Goldfish Grace

Maya's first house party felt like a social experiment she was failing. She stood by the snack table, clutching a red solo cup like it was a lifeline, watching Jordan—the varsity linebacker who charged through conversations like a **bull** in a china shop—hold court in the living room. Everyone laughed at his stories. Maya just ... existed.

"Hey, you gonna eat that whole bowl?"

Maya jumped. A lanky guy with messy curls stood beside her, eyeing the **goldfish** crackers.

"Oh! No, sorry. Go ahead."

"Thanks. I'm Leo." He grabbed a handful. "You're Maya, right? AP Bio?"

Her stomach did that weird fluttery thing. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

"I sit behind you. You draw really good mitochondria." Leo grinned. "Is it weird that I notice that? It's weird, isn't it."

"A little." Maya found herself smiling back.

Jordan's voice boomed across the room. "Yo, who brought this weird fruit?" He held up a **papaya** like it was alien tech. "This looks like something from Mars."

"My mom's Hawaiian," the host called back. "Try it, it's fire."

Jordan took a tentative bite, made a face, and everyone erupted. Maya caught Leo's eye and they both cracked up.

"So," Leo said, leaning against the wall, "you hiding or just strategically positioned near carbs?"

"Both?" Maya admitted. "This is my first actual party. I feel like I'm going to throw up."

"Same. I've been here forty minutes and I still haven't said hi to the host." Leo pointed at himself. "Social anxiety squad."

"But you're talking to me."

"Yeah, but you're..." Leo paused. Actually blushed. "You seem cool. Not intimidating."

The host's **dog**—a golden retriever named Bear who had been working the room like a politician—chose that moment to nudged Maya's hand with his wet nose. She knelt down to pet him, and Leo joined her on the floor.

"Of course his name is **Bear**," Leo said as the dog flopped dramatically between them, demanding belly rubs. "He's literally built differently."

"He's a good boy," Maya said, scratching behind his ears. "Better than half the people here."

"Facts." Leo checked his phone. "My mom's picking me up in ten. You wanna... I don't know, hang out somewhere else?"

Maya's heart hammered. "Like, leave together?"

"Yeah. We could walk to the park. It's nice out."

She looked at Jordan still loudly performing for an audience, at the papaya sitting abandoned on the counter, at this strange, confident boy waiting for her answer on the floor.

"Yes," Maya said. "Yeah, I'd like that."

As they walked out, Leo offered her a goldfish. She took it.

Best party ever.