Fox in the Water

Maya's goggles dug into her temples—again—as she stared at the pool tiles. Another practice, another chance to choke. Literally.

"You're overthinking it," said Riley, sliding onto the bleacher beside her. Riley Fox. Everyone called her Fox because she was clever, impossible to catch, and somehow always landed on her feet. She was also gorgeous, which Maya absolutely did not think about constantly.

"Easy for you to say," Maya muttered. "You actually made varsity."

"I barely made varsity. My time was trash." Riley bumped her shoulder. "Want half my protein bar? It's got like, every vitamin known to humankind. My mom's going through a wellness phase."

Maya took it. "Is your mom still doing those weird detox teas?"

"Don't get me started." Riley's cat, Barnaby, was curled in her backpack pocket, just his orange tabby face visible. He'd been showing up to swim meets since freshman year. Nobody knew why. Nobody questioned Barnaby.

"Hey," Riley said suddenly. "You know what you need?"

"A time machine to redo sophomores year?"

"No. You need to stop swimming everyone else's race." Riley leaned closer. "I've watched you, Maya. You're fast when you stop caring what everyone thinks. That day you wore the ridiculous dinosaur cap? You smoked everyone's times."

Maya felt her face heat up. "I lost that cap."

"I know. I have it." Riley grinned, all sharp teeth and mischief. "It's in my bag. Barnaby likes to sleep on it."

Maya stared at her. "You stole my cap?"

"I rescued it from the lost and found, where it was clearly suffering." Riley reached into her bag and produced the neon green T-Rex cap, complete with tiny plastic spikes. It was objectively the most embarrassing thing in existence.

"Wear it tomorrow," Riley said. "At sectionals. I dare you."

The timing sucked. The most important meet of the year, college scouts watching, and Riley wanted her to wear a dinosaur cap.

But Maya was tired of swimming someone else's race.

"Fine," she said. "But you're wearing matching goggles."

Riley's eyes lit up. "Deal."

Barnaby let out a tiny mrrp of approval, like he knew something they didn't. Maybe he did. Cats were sneaky that way.

The next day, Maya dove into the water wearing a T-Rex cap, Riley beside her in ridiculous googly-eye goggles. The crowd went wild. Someone catcalled. Coach facepalmed.

And Maya swam faster than she ever had in her life.

Afterward, dripping wet and grinning like an idiot, Riley high-fived her. "See? Fox told you."

"Yeah, yeah." Maya should've been annoyed. Instead, she was kind of in love. "Same time next week?"

"Bring the vitamin bars," Riley said. "My mom bought three boxes."

Barnaby purred from his perch on the bleachers, already plotting their next move.