Chasing the Orange Glow

The pool water shimmered like crushed diamonds under the party lights, but Maya stood at the edge, toes curled against the concrete. This wasn't just any house party — this was Jax's house, and Jax was the kind of gorgeous that made your brain delete all its vocabulary.

"You coming in or what?" Her best friend Sierra had already vaulted into the deep end, surfacing with a splash that soaked Maya's carefully curated outfit.

"I'm good!" Maya called back, lying through her teeth. The truth was, she'd forgotten to pack a swimsuit, and the borrowed neon orange bikini from Jax's sister felt about three sizes too small and exposed enough to make her want to dissolve into the patio tiles.

A week earlier, her mom had dropped off this bizarre vitamin C serum at her dorm, claiming it would give her that "sun-kissed glow." Maya had slathered it everywhere. Now she looked like a radioactive tangerine, which was absolutely, completely, definitely not the vibe she was going for at her first college social event.

"Hey!" A voice behind her made her jump. Jax. Of course. They held out a Solo cup. "Want some water? You look kinda..."

Maya's life flashed before her eyes. He was going to say orange. Or sunburned. Or like a walking traffic cone.

"...warm?" Jax finished. "It's hot out here."

Relief flooded through her. Maybe the orange wasn't that noticeable in the party lights. She accepted the cup, their fingers brushing, sending electricity down her arm that had absolutely nothing to do with whatever was in that vitamin serum.

"Thanks," she managed, suddenly remembering how English worked. "I'm Maya."

"I know," Jax said, grinning. "You're in my econ discussion section. You always sit by the window."

Something shifted in Maya's chest, light and buoyant. Maybe being the orange girl wasn't the worst thing in the world. Maybe, just maybe, she could dive into the water — swimsuit disasters, radioactive glow, and all — and actually enjoy the swim.

Sierra waved from the pool, beckoning with both arms. Maya looked at Jax, then at the inviting blue water, and made her choice.

"Watch this," she said, and cannonballed into the deep end, orange glow and all.