Papaya-Gate at Tyler's Pool

I'd been lowkey spying on Tyler's Instagram stories for weeks. Not in a creepy way — okay, maybe a little creepy, but whatever. The whole grade knew about his legendary end-of-summer pool parties. Everyone who was anyone got an invite.

Everyone except me, apparently.

So when Jordan texted me Friday night saying Tyler's cousin bailed and there was a spot, I literally screamed. My mom thought I won the lottery. Close enough.

I spent two hours straightening my hair that never cooperates. Picked out this bikini from PacSun that made me feel bold even though I'd definitely be spending 90% of the party in the water because hi, social anxiety.

The party was already popping when I got there. Bodies everywhere. The pool glowed with these underwater LED lights. Tyler's backyard looked like something out of a movie, with string lights and a DJ booth and these servers walking around with trays of fancy fruit mocktails.

"You want one?" Jordan asked, handing me this glass with actual edible flowers on the rim.

"What is it?"

"Some tropical thing. Tyler's mom is extra like that."

I took a sip and almost spat it back out. "What IS that taste?"

"Papaya," said this voice behind me.

I turned around and it was HIM. Tyler. In the flesh. Six feet of gorgeous in swim trunks.

"You've never had papaya?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"I'm more of a pizza bagels person,"

He laughed. Not the fake polite laugh. The real one.

"Try it again," he said. "It grows on you. Like me."

Was he flirting? Was I hallucinating? Had the papaya already gone to my head?

"I'm Kai, by the way." I mentally facepalmed. My name. I said my name instead of introducing myself.

"I know," he said. "I've been lowkey spying on your photography account. The sunset pics? Crazy good."

My heart literally stopped. He knew about my private art account. The one where I posted my actual work, not just aesthetic pictures of my Starbucks cups.

"Wait, for real?"

"For real. Hey, you wanna see something cool?"

He led me to the pool house, which had this entire darkroom setup.

"I develop film too," he said. "Not many people at our school do."

We ended up talking for two hours about aperture settings and grain and why digital could never quite capture the soul of a moment.

I left the party with new photos on my phone, papaya on my breath, and Tyler's Snapchat. Not in a creepy way — well, maybe a little. But I'd take it.