Riddles by the Pool

The chlorine smell hit Maya first, sharp and chemical, but she followed her sister toward the noise anyway. Party of the year, Rachel had said. You have to come.

Maya stood by the edge of the **water**, clutching her phone like a lifeline. Everyone else seemed to float effortlessly through conversations, while she felt like she was underwater—sounds muffled, movements slow, everything just slightly wrong.

Then there was Chloe.

Chloe, who sat on the lifeguard chair like it was a throne. Chloe, whose nickname was "the **sphinx**" because she'd stare at you with those dark, unreadable eyes until you spilled your deepest secrets just to break the silence. Chloe, who was apparently now looking directly at Maya.

"You're Rachel's sister," Chloe said, sliding down from her perch. It wasn't a question.

"Yeah." Maya's voice came out smaller than she'd intended.

"Interesting." Chloe tilted her head. "Why are you standing all the way over here?"

Maya shrugged. "I don't know people."

"Nobody knows anybody," Chloe said. "They just pretend. Watch." She nodded toward a group laughing loudly by the snack bar. "See that guy in the **orange** swim trunks? He's laughing, but his ex just walked in with someone new."

Maya looked. Sure enough, the guy's smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

"See?" Chloe's expression softened. "Everyone's faking something. You're just honest about it."

The sun was setting now, painting everything in **orange** and gold. Something in Maya's chest loosened.

"Want to play a game?" Chloe asked. "I'm the sphinx, right? So solve my riddle, and you're automatically cool."

Maya hesitated, then nodded.

"What's the one thing everyone here has in common, but nobody wants to admit?"

Maya looked around—really looked—at the laughing groups, the nervous glances, the careful posturing.

"They're all scared," she said. "Of saying the wrong thing. Of being judged. Of not belonging."

Chloe's grin was genuine. "Exactly."

She reached out, squeezed Maya's arm. "You're in."

The **water** sparkled behind them, catching the last light. Maya took a breath and finally stepped in.