Poolside Sphinx

Leo adjusted his swim trunks for the third time. The elastic was officially plotting against him.

Everyone was already in the pool. Everyone except him and the sphinx.

Maya Chen had earned the nickname last summer when she'd spent every single pool party perched on the same lounge chair, knees pulled to her chest, watching everyone like she was solving some cosmic riddle while they were just trying to play chicken fight.

"Yo Leo!" Jake shouted from the water, splashing what had to be half the pool onto the deck. "You coming in or what? We're doing cannonball contest, winner gets first dibs on pizza."

Leo mumbled something about sunscreen and checked his phone. No messages. Of course.

Maya shifted beside him, pulling her headphones down to her neck. Her hair was cut short this year, undercut grown out messy but in a way that looked intentional. Cool. Everything about her was intentional.

"You know," she said, not looking at him, "they're all going to be really annoying about this in September."

Leo laughed despite himself. "Yeah. The 'Leo finally learned to swim like a normal human' narrative is going to be brutal."

"So what's the hold-up?" Maya turned toward him, one eyebrow raised. Actual curiosity in her voice, like she wasn't just making conversation but actually wanted to know.

Leo opened his mouth to make a joke about the water being too cold or whatever, but the truth came out instead. "I don't know. Just feel like everyone's watching, I guess. Waiting for me to do something cringe while swimming."

Maya nodded slowly. "Yeah. I get that."

She stood up, stretched. Leo tried not to stare.

"Watch this," she said, and before he could ask what she meant, she'd grabbed her phone, hit play on something, and launched herself into the pool with a shriek that had everyone turning to look.

Chaos erupted. Someone's dog—a massive, very wet, very happy golden retriever—came barreling out of nowhere, barking his head off, and dove straight in after her.

The dog's owner, a frantic-looking sophomore from the rival high school, came sprinting after him. "BUSTER! Oh my god, I am so sorry!"

But everyone was already laughing. Maya surfaced, dog paddling alongside Buster, hair plastered to her face, grinning like she'd just won the lottery.

Leo found himself moving toward the pool before he could think about it too hard. The dog splashed water everywhere. The sophomore was apologizing profusely. Jake was already declaring this the best party ever.

He jumped in.

The shock of cold water knocked the breath out of him, and when he came up sputtering, Maya was there floating on her back beside Buster.

"Took you long enough," she said, and Leo finally—finally—felt like he could breathe.