Deep End Sphinx

The pool party felt like a social minefield, and I was stepping on every single explosive. My hair—specifically the disastrous DIY blue I'd attempted two nights ago—was frizzing in the humidity like a cotton candy explosion. I stood at the edge, gripping my solo cup like it was a lifeline, while Jake-the-human-golden-retriever cannonballed into the water with a splash that soaked three freshman girls.

"Yo, Maya!" Jake yelled, shaking water everywhere. "Get in here!"

I plastered on my best fake smile. "Maybe later!"

Truth was, I'd been avoiding pools since seventh grade, when my dive attempt had resulted in what my brother called "the world's most graceful belly flop." I'd felt like a bull in a china shop ever since.

"You've got something in your teeth," said Skylar, the girl who'd been giving me mysterious looks all afternoon. "Green."

My stomach dropped. Spinach. From the stupid spinach artichoke dip I'd nervously stuffed in my mouth earlier. I had approximately three seconds to fix this before my social life officially ended.

"Thanks," I muttered, spinning away to secretly attack my teeth with my tongue.

"Hey." Skylar followed. "Your hair looks sick, by the way."

I paused, tongue still waging war against the spinach. "Really?"

"Yeah. It's like you're part mermaid." She tilted her head, studying me like I was some sphinx with a riddle she couldn't quite solve. "You know what's funny? Everyone's pretending they're not scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Being seen." She shrugged. "Jumping in the deep end—literally or metaphorically." She reached for my hand. "Come on. We'll do it together."

Before I could overthink it, we jumped.

The water swallowed me whole. For three seconds, I was weightless, suspended. Then I surfaced, sputtering, blue hair plastered to my forehead, spinach-free and breathless.

Skylar grinned, shaking water from her curls. "See? Not so deep after all."