Poolside Secrets

Maya's fingers hovered over her iPhone screen, the summer heat radiating through the case. She'd come to Taylor's pool party fully planning to be a wallflower—again—but something about junior year felt different. Like she was done watching from the sidelines.

"You're not really gonna spy on them, are you?" asked Jesse, dropping onto the lounge chair beside her. He nodded toward the popular crowd clustered by the diving board.

"I'm not spying," Maya said, though she'd totally been spying. "I'm observing."

"Same thing." Jesse cracked open a soda. "You know, Jordan's been looking over here. Like, actually looking."

Maya's stomach did that annoying fluttery thing. She'd had a crush on Jordan since seventh period bio, when they'd been partners for the frog dissection and Jordan had made the entire horrific experience genuinely funny.

"Probably wondering why I'm sitting here in jeans instead of swimming," Maya muttered.

"Then go swimming." Jesse stood up. "Come on. I'll go too. We'll be socially awkward together."

Before Maya could overthink it—her actual superpower—Jordan was walking over, dripping pool water, wearing that ridiculous bear-shaped towel around their neck like a cape.

"Hey," Jordan said. "We're playing sharks and minnows. You in?"

Maya's brain short-circuited. "I... didn't bring a suit."

"So?" Jordan's grin was lopsided and perfect. "Jump in undies. I've seen worse. I saw Mr. Henderson's legs last week and I'm still in therapy."

Maya laughed despite herself.

"Or," Jordan added, "you could just come hang at the shallow end. No swimming required. Just standing there looking cool like you own the place."

"That," Maya said, grabbing her phone and standing up, "I can do."

Later, submerged to her waist in gloriously cool water, iPhone tucked safely under a nearby towel, Maya caught Jordan watching her again. This time, instead of looking away, she held their gaze.

The bear-shaped towel floated between them like a ridiculous peace offering. And for the first time, Maya thought maybe—just maybe—she didn't have to spy on life anymore. Maybe she could just be in it.