Poolside Real Talk

Marcus's summer gig as a pool attendant wasn't exactly the lifestyle he'd promised his followers. His ig was basically just water filters and the occasional duck, and the only engagement he got were from his grandma and like three bots.

The highlight of his shift was usually Mrs. Henderson's golden retriever, Buster, who'd mastered the art of looking pathetic until someone surrendered their hot dog. Marcus had definitely spent way too much of his minimum wage on canine admiration.

But this Tuesday, everything changed when SHE walked in.

Maya. With her effortless aesthetic and that natural vibe where she made even wearing sunscreen look intentional. Marcus had been lowkey obsessing over her since sophomore year English, when she'd completely dismantled the popular crowd's argument without even raising her voice. She was the kind of person who actually read books for fun and made it look cool.

Now she was here. At HIS pool.

Marcus's brain short-circuited. He started hyperventilating. Was it the heat? The existential crisis? Or maybe those weird energy **vitamin** supplements his mom kept buying from that MLM aunt? He'd taken double the recommended dosage that morning because he'd heard somewhere that confidence was just chemistry.

He tried to play it cool, leaning against the pool equipment like he owned the place, but then he noticed the stray **cat** watching him from the fence. Black cat, bad luck, perfect. The universe was definitely roasting him from above.

Maya sat near the edge, reading something that looked like poetry. Marcus's heart did that thing where it forgot how to organ. He needed to make a move. Say something. ANYTHING that wasn't completely awkward.

"Hey," he managed. Groundbreaking. "The water's, uh, perfect today. If you're into... water temperatures."

Maya looked up. Her eyes were literally galaxies. "Thanks. I'm more of an observing person. Plus I forgot my swimsuit."

INTERNAL SCREAMING.

"Oh. That's... valid." Why was he like this?

Just then, his cousin Jayden showed up with his whole squad, blasting music that definitely violated at least three noise ordinances. Jayden, being the absolute **fox** he was, immediately clocked the situation.

"Yo cuz, you tryna shoot your shot or what?" Jayden stage-whispered loud enough for the entire pool area to hear.

Marcus wanted to dissolve into chlorine. Maya cracked up, though. Maybe this wasn't a complete disaster?

Later, as he closed up, the cat was still watching from the fence. The universe wasn't entirely against him. His phone dinged. A follow request from @maya.writes.

Poolside real talk: summer might just turn out okay after all.