Poolside Panic

Maya stood at the edge of the pool, toes curling against the warm concrete. The annual 4th of July block party. Everyone who was anyone from sophomore year would be here. Including Jason. The one whose smile made her stomach do that weird fluttery thing.

"Yo Maya! Get in or get out!" came Tyler's voice from behind. He'd cannonballed in like five minutes ago and already caused a mini-tsunami.

She hesitated. Her new swimsuit—bought specifically for this moment—felt too revealing. Too much skin. She'd spent weeks convincing herself she was ready to be seen, but now? Now she just wanted to disappear.

Her golden retriever, Buster, chose that exact moment to shake himself vigorously beside her. Water droplets flew everywhere. Great. Now she looked like she'd already been in the pool, hair frizzing out in fifty directions.

"Spinach!" Maya swore, remembering why she'd even come over here. Her mom had made her bring that stupid spinach dip to the snack table. She'd set it down somewhere and now needed to find it before—

"Hey!" Jason appeared beside her, dripping wet, grinning like he didn't just cause Maya's heart to practically stop. "You coming in?"

She opened her mouth to respond, but something caught her eye across the pool. Little Leo was struggling, splashing and gasping. He'd drifted toward the deep end.

Without thinking, Maya dove in.

The water rushed around her as she kicked hard toward the seventh grader. She grabbed him just as he slipped under, heaving both of them toward the edge. Jason was already there, hauling them up.

"You okay?" Jason asked Leo, then turned those amazing eyes on Maya. "That was seriously badass."

Maya's face burned hotter than the July sun. She was soaking wet, hair everywhere, and her swimsuit was practically see-through now.

"Um, thanks," she managed, suddenly very aware of how bare she felt. Not just physically—like, emotionally too. She'd just done something brave without overthinking it. Who was she?

Jason laughed, noticing something behind her. "Dude, your dog just ate that spinach dip."

Maya turned to see Buster happily licking the empty bowl. She groaned.

"My mom is going to kill me."

"Nah," Jason said, stepping closer. "I'll help you clean it up. Besides, now I have a reason to talk to you that doesn't make me look like a total weirdo."

He grinned again. Maya found herself smiling back, spinach dip disaster and all.