Poolside Mysteries and Bucket Hats

Maya adjusted her oversized bucket hat, pulling the brim lower until she looked like a walking mushroom. First day as junior lifeguard, and she was already vibrating with the kind of nervous energy that made her hands shake.

"You're going to be fine," Chloe whispered, texting furiously under the snack bar table. "Just don't look like you're about to hurl every time someone does a cannonball."

Easy for her to say. Chloe was gorgeous and knew it. Maya was still figuring out who she was—apparently someone who wore ridiculous hats and overthought everything.

The **swimming** area was packed. Families with screaming kids, old people doing their weird water aerobics dance, and him. The guy in the corner who'd been there every day that week, wearing a shirt that said **BEAR** Force One, watching the pool like he was getting paid to observe. Maya had convinced herself he was a **spy**. Because obviously, Russian intelligence would target a community pool in suburban Ohio. Definitely.

"Maya! Watch the **water**!" yelled her supervisor, and she snapped to attention, face burning hotter than the pavement.

By Thursday, she'd had enough. She marched over to Bear Shirt Guy, who was reading a paperback and pretending not to notice her approach.

"Okay, what's your deal?" she demanded, channeling confidence she absolutely did not feel. "Why are you always watching everything?"

He looked up, startled. And then—and Maya would cringe about this for years—he laughed.

"I'm sketching the pool for my art portfolio," he said, gesturing to a battered sketchbook she hadn't noticed. "And my little brother has lessons here. I'm waiting for him."

The **hat** suddenly felt ridiculous. The spy theory ridiculous. The way her heart had started racing when he looked at her—also ridiculous, but in a completely different way.

"Oh," Maya said. "Cool."

"Cool," he agreed. "I'm Liam, by the way. Nice hat."

She didn't even hate him for saying it. Because he was smiling like he meant it.

That night, Maya texted Chloe: I think I just made a friend. Also, I might keep the hat.

Some things were worth being ridiculous for.