Poolside Secrets

Maya stared at her reflection, wondering if she'd ever feel comfortable in a swimsuit. The invitation to Jake's **pool** party had been sitting on her phone for three days, mocking her.

"You going?" her best friend Leo asked, flopping onto her bed. He was munching **vitamin** C gummies like candy—his new 'immune system' phase.

"I don't know." Maya twirled a strand of hair. "Everyone's gonna look perfect. And I'm just... me."

"You're being dramatic." Leo sat up. "Besides, Jake's been lowkey **spy**ing on your IG stories. I've seen his name pop up on your views."

Maya's stomach did that weird flutter thing. Jake, the cute lacrosse player, watching her stories? That didn't track.

"Probable," she scoffed. "He probably accidentally clicked and immediately regretted it."

"Or maybe," Leo grinned, "you're not giving yourself enough credit. Unlike that **fox** Mia, who thinks she's God's gift to everything but actually has zero personality."

Maya laughed. Mia had been her nemesis since seventh grade, always somehow making everything about herself.

"Whatever." Maya grabbed her phone. "My parents finally cut the **cable**, so I've been binge-watching everything on streaming. If I go to this party, I need a game plan."

"Game plan?" Leo raised an eyebrow. "It's a pool party, not a tactical operation."

"You know what I mean." Maya sighed. "Like, what do I even say? 'Hey Jake, nice backstroke?'"

"Or maybe just... be yourself?" Leo suggested, then immediately ruined it by adding, "But wear that cute bikini you bought last month."

"Leo!" Maya threw a pillow at him, but she was smiling.

Later that night, Maya actually went. And yes, Mia was there in a swimsuit that cost more than Maya's entire wardrobe. But Jake was there too, and when he splashed water at her and yelled "Marco!" like a total dork, Maya realized something.

Nobody was actually watching her that closely. Everyone was too busy worrying about themselves.

"Polo!" she shouted back, grinning when Jake's face lit up.

Maybe she didn't need a game plan. Maybe she just needed to show up.

"You came!" Leo appeared beside her, tossing a gummy vitamin her way. "And look—you're actually having fun."

Maya caught it mid-air. "Don't get used to it."

But she was smiling. For the first time all summer, she wasn't overthinking everything. She was just... there. And sometimes, that was enough.