Goldfish in the Bear Suit

Maya's iPhone buzzed with another notification she wouldn't answer. Three weeks after Jordan moved across the country, and she still couldn't bring herself to look at his texts. The screen lit up with a photo of them at homecoming—Jordan in that ridiculous goldfish costume from the haunted house, her grinning beside him like she had no idea everything was about to fall apart.

"You've been staring at that thing for twenty minutes," said Chloe, dropping onto the bench beside her. "Also, you're missing the party. Tyler's literally doing karaoke."

"Pass," Maya said, thumb hovering over Jordan's name.

Chloe sighed, the sound long and suffering. "Look, I get it. He ghosted you, it sucks, you're in your feelings. But sitting here vibing with your phone isn't gonna fix it. Come inside."

"I'm not in my feelings. I'm processing."

"Girl, you're literally drowning in them. You're like a goldfish that forgot how to swim."

Maya almost laughed. Almost. Because the worst part was that Jordan had gotten her that goldfish for her birthday last month—named it Swim Shady, said it was perfect because they both loved Eminem and now she was stuck with this stupid fish that kept staring at her with its dumb fishy mouth, reminding her of everything she'd lost.

"Whatever," she said, pocketing her phone. "I'll go in in a minute."

But Chloe was already gone, swallowed by the crowd of juniors flooding Tyler's backyard. Someone had definitely started a bonfire, because smoke curled against the sky, and she could hear laughter and the familiar bass of something way too upbeat for how she felt.

Then this lumbering figure pushed through the sliding glass door—Tyler in that bear costume he'd refused to take off since homecoming, because apparently winning "most spirit" had gone to his head.

"Yo!" Bear-Tyler bellowed, spotting her alone on the bench. "Why are you out here being sad? Come dance!"

"I'm good," she said.

"No you're not," he said, dropping beside her with surprising grace for someone in a fuzzy brown monstrosity. "I saw your story. You posted that pic of you and Swim Shady looking depressed as hell."

She stared at him. "You saw my story?"

"Everyone saw your story. Also, Chloe told me you're moping over Jordan, which—honestly? He's mid. You're gonna let some mid boy ruin your entire vibe?"

Maya felt something crack open inside her—something like laughter, or maybe just the realization that she'd been holding her breath for three weeks.

"He wasn't mid," she said, but she was smiling now.

"He was mid," Bear-Tyler insisted, wrapping her in a clumsy, fuzzy bear hug. "Also, Swim Shady needs a friend. I'm getting you another goldfish. They get lonely, you know."

"You're literally in a bear suit giving me relationship advice."

"I'm literally your best friend's boyfriend and I'm trying to help. Also, Chloe says if you don't come inside, she's stealing your iPhone."

Maya stood up, brushing dirt from her jeans. Her phone buzzed again in her pocket, but this time she didn't need to look. Whatever Jordan had to say could wait.

"Fine," she said. "But if you make me dance, I'm telling everyone about the bear suit."

Tyler's grin was visible even through the costume's mouth. "Deal."