Drowning in the Shallow End

The snapback sat pulled low on Maya's forehead, her only shield against the fluorescent pool lights reflecting off too much bare skin. Seventeen years old and still terrified of pool parties. The hat was basic black, nothing special, but it made her feel invisible—which was exactly what she wanted.

She'd spent the last hour clutching her phone, the charging cable still wrapped around the case even though she wasn't plugged into anything. Just something to hold. Something to do with her hands besides standing there like a weirdo while everyone else splashed and screamed and lived their best lives.

"Hey!" A voice cut through the noise. Jake, the swim captain with the annoyingly perfect smile, waved from the edge. "You coming in or what?"

Maya's stomach did that thing where it forgot how to organ function. "Maybe later."

"The water's fine!" someone yelled. Probably one of the girls whose name she couldn't remember.

She took a step back, her sandal catching on something—a rogue pool noodle, because of course—and suddenly she wasn't stepping back anymore. She was falling. Arms flailing, cable still tangled around her fingers, and then—

Splash.

The water engulfed her, shocking and cold and everywhere. She came up sputtering, hat floating somewhere near the filtration system, her phone (thank god) still clutched in one hand above the surface like she was offering it to the pool gods.

Everyone was looking. Everyone.

And then, someone started laughing. Not mean laughing—real laughing. Maya wiped her eyes and realized Jake was cracking up, but not at her. At himself.

"I did that exact same thing last year," he called out. "Hat sank and everything."

Maya's palm was still stinging from where she'd slapped the water, and her jeans were heavy enough that she might actually drown, but something in her chest loosened. She treaded water, staring at her stupid floating hat, and started laughing too.

"Well," she said, kicking off from the bottom, "at least I made an entrance."