Poolside Secrets

The chlorine stung my eyes as I floated in the Hartmans' pool, pretending to be absorbed in my phone while actually absorbing everything happening around me. This was the last big blowout before senior year, and I'd somehow landed on the guest list through a series of social miracles I still didn't understand.

Across the pool, Jessica—the undisputed queen of our high school's social hierarchy—leaned in close to Tyler, speaking in that urgent whisper everyone pretends they can't hear but everyone definitely can. I'd been functioning as her unofficial spy all summer, feeding her information about who liked who, who was beefing with whom, and which parties were actually worth attending. It was exhausting currency to trade, but it kept me relevant.

"Total bull," I heard Tyler say, shaking his head. "He's been taking those vitamin supplements from that sketchy website and thinks he's suddenly got abs now."

I drifted closer, treading water silently. They were talking about Marcus—my lab partner from junior year, who'd spent three months trying to work up the nerve to ask me to homecoming before transferring schools. I wondered if he'd ever made his move.

"Whatever," Jessica flipped her hair back. "You're still my best friend, Ty. Don't let anyone tell you different."

The words hit me like they always did. I'd been Jessica's friend since seventh grade, had helped her through her parents' divorce, had covered for her when she was too hungover to make it to first period. Yet here I was, floating in her pool while she offered someone else the title I'd earned a thousand times over.

I pulled myself from the water, grabbing my towel and heading for the gate without looking back. Some friendships are like pools that look perfect from a distance but are way too cold once you're actually in them. This was my summer of finally learning the difference between being seen and being valued.