chlorine secrets

Maya's phone buzzed with the party invite—Tyler's pool party, the first big social event of freshman year. Her stomach did that nervous flutter thing, the way it always did when she had to wear a swimsuit around people.

"You're going, right?" asked Chloe, her best friend since sixth grade, spinning around in Maya's bedroom with the invitation displayed like a trophy. "It's gonna be epic."

Maya nodded, forcing a smile. Her mom had given her The Talk that morning—not about birds and bees, but about vitamin D supplements and acne and how some kids develop faster than others and that's totally normal. Maya had flushed crimson and shoved the bottle in her bag, but not before Chloe noticed.

"What's that for?" Chloe asked, all innocent curiosity.

"Nothing," Maya snapped. She immediately regretted it. Chloe's face fell, and suddenly the distance between them felt like oceans.

The pool party was everything Maya dreaded—bikinis and board shorts and boys showing off their cannonball skills. Maya stayed in the shallow end, clutching her vitamin bottle inside her beach bag like it was contraband. The water reflected rippling light across everyone's laughing faces, making her feel like she was watching through a distorted lens.

Then Tyler materialized beside her, splashing water everywhere.

"Yo, why aren't you swimming?" he asked, grinning.

Maya shrugged, clutching her bag tighter. The vitamin bottle clinked against her phone case. Tyler noticed. Of course he noticed.

"What's that?"

"Nothing," she said again, but this time her voice cracked.

Tyler studied her face for what felt like forever. Then he reached into his own pocket and pulled out—wait, no way—another vitamin bottle.

"My mom makes me take these too," he said, popping one into his mouth. "Says I'm growing too fast and need to supplement." He rolled his eyes. "Parents, am I right?"

Maya stared at him, then at her own bottle, and finally let out a laugh that felt like surfacing after holding her breath underwater.

"Parents," she agreed, pulling out her vitamins. The water around them suddenly felt less intimidating.

By the time Chloe arrived, Maya and Tyler were mid-cannonball contest, and the distance in Maya's chest had dissolved into something warmer. Some friends drifted apart, she realized, while others were just waiting for you to jump in.

"WATER FIGHT!" someone screamed, and Maya dove in, vitamins forgotten, heart finally lighter than the chlorine-soaked air around her.