Cat, Dog, and the Deep End

Maya had earned her nickname the summer before freshman year, curled up on the bleachers during swim meets, watching but never joining. The other girls called her Cat—aloof, untouchable, judging from above.

Then there was Jason. Everyone called him Dog—not because he was loyal, but because he'd chase anything that moved. He was that annoying loud kid in homeroom who'd been held back a year, currently sporting a fade that had grown out exactly two weeks past acceptable.

The pool party was Skylar's idea. Skylar, whose Instagram aesthetic was so curated it practically vibrated. Skylar, who'd invited everyone except the people she called "the floaters." Maya included.

But Jason had showed up with a bag of chips and zero chill, crashing like he belonged there. Because somehow, he always did.

"Cat, you're literally vibrating," Jason said, dropping onto the lounge chair beside her. He smelled like chlorine and Takis. "You good?"

Maya jumped. "Don't call me that."

"What? Cat?" He grinned. "It's fitting. You're always perched somewhere, watching everything. It's creepy. But like, in a cool way."

"You're so random, Jason."

"I'm just saying." He gestured toward the pool, where Skylar and her friends were taking selfie number forty-seven. "You'd rather be out there with them? Because I'm pretty sure they'd literally die if you got in that water looking like..." He waved at her oversized t-shirt and jeans. "That."

Maya crossed her arms. "And what's wrong with this?"

"Nothing. You're just swimming in a hoodie in July. That's a choice. A bold one."

Something about the way he said it—like he was actually impressed, not mocking—made her laugh.

"I can't swim," she admitted. It came out fast, like ripping off a bandage.

Jason stopped crunching his chips. "Wait, for real? Like, at all?"

"At all."

He stared at her. Then at the pool. Then back at her. "Okay, we're fixing this."

"Excuse me?"

"You're coming in." He stood up, brushing crumbs off his shirt. "I'm teaching you. Right now."

"Jason, no."

"Cat, yes." He grabbed her hand before she could pull away. "Trust me, I've taught like five kids to swim. My cousins. I'm practically a pro."

"This is a terrible idea."

"The best ones are."

And somehow, five minutes later, she was in the shallow end, holding onto the wall while Jason demonstrated how to blow bubbles with his face in the water. He looked ridiculous. He looked happy. He looked nothing like the Dog everyone said he was.

"You're doing it," he said, when she finally ducked her face under and came up sputtering. "See? Not so bad."

Maya wiped water from her eyes. Her heart was racing, but not from fear. From the way he was looking at her like she'd just accomplished something monumental. From the way Skylar was watching from the deep end, looking annoyed for the first time all night.

"Again," Maya said.

Jason's smile could've powered the whole neighborhood. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. Teach me the doggy paddle or whatever."

He laughed. "Oh my god, Cat. We are never calling it that."