Riddle at the Deep End

The pool party at Jessica's house was supposed to be mid. That's what Marcus told me anyway, but he neglected to mention the literal **sphinx** statue guarding the diving board—a weird gold thing with wings that her architect dad apparently thought was aesthetic.

I was clinging to the wall like my life depended on it, which was humiliating enough until I saw **swimming** toward me with that effortless grace that made my stomach do actual gymnastics. Jordan. The same Jordan who sat behind me in chemistry and whose hair always smelled like coconut everything.

"Hey," she said, treading water near me. "You hiding?"

"No," I said, smooth as gravel. "Just... conserving energy."

Jordan laughed, and water droplets clung to her eyelashes. "Relatable. My brother says pool parties are just capitalism trying to sell us more swimsuits."

Then she pulled a gummy from her pocket—apparently waterproof?—and held it out. "**Vitamin** D. You look like you need it."

I took it because what was I gonna do, say no? My fingers brushed her palm and I swear time literally stopped. Meanwhile, my **iphone** buzzed against the side of the pool where I'd abandoned it. Probably my group chat roasting me for being antisocial again.

"So," Jordan said, floating backward. "I heard you're the **baseball** phenom. Varsity as a sophomore?"

"I mean, phenom is a strong word," I mumbled, heat creeping up my neck. "I mostly just... catch things."

"Modest." She grinned. "I like that."

The sphinx statue seemed to be judging me from its perch. Its stone face said *ask her out you coward* and honestly, rude.

"Hey," Jordan said suddenly. "My cousin's having people over next weekend. You should come."

My brain short-circuited. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." She pushed wet hair from her face. "Unless you're gonna conserving energy again."

"I'll be there," I said, and something in my chest unlocked. Maybe pool parties weren't mid after all. Maybe you just had to stop hiding at the wall.