Chlorine & Orange Skies

The water hit my face like a shock of cold reality. I surfaced, gasping, as Maya's laughter echoed across the pool.

"You scream like a literal mouse," she teased, treading water with that effortless grace I'd always envied. Her dark hair was plastered to her forehead in wet tendrils, her makeup perfectly waterproof.

"I do not," I protested, wiping chlorine from my eyes. The backyard was packed — seniors from Franklin High, people I'd spent years avoiding, now all in bathing suits like it was no big deal.

It was Lucas's end-of-summer party. The invitation list had been the talk of the group chat for days. I'd only come because Maya had promised to stick by my side the whole time.

Only Maya wasn't by my side anymore. She was drifting toward the deep end, toward where Lucas and his friends lounged on pool floats, their orange sodas catching the late afternoon light.

"Just come over," she mouthed, gesturing wildly.

My stomach twisted. I'd been fine with the two of us in the shallow end, goofing around, pretending the awkwardness didn't exist. But this — this was something else. This was walking across the pool toward the popular kids, toward him, while my hair frizzed from the humidity and my stomach did backflips.

I'd been crushing on Lucas since seventh period English, when he'd helped me pick up my dropped books and smiled like he actually meant it. But that was different from this. This was real.

"I'll be right there," I called back, my voice barely carrying.

My best friend since kindergarten rolled her eyes and started swimming toward them anyway. Of course she would. Maya had never been afraid of anything.

I looked down at my hands, pruned from the water. I could stay here alone in the shallow end. Safe. Familiar. Or I could swim toward something new, something terrifying and electric and possibly amazing.

My feet found the pool bottom. I took a breath and started running through the water — that clumsy, dramatic motion that everyone does but nobody admits to. Water sloshed everywhere. I looked ridiculous.

But Maya was waiting. And Lucas was watching.

I reached them just as Maya said, "Finally!" and Lucas passed me an orange soda with a smile that was definitely, absolutely real.

"Nice entrance," he said.

Some things are worth looking ridiculous for.