Fox at the Pool

I was literally dying in the corner of this house party, clutching my red Solo like it was a lifeline. The heat in Maya's backyard was insane, and the pool was calling my name, but I couldn't ditch my post. I was on a mission.

For the past hour, I'd been spy-gaming from behind this potted plant, watching my ex-best-friend Sarah laugh with the popular crowd like she hadn't ghosted me three months ago. petty? Maybe. justified? Absolutely.

Then HE walked in—Ethan, aka Fox, aka the guy who'd been running through my thoughts since junior year started. Fox wasn't his actual nickname (that would be embarrassing), but it was what everyone called him because the boy was sneaky clever. You'd think you had him figured out, then boom—wildcard move.

"You gonna stand there all night or actually talk to people?" Fox's voice came from behind me. I nearly dropped my cup.

"I'm observing," I said, trying to sound chill instead of lowkey panicking. "It's called social reconnaissance."

He laughed. The kind of laugh that made you forget how words worked. "You've been staring at Sarah for forty minutes. Just saying."

My face heated up. "She's the one who stopped being my friend, not the other way around."

Fox leaned against the wall, ridiculously casual. "Or maybe you're both being stubborn idiots. Have you tried... I don't know, talking to her?"

"And say what? 'Hey, remember when you literally dropped me like a hot potato because Emily's crew was cooler?'"

"You could start with 'hey.'" Fox nodded toward the pool, where someone had just pushed Sarah in fully clothed. She surfaced, screaming-laughing, and my chest did this weird thing. "She looks like she's having the worst time ever. Pretty sure her designer jeans are ruined."

That's when I noticed it—the slight desperation in Sarah's eyes. The too-loud laughter. The way she kept glancing around like she was searching for something. Or someone.

Fox bumped my shoulder. "Your move. The water's not getting any warmer."

I took a breath, ditched my cup, and started walking toward the pool. Running away from the problem was easier, but Fox was right—some things were worth diving into, even when you didn't know how deep the water went.