Lightning in the Deep End

Maya's thumb hovered over Jake's story as she sat in the parking lot outside the community **pool**, heart doing that weird fluttery thing it always did when he posted anything. She'd been low-key **spy**ing on his Instagram for months now—watching his stories, analyzing his captions, wondering if the way he'd liked her post three weeks ago meant something or if she was just being totally delulu.

"You coming in or what?" Chloe yelled from the entrance, looking annoyed. "Jordan's party started an hour ago."

Maya shoved her phone in her pocket. Jordan. The girl whose pool parties were basically social currency at Northwood High. The girl Maya had pretended to be friends with since seventh grade because that's just what you did when you wanted to survive middle school with your dignity intact.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," Maya called back, but her feet felt heavy. What if Jordan had invited her out of pity? What if everyone was already in their friend groups and Maya ended up floating alone in the shallow end like last time?

The backyard was transformed—fairy lights strung between trees, music thumping from speakers, a group of people from her AP Bio class huddled around a table. The pool itself glittered blue and inviting, but Maya's stomach twisted.

"Maya! Finally!" Jordan materialized, sliding an arm around her shoulders. "You're just in time—we're about to play Sharks and Minnows like total children because apparently none of us know how to act like adults."

And then she saw him.

Jake. Standing near the diving board, laughing at something. His hair was wet, a towel slung over his shoulder, droplets of water clinging to his shoulders. Their eyes caught for half a second before Maya quickly looked away, cheeks burning.

**Lightning** cracked across the sky—actual lightning, sudden and startlingly bright. Someone screamed playfully.

"Storm's rolling in!" someone shouted.

"Everyone out!" a lifeguard called.

As people scrambled for towels and cover, Maya found herself suddenly alone near the pool's edge. Jake splashed over, hoisting himself up beside her. Water streamed down his face.

"That was close," he said, grinning. His teeth were slightly crooked on one side. It was cute. Too cute.

"Yeah," Maya managed, her voice sounding weirdly squeaky.

"You're Maya, right? From Mr. Henderson's class?"

Wait. He knew her name? He knew she was in Mr. Henderson's class?

"Yeah, that's me."

"I've been meaning to ask—did you understand that last lecture? Because I was completely lost."

**Lightning** flashed again, illuminating his face. And then it hit Maya—she'd spent three months low-key stalking this boy's social media, analyzing his posts like they were ancient texts, building him up in her head like some mythical creature who'd never notice her...

...when all along, he was just some guy who was confused in AP Bio and liked her Instagram posts sometimes.

She started laughing. Couldn't stop.

"What?" Jake asked, grinning now too. "What's funny?"

"Nothing," Maya said, wiping her eyes. "I just—no one's ever asked me for help with homework before. It's kind of nice, actually."

Another crack of **lightning**, closer this time. Rain began to fall, warm and sudden.

"We should get inside," Jake said, standing up. He extended a hand. "You can explain Henderson's lecture to me over pizza?"

Maya took his hand, her heart doing that weird fluttery thing again—but different this time. Less fear. More like... excitement. Like anything could happen.

"Deal."