Poolside Apocalypse

Maya dragged herself through the front gate feeling like a straight-up zombie. Three hours of sleep thanks to that history final would do that to you. The neighborhood end-of-school blowout was already in full swing, bass thumping from somewhere near the pool deck.

"There she is!" Jenna yelled, already wet and bouncing. "Get in here! The water's actually not freezing for once."

Maya hesitated. Her hair was currently thrown up in the world's messiest bun, and she hadn't exactly gone all out on her outfit—old volleyball shorts and a tank top she'd had since seventh grade. Meanwhile, everyone looked like they'd stepped out of a TikTok tutorial.

Then she saw him. Lucas, by the deep end, laughing at something Tyler said. Of course. He was exactly why she'd spent last night overthinking her entire existence instead of studying.

Tyler caught her eye and smirked. "Yo Maya, stop being such a bull about it. Just jump in already."

"I'm not being a bull," she shot back, but her voice cracked. Great.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Mom: Did you remember to put Bear's food out? YES GOD she'd forgotten. Again. The golden retriever was probably giving her the sad eyes treatment through the back door right now.

She typed back a quick "doing it now" and shoved the phone deeper into her pocket. One more thing to feel guilty about.

"Maya?" Lucas's voice. Way closer than she'd realized. "You okay?"

She looked up and he was actually right there, dripping pool water, looking unfairly good. "Yeah. Just. Tired. Finals week tried to murder me."

He laughed. "Tell me about it. I think I got a C on that chem test. Possibly a D if we're being real."

"At least you're not alone in suffering."

"True." He gestured toward the pool. "Coming in?"

And in that moment, something shifted. Her hair didn't matter. The fact that she looked like a zombie who'd been dragged through finals hell backwards didn't matter. Tyler being a jerk didn't matter. Bear waiting for dinner didn't matter.

"Yeah," Maya said, and actually smiled. "Yeah, I'm coming in."

She jumped. The water hit her like pure electricity, shocking her awake in the best way possible. When she surfaced, Lucas was grinning.

"See? Not so bad, right?"

Maya dunked him.

"HEY—"

"Totally an accident," she called, already moving backward.

"You're gonna regret that!"

"Try me, Lucas!"

And for the first time in forever, Maya wasn't worried about anything. Not her hair, not finals, not looking cool. Just the sun on her face and the fact that sometimes, you just gotta jump in anyway.