Palm Sweat & Pool Parties

Maya's palms were sweating through her phone case, and she was 87% sure the new kid, Jax, was about to notice her staring at him from across the deck.

"You good?" Chloe whispered, nudging her with an elbow. "You've been vibing in the corner for like twenty minutes."

Maya wiped her hands on her denim shorts. "I'm just taking in the atmosphere. atmospherically."

"Atmosphere?" Chloe snorted. "You mean the pool that Tyler peed in during seventh grade? That atmosphere?"

"You don't KNOW that," Maya protested, even though they absolutely did. Everyone did.

The summer party was in full swing—someone's Bluetooth speaker blasting that song everyone pretended not to love, juniors showing off their new piercings, and Jax, looking unfairly good in a black beanie hat despite it being eighty-five degrees. Who wore beanies in July? Apparently, the new transfer student who'd moved here from Seattle and had already collected three Instagram followers from Maya's friend group.

"My mom says I need more vitamin D," Maya announced randomly. "That's why I came. For the sun."

"You're literally wearing SPF 50," Chloe pointed out. "Also, we're mostly in the shade."

"Whatever."

Then Jax was walking over. Maya's heart did this embarrassing flutter thing, like a trapped bird or whatever cringey simile was appropriate for her life.

"Hey," he said. "Is this seat taken?"

Chloe shot Maya a look that clearly said: DON'T SCREW THIS UP. "Nah, you're good."

Jax sat. Maya's palms started sweating again. This was fine. Everything was fine.

"So," he said, "you guys go to Northwood?"

"Yeah," Chloe answered for both of them. "Maya here is basically the queen of avoiding social interaction. It's her brand."

Maya kicked her under the table. Or tried to. Her foot hit nothing but air.

"Nice," Jax said, and Maya couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic. "I'm trying to figure out who's who. Everyone's got, like, their whole thing."

"What's your thing?" Maya asked before she could overthink it.

Jax leaned back, thoughtful. "I have this bear sweater my grandma knit me. I wear it every Friday. My friends back in Seattle thought it was my emo phase, but I just really like bears."

Maya laughed. It slipped out before she could stop it.

"What?" Jax grinned. "You judging my bear game?"

"No," she said, smiling for real now. "I think it's cool."

And for the first time all afternoon, Maya's palms finally stopped sweating.