Pyramid Scheme Poolside

Maya's palm sweated against the plastic cup as she leaned against the snack bar, watching Jake across the pool party. He was wearing that faded baseball cap backwards – the one he never took off, even during chemistry when Mr. Harrison was definitely judging him.

"You're staring again," said Chen, appearing beside her with a plate of orange slices. "Just go talk to him."

"I can't. I'm literally incapable of human interaction today." Maya took a slice to have something to do with her hands. "What if I say something weird? What if I choke on my own spit?"

"Then he'll perform CPR and it'll be romantic. Problem solved." Chen popped an entire slice in his mouth. "Meanwhile, everyone's doing that human pyramid thing in the shallow end. You should join."

Maya looked over. A group of seniors were wobbling precariously in a three-layer pyramid in the water, laughing as someone at the bottom kept slipping. It looked like a disaster waiting to happen – which was apparently the point.

"Hard pass. I have zero coordination. I'd drown and take down three popular people with me."

"That's one way to be remembered."

Jake was climbing out of the pool now, water streaming down his torso. Maya looked away too fast, suddenly fascinated by the decorative palms framing the yard's edge. She needed to get it together.

The pyramid collapsed. Screams and laughter erupted as half the seniors went under.

"See?" Chen nudged her. "You missed your chance to be part of history."

Jake walked toward the snack bar, shaking water from his hair like a dog. Maya's heart launched into her throat.

"Hey," he said, reaching for a cup. "You're Maya, right? From English?"

She nodded. Tried to form words. Failed.

"I liked your presentation on dystopian novels," he said, filling his cup at the dispenser. "The part about how we're basically living in one already was hilarious."

"Thanks." It came out as a squeak. Perfect.

He grinned, adjusting his baseball cap. "Anyway, see you Monday." He walked back toward the pool.

Maya exhaled. Chen high-fived her.

"Progress," he said. "Now you just need to learn how to speak actual sentences during conversation."