Poolside Surveillance

The thing about your best friend's location being visible on Find My? It's not stalking if you're just being safe. At least that's what I told myself as I sat on the bleachers, pretending to study while my phone showed Jax's little avatar at the community center.

I'd been doing this for weeks — this weird digital spy routine — ever since Jax started hanging out with the popular crowd and our friendship started feeling like a bootleg Android app: glitchy and prone to crashing at the worst moments.

''Running late again?'' I said when Jax finally materialized, chlorine practically radiating off them like a aura.

''Swim practice ran over. Coach is insane this week.'' They adjusted their swim bag, eyes darting around like they expected someone to jump out. ''Everything good with you?''

''Peachy.'' I swallowed the actual words: I noticed you were at the mall with Brianna yesterday when you said you were busy. I noticed you've been leaving me on read for three days. I noticed I'm fourteen and this is what friendship has become — monitoring someone's digital footprint like it's my job.

The pool's surface reflected the fluorescent lights in fractured pieces, water rippling with every lap swimmer's stroke. I watched the way Jax kept checking their phone, that nervous tic I'd never noticed before. Or maybe I'd never looked this closely.

''So,,'' I said, voice tight. ''Brianna seems cool.''

Jax froze. ''How did you —''

''I saw your Instagram story. Her house is nice.''

''Right. Yeah. Her house.'' Jax sat beside me, shoulders dropping. ''Look, Maya, I didn't mean to — I mean, I've been weird lately because —''

''If you want to hang with other people, just say it. I'm not gonna force you to be my friend. That's pathetic.''

''No, that's not —'' Jax took a breath. ''Brianna's cousin works at the community center. I've been taking these... swim lessons. Extra ones. I'm trying to make varsity next year, and I'm kinda behind, and I didn't want anyone to know because what if I fail, right? So I lied about being busy, and then Brianna saw me and covered for me, and I feel like the world's worst friend because I've been sneaking around like a spy instead of just telling you I'm terrified of drowning at tryouts.''

The words hung there in the humid air.

I started laughing. Couldn't help it. ''You're not ditching me. You're just... secretly training to beat everyone at swimming?''

''Basically?'' Jax cracked a smile. ''Also, Brianna's kind of awful. She keeps talking about her Tesla.''

''So you DO need me to vent about.''

''So bad. You have no idea.''

I watched the swimmers cutting through the water, smooth and determined. ''Fine. But you're buying me boba after. And I'm retiring from my spy gig. My anxiety can't handle it.''

''Deal.'' Jax bumped my shoulder. ''Hey, Maya?''

''What?''

''Thanks for, like, caring enough to stalk me.''

''Shut up, I wasn't stalking —''

''You totally were. It's weird but... kind of sweet? In a serial killer way?''

I rolled my eyes so hard it almost hurt. But for the first time in weeks, something in my chest unclenched. Friendship isn't supposed to be performance art, I realized. Sometimes it's just two people figuring stuff out, one weird misunderstanding at a time.