Pyramid Schemes & Pool Parties

The **pool** party was supposed to be epic, but instead it was just awkward as hell. Everyone from school was there, including Jessica, who I'd been crushing on since September, and I was standing in the corner holding a plate with the weirdest fruit salad anyone had ever brought to a party.

"Is that... **papaya**?" Jessica asked, appearing beside me like she'd teleported.

"Yeah. My mom's weird about superfoods now," I said, wanting to die. "It's supposed to be great for digestion. Or something."

She laughed, and I felt my face heat up. That's when Tyler walked over with that smug look he always had, like he knew something nobody else did. Tyler had started some "entrepreneurial venture" over the summer and wouldn't shut up about it.

"Yo Marcus," Tyler said, slapping my shoulder too hard. "Have I told you about the opportunity? The **pyramid** structure? You get five people under you, they get five people, exponential growth, bro. You're basically throwing money away by not getting in now."

"That's **bull**, Tyler," I said, surprised by my own voice. "It's a pyramid scheme. You're literally calling it a pyramid."

The whole area went quiet. Tyler's face darkened. Jessica's eyes widened. I wanted to evaporate.

But then someone behind us snorted. And then someone else. Pretty soon, half the pool area was laughing—not at me, but at Tyler, who was turning redder by the second.

"Whatever," Tyler muttered, stalking off toward the snacks.

Jessica turned to me, her eyes bright. "That was actually really brave. Everyone's been thinking it, but nobody wanted to say anything to his face."

I looked down at my papaya-filled plate. "Well. You want some? It's actually not terrible."

She took a piece, ate it, and smiled. "Okay, you're right. Not terrible." She paused. "Hey, want to get out of here? There's this spot by the creek where nobody goes."

As we walked away from the noise, from Tyler's defeated posture, from everything I'd been so worried about, I realized something: sometimes the most embarrassing things—like papaya at a pool party, or speaking up when everyone else stays silent—end up being exactly what you needed.