Orange Skies and Chlorine Dreams

The orange swimsuit had seemed like a good idea at Target. Now, standing at the edge of Jessica's pool party, it felt more like a neon sign announcing I didn't get the memo about wearing black. Like the cool kids did.

"You coming in or what?" Marcus called from the water, splashing water everywhere like a golden retriever who'd discovered joy.

I hesitated. The pool sparkled like something from a music video, all turquoise and tempting, but my stomach did that thing it always did before social events. The thing that felt like swallowing a handful of gravel.

"I'm good," I said, clutching my paper plate like a lifeline. "Just ate."

Spinach dip. I'd chosen spinach dip. Of all the party foods to make a first impression with, I'd picked something that could potentially ruin everything with one stray green fleck. I checked my reflection in the patio door. Clear. Thank GOD.

Marcus swam over to the edge, dripping wet, looking like every single Instagram thirst trap I'd ever accidentally liked at 2 AM. "You know, Jake's been staring at you all afternoon."

"Who?"

"Jake. The bear."

The bear. That's what everyone called Jake's friend group because they allegedly hibernated together and emerged only for sports and chaos. Jake himself wasn't actually a bear, but he did have this intensity that made my stomach do that gravel thing even harder.

I followed Marcus's gaze to where Jake sat in a Adirondack chair, wearing a black tank that showed off arms that definitely did not skip arm day. Our eyes locked for approximately three seconds before I looked away, smooth as ever.

"He's not looking at me," I said.

"Bro, he literally has been all summer," Marcus said, because teenagers apparently still say "bro" unironically. "He asked me about you yesterday."

My heart did this thing where it forgot how to heart. "What did you say?"

"That you're the one who always wears orange and somehow makes it work." Marcus grinned. "I think he likes you, Maya."

The afternoon sun burned orange across the sky as it dipped toward the trees. Everything suddenly felt possible, terrifying, electric. Jake was still watching, I could feel it like gravity.

I set down my spinach plate. Took a breath.

"Hey Maya," Jake called from his chair. His voice was deeper than I expected. "You playing chicken? We need a fourth."

The gravel in my stomach dissolved. "I'm in."

I jumped in the pool, orange swimsuit and all, and finally stopped watching from the edge.