Goldfish in the Deep End

Marcus had been spying on Jordan's Instagram stories for three weeks straight. It was pathetic, he knew, but when you're a sophomore orbiting the outer edges of the social pyramid, sometimes you gotta gather intelligence. Jordan Brooks, junior class president, actual god among mortals, was hosting the first pool party of the season. Everyone who was anyone would be there. And somehow, improbably, Marcus had scored an invite.

The goldfish had been a mistake. A carnival impulse win from last weekend's boardwalk trip with his mom. Now he was stuck with "Captain Finley" in a bowl on his dresser, watching him get ready for the party that could make or break his entire high school existence. He'd texted his best friend Riley about bringing the fish as a conversation starter—like, hey, Jordan, want to meet this depressed carnival prize?—but Riley had called him a "certified clown" and left him on read.

His parents' cable TV situation wasn't helping. They still had basic cable, which meant he missed half the references Jordan and her friends made in their stories. What even was "Euphoria" and why did everyone quote it like scripture? He was basically cultural illiterate, destined to remain at the bottom of the food chain forever.

The party was already in full swing when he arrived. Kids everywhere—sunning on loungers, cannonballing into the water, blasting that one Drake song that played at every social function from here to graduation. Marcus stood by the fence, clutching his towel like a lifeline. This had been a mistake. He should've stayed home with Finley.

"Hey!" A voice cut through his spiral. Jordan, in this incredible retro two-piece, waving from the pool's edge. "You made it!" She smiled, and Marcus's stomach did this genuinely concerning flutter thing. "I was hoping you'd come. That TikTok you made about the math teacher? Literally legendary."

Wait. What?

"My TikTok?" Marcus managed.

"Yeah! You're basically lowkey famous now," she said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Everyone's been talking about it. You're so funny."

Someone *had* been watching him. Just not in the creepy surveillance way he'd been watching everyone else.

"You coming in or what?" Jordan called, already floating backward toward the deep end. "Water's perfect!"

Marcus dropped his towel. The social pyramid could wait. He had a pool to conquer.