new zombie show everyone's talking about. We could order actual food that tastes good."

Something fluttered in Maya's chest. Not the anxious knot she'd been carrying around since her best friend moved away in May, but something lighter. Maybe friendship wasn't as complicated as she'd made it out to be.

"Yeah," she said, surprised by how easy it was to say. "That sounds... actually really nice."

Outside, another flash of lightning illuminated the rainy afternoon. The pyramid of social status didn't matter right now. The papaya disaster was already becoming an inside joke. And suddenly, summer school didn't feel so endless after all.