Goldfish Summer

Maya's palms were sweating. Like, actually sweating. She wiped them on her denim shorts for the third time, watching Crystal laugh with the popular kids by the beach bonfire.

"You're being such a goldfish about this," Maddy said, bumping her shoulder. "Five-second memory span. You forgot how literally everyone said they wanted you here."

Maya snorted. "That's not even a real fact about goldfish. They can remember things for months."

"Dude, you're missing the point. Just go over there."

The point was that Crystal had invited her. Actually invited her. And now Maya was hiding behind a palm tree like a pathetic sixth grader instead of the almost-sophomore she was.

Then she saw him: Liam, the guy Crystal had been talking to. Fox-faced and charming, radiating that particular energy of someone who knew exactly how good he looked. He said something to Crystal and everyone laughed, and suddenly Maya felt like she couldn't breathe.

"I can't bear this," she muttered.

"Yes, you can. You literally came here to have fun, not to lurk." Maddy gave her a gentle push. "Go. Now."

The walk to the bonfire felt endless. Maya's heart hammered against her ribs like it was trying to escape. But then Crystal caught her eye and waved, bright and genuine, and some of the tension in her chest loosened.

"Hey! You made it!" Crystal grabbed Maya's hand. "Liam was just telling us about how he tried to surf today and ate it so hard. Show them your scraped elbow, it's tragic."

Liam laughed, rolling up his sleeve to reveal a angry red line across his skin. "My board literally betrayed me. I'm never going in the water again."

"Drama queen," someone called out.

"Whatever, at least I didn't cry about it like someone we all know."

They were all looking at her now, waiting. Maya took a breath, wiped her sweaty palms one last time, and said, "Okay but did you at least look cool before you ate it?"

Crystal snorted. Liam's fox-like grin widened. "Naturally. I looked fantastic for exactly three seconds. Then the ocean was like, nope."

Something inside Maya shifted. She could do this. She was already doing it.

"Goldfish attention span," she said, surprising herself. "That's all anyone's gonna remember anyway."

Crystal squeezed her hand. "Exactly. Now come sit by me. Maddy, stop lurking behind the tree like a creep."

The fire crackled. Someone started playing music from a phone. Maya sat between Crystal and Maddy, listening to Liam animatedly describe his surfing fail, and for the first time all night, her palms were dry.