Goldfish in the Deep End

Maya's palms were sweating. Literally sweating. Which was disgusting because she was already waist-deep in the pool, her cutoffs plastered to her legs like second skin.

Across the water, Jason—soft-spoken, mysterious Jason who'd moved here from Seattle two months ago—was laughing at something Tyler said. Maya had been crushing on him approximately forever, which in teenager time meant three weeks.

"You okay?" Her best friend Chloe appeared beside her, floating in an inflatable pink flamingo that was definitely not cool but definitely Chloe.

"My life is over," Maya deadpanned. "Jason definitely saw me wipe out on that slip-n-slide earlier. I looked like a dying goldfish flopping around on concrete."

Chloe snorted. "You're being dramatic. Also, what's with the goldfish imagery?"

Maya shrugged, sinking deeper until the water reached her chin. "I won one at the carnival last week. It lasted three days before my mom accidentally flushed it. I'm still processing."

"That's tragic, honestly."

"I know, right? Anyway, I think I'm just gonna avoid Jason for the rest of eternity. My social skills are on par with that goldfish's survival instincts."

"Maya." Chloe's voice shifted. "He's literally staring at you right now."

Maya's heart did this embarrassing flutter thing. "Don't look."

"Too late. He's coming over."

Panic. Actual panic. Maya's palms were slick against the pool noodles she was gripping. Why was she like this? Why was existing so difficult?

"Hey," Jason said, treading water nearby. He had that annoyingly good hair that still looked perfect wet. "I, uh, liked your slide attempt. It was... committed."

Maya made a noise that was half-laugh, half-dying seal. "Thanks. I really committed to eating concrete, so."

Jason smiled, and okay, the flutter was deserved. "Anyway, I was gonna get food. You want anything?"

Maya blinked. "Wait—me?"

"Yeah, you. Unless you're planning toPhotosynthesis or whatever."

She laughed, and some of the tightness in her chest loosened. "I'll take whatever. Just not the Goldfish crackers. I'm emotionally traumatized."

"Noted." He paused. "You coming?"

Maya looked at Chloe, who was already paddling toward the snacks, her pink flamingo abandoned by the poolside.

"Yeah," Maya said, pushing off the wall. "Yeah, I'm coming."

Her palms were still sweaty, but somehow that didn't matter as much anymore.