Fox in the Orange Heat

Maya's palms were sweating, like, actually dripping onto her phone case. The Snapchat invitation had said "pool party, wear cute," which immediately sent her into a three-hour spiral trying to decide between the romper that made her look like a toddler or the bikini that highlighted exactly how much she'd skipped leg day this semester.

She chose the romper.

The backyard was already packed with everyone from sophomore English when she arrived. Someone's older brother had DJ equipment set up, blasting that song that was on every TikTok last week. Across the pool, she saw Jordan—her Jordan, from biology lab last year—talking to THE orange-haired senior everyone called Fox. Apparently Fox was a legend, the kind of person who allegedly crashed prom and made out with someone's cousin on the principal's desk.

"Maya!" Jordan spotted her and waved, grinning. "You made it!"

Fox smirked, looking her up and down in that way that felt like being X-rayed. "So you're the Maya I've heard about. Jordan said you're smart. Like, actual genius smart."

Maya felt her face burning. "I'm just... good at bio?"

"Modest too." Fox pointed toward the far side of the yard, where a massive stone statue loomed over the pool. "See that? My dad went to Egypt last year and came back with this garden sphinx. No joke, it's been totally riddled by weather, but it's still my favorite thing to crash parties near. Makes everything feel mysterious."

"Your dad has an actual sphinx?" Maya couldn't help it—she giggled. "That's so random."

"Everything about my family is random." Fox's expression softened, suddenly real. "You know what my favorite party game is? Palm reading. Let me see your hand."

Before Maya could protest, Fox was tracing the lines on her palm with surprisingly gentle fingers. "You're gonna do something huge someday. Like, change-the-world huge. I can see it."

Jordan was staring like Fox had grown three heads. "Since when do you read palms?"

"Since today." Fox winked at Maya. "Also, you're going to tell that guy over there—the one who's been glaring at us like a bull seeing red—that you're not interested. He's been trying to catch your eye since you walked in."

Maya looked where Fox was pointing. Lucas. The sophomore who'd been sliding into her DMs all summer despite never receiving a response.

"Oh." Maya swallowed hard. "I mean, he's nice but—"

"But you're not interested."

"Not even a little."

"Then go tell him." Fox's voice dropped, serious. "Being scared is normal. Letting fear make your choices? That's how you wake up at thirty realizing you lived someone else's life."

The orange sunset was painting everything gold—Jordan's concerned face, Lucas waiting by the fence, Fox's expectant expression, the sphinx watching it all like some ancient wisdom-holder. Maya's heart hammered against her ribs.

She walked over to Lucas and told him, straight up: "Hey, I'm flattered, but I'm not interested."

Later, Fox found her by the pool, dangling her feet in the water. "Proud of you, genius girl. That took guts."

"Thanks for the push."

"Anytime." Fox bumped her shoulder. "Now, you gonna tell me what's actually going on with you and Jordan? Because I've been watching you two make heart eyes at each other all night and it's exhausting."