Pool Party Disaster

Maya's heart hammered against her ribs as she stared at the invite on her phone. Jake's pool party. The Jake. The one whose hair flopped perfectly across his forehead and made her stomach do actual backflips during AP Chem.

"You're going, right?" Chloe demanded, flopping onto Maya's bed. "Everyone's gonna be there. It's, like, social suicide if you don't show."

Maya's palms started sweating. She hadn't been to a pool party since seventh grade, when her mom forced her to wear that ridiculous floatie and the whole swim team laughed. But this was high school. Things were different now. Probably.

"I don't even have a swimsuit that's not from middle school," Maya muttered.

Chloe gasped. "That's it. We're going to the mall. Now."

Three hours and eighty dollars later, Maya stood in front of Jake's house wearing a bikini that felt way too revealing, clutching a towel like a lifeline. The backyard was already packed—people everywhere, music thumping, everyone looking effortless and gorgeous.

She spotted Jake immediately, standing by the pool with his friends. His hair was damp, droplets of water catching the sunlight. Maya thought she might actually pass out.

"Maya!" Jake waved her over. "Finally! We were just about to start a chicken fight tournament."

A what?

Before she could process, Jake's massive golden retriever came barreling out of nowhere, straight toward her. Maya stumbled back, tripping over her own feet—and suddenly she was airborne, then splashing into the pool fully clothed.

Complete and utter mortification.

She surfaced to laughter. Not mean laughter, but still laughter. Her hair was plastered to her face, her outfit was ruined, and she wanted to dissolve into the chlorine.

But then Jake jumped in next to her, fully dressed too, splashing water everywhere. "Now we're matching," he said with that perfect grin.

Her heart did something stupid and fluttery.

Later, as they sat on the pool edge eating pizza, Jake told her about his pet goldfish that had somehow survived for seven years despite his complete inability to keep anything alive. Maya talked about her anxiety, something she'd never admitted to anyone.

"I still can't believe I fell in," she groaned.

"Best part of the party though," Jake said, bumping her shoulder with his. "Definitely made things more interesting."

Maybe Chloe was right. Sometimes the most embarrassing moments became the best stories. And maybe, just maybe, falling into the pool was exactly what Maya needed.