Goldfish Confessions

The cafeteria was a minefield, and Maya was navigating it with zero stealth skills.

"You're literally staring again," Lena whispered, stabbing at her salad. "It's giving stalker vibes."

"I'm not stalking," Maya hissed, though her eyes betrayed her, sliding toward the corner table where Kai sat. "I'm conducting casual observation. There's a difference."

"You're a terrible spy," Lena deadpanned. "He literally just looked over."

Maya's heart did this embarrassing flutter thing as their eyes caught—for two seconds, max. His hoodie was that burnt orange color she'd started associating with fourth period AP Bio, where he sat two rows ahead and somehow made photosynthesis look interesting.

"He smiled at you," Lena said. "That's progress."

"Or he smiled at the THIRTEEN PIMPLES on my forehead."

"You have three pimples, Maya. Dramatic much?"

Maya stabbed her spinach moodily. Why did healthy food have to taste like sadness? Meanwhile, Kai was probably eating something actually good, surrounded by his effortlessly cool friends who definitely didn't overthink every micro-expression.

At home, her room was her sanctuary. Her pet goldfish, Admiral Bubblepants, drifted around his bowl with the confidence she wished she had.

"You wouldn't understand," she told him, flopping onto her bed. "You're a fish. You just swim and look pretty. No social anxiety, no crush-induced existential dread."

The goldfish opened and closed his mouth like he was judging her.

Her phone buzzed. Lena: [Kai just asked if you're going to Jordan's party Saturday]

Maya stared at the ceiling. Spies were supposed to be cool, mysterious. She was just... anxious.

[What did you say????]

[I said I'd ask you. So I'm asking.]

The truth was, Maya had been accidentally watching Kai since September. Not in a creepy way—okay, maybe a little—but she'd noticed things. How he doodled in the margins of his notes. How he always held the door for people. How he'd worn that same orange hoodie every Tuesday since Halloween, like it was his lucky shirt or something.

She'd gathered intel without meaning to. That was basically spying, right?

[Yes,] she typed. [Tell him yes.]

Admiral Bubblepants swam to the front of his bowl and did a little flip.

"You know what?" Maya whispered. "Maybe I've got this."

Her phone lit up again. Lena: [He's picking you up at 7.]

Maya's stomach did about fifteen cartwheels. But for the first time, she didn't feel like she was watching from the sidelines anymore.

"Operation: Stop Being A Ghost," she told the goldfish. "Phase one: initiate."

He just swam in a little circle, but she chose to interpret that as support.