Riddle of the Pool Party

Maya gripped her iPhone like a lifeline, thumb hovering over Jake's text from three hours ago. You coming tonight? Her stomach did that familiar flip-flop thing it did whenever she thought about him.

The pool party was already in full swing when she arrived, the backyard transforming into a chaos of splashing water and overlapping conversations. Someone's Bluetooth speaker blasted that song everyone couldn't stop talking about. Maya clutched her solo cup of orange soda, wishing she could dissolve into the decorative bamboo.

Then she saw Jake by the deep end, laughing with his perfect teeth and that effortless confidence that made Maya's chest ache. Before she could overthink it, she started toward him.

Only to trip over Barnaby, Mrs. Chen's golden retriever, who'd somehow escaped the house. The dog sent her flying—orange soda everywhere, her phone skittering across the patio.

"That was iconic," a voice said. Maya looked up to see Sierra, the most mysterious girl in their grade, extending a hand. "Seriously. 10 out of 10 disaster."

Maya let Sierra pull her up. "I was aiming for memorable."

"You definitely nailed that." Sierra's dark eyes sparkled. "Hey, you know how everyone calls me the sphinx of junior year?"

"Because nobody knows what you're thinking?"

"Because I ask too many questions." Sierra stepped closer. "So here's one: why do we care what Jake thinks?"

Maya blinked. Her phone screen lay cracked on the concrete, Jake's text still visible underneath the spiderweb of glass. She looked at the party, at everyone performing their carefully curated versions of themselves. At herself, still worried about a boy who took three hours to reply.

The dog barked, shattering something inside Maya. She laughed—really laughed—for the first time all night.

"You're right," Maya said. "I don't."

"Wanna get out of here? There's a taco truck downtown."

"Absolutely."

As they walked away, Maya's cracked phone stayed behind on the patio. Some things were better left unanswered.