Rip Current

Maya scrolled past another photo of Riley laughing with people she'd never met, her thumb hovering over the unfollow button for the thousandth time. pathetic much? her brain supplied. she'd officially become a social media spy, stalking her former best friend like some kind of digital detective.

Two months ago, everything was different. They'd been attached at the hip since sixth grade, the kind of friend who finished your sentences and knew your Starbucks order by heart. They'd spent last summer at the community pool, Riley trying (and failing) to teach Maya how to dive, both of them coming up sputtering and laughing every single time.

Then freshman year happened, and suddenly Riley was transformed. New clothes, new crowd, new everything. Maya watched from the sidelines as her friend became someone she didn't recognize.

The notification pinged. Riley had posted a story - a video of her at some party, music thumping, everyone screaming the lyrics. Maya clicked through despite herself. that's when she saw it - in the corner of the frame, someone holding a red solo cup, looking miserable and out of place.

herself.

The screenshot from last year's homecoming, the one where Riley had convinced her to come even though she'd wanted to stay home. She'd looked awkward and uncomfortable, sure, but Riley had grabbed her hand and pulled her into the center of everything, grinning like Maya was the best thing about the night.

the caption read: throwback to when this one made me dance even though she has zero rhythm. missing my person 💙

Maya sat up so fast her phone slipped from her hand, landing with a soft thud on her comforter. her heart was doing something weird in her chest, like it was trying to simultaneously explode and melt.

she typed out a text before she could second-guess herself: i miss you too. still can't dance though.

three dots appeared immediately.

the response came seconds later: good. that means i'm still the better dancer. pick you up at 7? pool's open late on fridays.

Maya grinned, already grabbing her swimsuit from the drawer. some friendships had rip currents that pulled you under, but sometimes - just sometimes - you learned to swim back to shore.