Golden Hour Confessions

Maya's palms were sweating. Like, actually sweating. She wiped them on her denim shorts for the third time, heart doing that embarrassing flutter thing whenever *he* walked by. Tyler. The absolute fox of sophomore year who somehow hadn't noticed her existence until today.

"You're overthinking it," Chloe said, handing her a suspiciously orange soda. "Just talk to him. He's literally just a guy."

"Just a guy?" Maya snorted. "Chloe, he's the guy. Also, what is this?"

"Shh, just drink it. It'll help."

The pool party was in full swing—people jumping into the water with those dramatic cannonballs that splash everyone, music bumping from someone's Bluetooth speaker, the sun painting everything in that golden-hour glow that made everything feel like a movie. Maya spotted Tyler by the pool edge, laughing at something. His hair was wet. Why was wet hair so attractive? This was unfair.

She took a sip. Whatever Chloe had given her burned slightly. Liquid courage, apparently.

"Okay, okay, I'm going over there."

"Yes queen!" Chloe cheered, then immediately got distracted by a goldfish someone had brought in a plastic bag. "OMG wait, look at this little guy!"

Maya approached Tyler, palms still sweaty but now with an extra dose of why-did-i-agree-to-this panic. He looked up, and oh no, he was even more devastating up close.

"Hey," he said, smiling. "You're in my English class, right?"

"Yeah! English. Shakespeare. All that." Why did she sound like a robot? "I'm Maya."

"Tyler." He ran a hand through his wet hair, droplets of water sliding down his neck. "So, random question—are you going to Jordan's party next weekend?"

Her brain short-circuited. "Probably? I mean, if my friends are going."

"Cool." He grinned. "You should. I'll be there."

She walked back to Chloe on actual autopilot.

"WELL?!"

"I think I just got invited to a party. By Tyler. The Tyler."

Chloe squealed and hugged her so hard the goldfish water almost spilled. "TOLD you! You're welcome!"

Later, as the sky turned that perfect orange and the pool lights flickered on, Maya realized something. The fox hadn't been out of her league. She'd just been too busy overthinking to notice him noticing her back.