iSpy: The Poolside Pyramid

Maya's thumb hovered over the send button, her **iPhone** screen glowing in the dark of her room. The message to Leo—her crush since seventh grade—sat typed out: *"Hey, are you going to Jordan's pool party tomorrow?"*

Delete. Too desperate. Rewrite: *"Party tomorrow?"*

Still no. She locked her phone and shoved it under her pillow. This was exactly why she'd installed that stupid **spy** app—so she could track whether Leo was actually online or just leaving her on read. Not that she'd ever admit that to anyone.

The next day, she stood by the snack table at Jordan's party, nursing a melting **water** bottle and watching the social **pyramid** in action. There it was, just like always: the popular kids by the deep end, the normals like her hovering near the snacks, and the outliers clustered around the **padel** court in the backyard, pretending to care about the game.

Leo was at the top of that pyramid, of course. Laughing with Emma, who was perfect in that way where you're pretty sure she's never had acne or social anxiety. Maya's stomach did that familiar twist—the one that said *you don't belong here, go home.*

"Hey!"

She jumped. It was Leo. Standing right there. Pool-slicked hair, board shorts, a drop of **water** sliding down his chest like something out of a movie.

"You play **padel**?" he asked, nodding toward the court.

"Uh, yeah?" The lie came out before she could stop herself. "I mean, kind of. Not really." Why did her brain turn to mush around him?

Leo grinned. "Good. We need a fourth player. Everyone else is too busy standing around looking cool."

He extended his hand. "You coming?"

Maya looked at the **pyramid** of people by the pool, then back at Leo's hand, then at the **padel** court where a group of misfits were already setting up. She thought about her **iPhone** back in her bag, the **spy** app, all the energy she'd spent watching from the sidelines.

"Yeah," Maya said, taking his hand. "I'm coming."

For the first time all summer, she put down her phone, stepped away from the edge, and jumped right in.