Breathing Underwater

Maya stood at the edge of the pool, clutching her lukewarm soda like it was a lifeline. Somewhere inside, someone's **dog** — a Golden Retriever with zero chill — had already knocked over a speaker and three different plates of snacks. The chaos energy was off the charts.

She wasn't supposed to be here. Harper's parties were legendary, mostly because Harper was the kind of effortlessly popular person that made everyone else feel like they were failing at basic social interaction. But her best friend Jenna had insisted this was The Summer They Finally Broke Out of Their Shell.

"Hey," said a voice behind her.

Maya spun around and there was Alex, looking unfairly good in swim trunks and a faded band t-shirt. Her brain immediately forgot how to language.

"Hey yourself," she managed. Her **cat**, Miso, would be disappointed in her lack of grace. Miso, who regularly knocked things off shelves and then stared down judgmentally, would definitely not approve.

Alex leaned against the pool fence. "You hiding too?"

"I'm strategically positioned," Maya said, because it sounded better than admitting she was freaking out internally.

They watched as the dog bounded into the **water**, sending a splash cascading over at least six people. Multiple screams ensued.

"My sister has those **goldfish** in the pond out back," Alex said. "Supposed to be zen, but last month one just... vanished. We think a heron got it."

"That's dark," Maya said.

"But it's also kind of metal? That fish could've been living its best life, and then — BAM. Gone." Alex gestured with their cup. "Sometimes I feel like that. Just swimming around in my little pond, doing my thing, and then..." They trailed off.

"And then what?" Maya asked softly.

"And then someone notices you. And you have to decide if you're actually gonna be seen."

The sun was setting, golden light catching the ripples in the pool. Everything smelled like chlorine and sunscreen and teenage existential crisis.

"I see you," Maya said, and it was the most terrifying thing she'd ever said.

Alex's expression shifted, something guarded breaking open. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. You're not invisible, Alex."

"Wanna go look at the goldfish pond?" Alex asked. "It's actually kind of peaceful."

Maya smiled, really smiled, for the first time all night. "I'd like that."

Maybe Jenna was right. Maybe this was the summer of breaking out of shells. Or maybe it was just the summer of learning how to breathe underwater.