Pool Party Surveillance

The humidity in Maya's bedroom was actual torture. She stood in front of her mirror for the fifth time, her palms sweating so much she could barely grip her phone.

"You good?" her little brother Leo asked from the doorway, already holding hisFinding Nemo towel like it was a security blanket.

"Never been better," Maya lied. "Just doing some final reconnaissance."

"You're so extra," he said, but she caught him wiping his own palms on his shorts.

The annual neighborhood pool party. Everyone would be there. Including Tyler, who'd moved here three months ago and somehow already had more friends than Maya had collected in sixteen years of existence.

They walked over together, Maya's heart doing that annoying fluttery thing. The moment they stepped through the gate, chaos hit. Laughter, music, the smell of sunscreen and chlorine.

"Maya! Finally!" Jenna waved her over to the patio table where the popular crew sat. "We were literally just talking about you."

Maya's stomach dropped. That's never a sentence you want to hear.

"Oh?" she managed, trying to look chill instead of like she might vomit.

"Yeah, Tyler was saying how you're always running past his house when he's getting his mail," Jenna giggled. "He thinks you're training for a marathon or something."

Maya froze. She'd been deliberately timing her mail-checking to avoid him because her hair had been in a perpetual state of disaster lately, and somehow this had backfired into her looking like a fitness enthusiast?

"I mean," Tyler appeared behind her, holding two cups, "I just noticed you're always in motion. It's kinda badass."

"Thanks," Maya squeaked. Her face was so hot she could probably warm up the pool.

Then it happened. Mrs. Henderson's golden retriever, Barnaby—who'd been eyeing the food table like it was his life's mission—saw his opening. Someone had left a plate of burgers unattended.

Barnaby launched.

"DOG!" someone screamed.

Barnaby didn't care. He grabbed three burgers in his mouth and bolted toward the pool. Tyler, being Tyler and having actual hero reflexes, tried to stop him.

What happened next was entirely in slow motion. Tyler slipped on a patch of spilled water. He careened forward. His hand shot out—

—and landed directly on Maya's shoulder to steady himself.

They both went down. Into the pool.

The water was freezing. Maya surfaced, spluttering, to find Tyler laughing so hard he could barely tread water. His hair was plastered to his forehead. He looked ridiculous.

"You okay?" he asked, grinning.

"Never been better," she said, and realized she meant it. Her hair was ruined. Her makeup was gone. Tyler was inches away, looking at her like she was the most interesting person at the party.

"Hey," he said, quieter. "Want to get out of here? I think I saw a gas station down the street with those slushies you like."

Maya smiled. The party continued around them, Jenna already posting the video to her story. Whatever. Let them spy. Let them talk.

"Yeah," Maya said. "Let's bounce."

Sometimes the best moments happen when you stop running and just let yourself fall into the deep end.