Spinach Smiles and Poolside Lies

The **water** in the McKennas' pool shimmered like liquid blue Jell-O, and somewhere in its depths, my dignity was drowning. I stood on the deck wearing trunks two sizes too big, clutching a red solo cup like it was a life preserver.

"You coming in or what?" Jake yelled, splashing **water** toward me. He was the varsity **baseball** star with the kind of confidence that should be illegal at sixteen. Everyone laughed. I didn't.

I'd already failed at **swimming** orientation. Apparently doing a belly flop off the diving board wasn't the vibe they were going for.

"Chill, I'm good," I mumbled, rubbing my teeth with my tongue. That's when I felt it—the tiny, fuzzy piece of **spinach** from the pasta salad I'd demolished earlier. Of course. Of freaking course. My social life was officially over before it began.

Then I saw her—Maya, leaning against the porch railing. Everyone called her "the **Sphinx**" because she never spoke but saw everything. Her gaze locked onto mine, and for some reason, she smiled. Like, actually smiled. Not the fake everyone-is-so-great smile. The real kind.

She pushed off the railing and walked over, ignoring Jake and his baseball crew.

"You got something in your teeth," she said, voice low and conspiratorial. "Been trying to figure out how to tell you for five minutes."

My face burned hotter than the July sun. "Oh my god."

"Relax." She pulled a mint from her pocket. "Happens to the best of us. Besides, Jake's been doing that thing where he talks loud so everyone notices his biceps all afternoon. That's way worse."

I laughed, and it wasn't fake either.

"So," she said, popping the mint into her own mouth, "wanna get in the **water** before Jake declares himself pool king?"

"Yeah," I said, finally meeting her eyes. "Yeah, I do."

We jumped in together. The **water** was perfect. And somewhere in the splash, I forgot about the spinach, the embarrassment, the fear.

Sometimes, the Sphinx doesn't ask riddles. Sometimes she just offers you a mint and jumps in the pool with you.