Fox in the Chlorinated Moonlight

The pool party at Tyler's house was supposed to be the night I finally talked to Maya—the girl who sat behind me in AP English, the one who always smelled like coconut shampoo and possibility. Instead, I was stuck in the deep end, clutching a red solo cup like it was a life preserver, while everyone else acted like swimming wasn't basically just coordinated splashing.

"You look like you're contemplating the mysteries of the universe," said a voice behind me. I turned to see Fox—everyone called him that because he had this rusty hair and knowing eyes, like he'd figured something out the rest of us hadn't. He was the weirdo who wore vintage band tees and quoted philosophy at baseball games. "Or maybe you're just pretending you understand how water works."

"Maybe I'm just contemplating how ridiculous it is that we're all pretending to be comfortable half-naked in chlorine," I said, which was actually bold for me.

Fox laughed. "Fair. But you know what's ridiculous? We spend all year worrying about grades and college and who's dating who, and then we come here and act like none of that matters. It's like we're all just waiting for someone to ask us the real questions."

"What kind of questions?"

"The ones that matter." Fox leaned closer. "Like, what would you do if you could be anyone for a day? Or what's the first thing you'd say to the person you've been crushing on all year if you knew they wouldn't laugh?"

"That's easy," I said, suddenly feeling brave. "I'd tell her that she writes the best margin notes I've ever seen, and that I started carrying coconut gum just in case she ever asked to borrow a piece."

Fox grinned. "Damn. That's actually smooth." He pointed toward the edge of the pool. "You know, she's been watching you all night. She thinks you're deep. Like sphinx-deep."

"The sphinx? That creature that asks riddles and eats people who get them wrong?"

"Exactly." Fox stood up. "Life's better when you stop treating everything like a test you can fail. Now go talk to her before I have to solve another riddle."