Chlorine Heart

Maya's palms were sweating. Again. She gripped the plastic bottle of emergency vitamin C supplements — her mom's idea, something about "immune support at social gatherings" — like it was a lifeline. Across the pool, Jake was laughing with the popular crew, his hair wet and perfect, and Maya felt that familiar knot in her stomach.

"You coming in or what?" Kaelee yelled from the water, splashing dramatically. "The water's literally perfect!"

"In a minute!" Maya called back, voice cracking slightly. Smooth.

She'd been crushing on Jake since seventh grade, and tonight — sophomore year, finally — she'd actually muster the courage to talk to him. Probably. Maybe. If her heart stopped hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird.

The pool lights flickered on, turning the backyard into something out of a movie. Palm trees fringed the perimeter, their shadows stretching long and ghostly across the deck. Someone's Bluetooth speaker thumped with a bass line that vibrated in Maya's chest.

She watched Jake climb out of the pool, water cascading down his shoulders, and felt her face heat up. This was it. Now or never. Or definitely never. Probably never.

"Hey!" he said, suddenly right there. "Aren't you in my English class?"

Maya's brain short-circuited. "Yeah! English! With Mr. Harrison! Who's, like, seventy!"

Why did she say that. Why.

Jake laughed, though. Not mean-laughed. Actually laughed. "Dude, yes. He fell asleep twice this week." He gestured to her hand. "What's with the vitamins?"

"Emergency courage," Maya blurted, then immediately wanted to dissolve into molecular mist. "I mean, for immune stuff. My mom's worried about, like, germs at parties?"

Jake's face softened. "My mom makes me carry emergency snacks everywhere. I've had the same granola bar in my backpack since October."

"Wait, really?"

"Check it." He unzipped his bag and pulled out a truly ancient granola bar. "This is basically a fossil now."

Maya laughed — really laughed, palms finally dry, heart doing something different now, something lighter and brighter. Maybe tonight wouldn't be a disaster after all.

"So," Jake said, "wanna show me your dive? Kaelee says you're, and I quote, lowkey terrifying at the deep end."

Maya smiled. "Show me your fossil granola first."

"Deal."