Sphinx at the City Pool

Maya's crush on Leo had been running circles in her brain since June. Now, with summer slipping away, she'd officially entered her flop era.

"He's not gonna magically appear, you know," Kai said, flicking water at her from the pool edge. "You're literally swimming in circles. Again."

"Shut up," Maya splash-retaliated. "I'm just... mentally preparing."

Coach blew the whistle. "Last lap! Then we're doingphinx drills!"

The whole team groaned. The Sphinx was Coach's name for his legendary Impossible Dive — this complicated flip-twist thing nobody had landed since like, 2012. Maya had been attempting it all summer.

Outside, lightning cracked the sky open. The storm they'd been tracking all day had finally arrived.

"Pool's closing in ten!" the lifeguard shouted. Everyone scrambled for their stuff.

Everyone except Leo.

He stood by the fence, rain plastering his hair to his forehead, watching Maya with this look that made her stomach do quadruple lutzes. She froze, clutching her towel like a lifeline.

"Hey," he said, jogging over as thunder rattled the windows. "I was gonna come watch you practice tomorrow. You're so close to landing that thing."

Maya's brain short-circuited. "You—what?"

"The Sphinx." Leo grinned, and wow, up close his eyes were actual galaxies. "I've seen you working on it. You've got this."

"Oh." Oh my god, say something cool. "Thanks. I'm... working on it."

Lightning flashed again, turning everything momentarily brilliant.

"I could help you break it down," Leo said casually. "If you want. Tomorrow? After practice?"

Maya's heart was running a marathon against her ribs. "Yeah. I'd like that."

"Cool." He backed toward the door. "See you tomorrow, Maya."

She stood there dripping as he disappeared into the storm, Kai smirking behind her.

"So," Kai said. "About that mentally preparing..."

"Don't. Just don't." But Maya was smiling.

Tomorrow she'd face the Sphinx dive. But suddenly, that wasn't the most terrifying thing on her mind anymore.