Stuck at the Deep End

Maya's palms were sweating. Literally sweating. She wiped them on her denim shorts for the third time, clutching the bag of **spinach** artichoke dip like it was her lifeline.

"You coming in or what?" Tyler called from the **pool**. He was doing that thing where he treaded water with just his arms, his baseball cap floating next to him. Of course Tyler was a **baseball** player. Of course he was.

"Yeah! Just," Maya started, but her voice cracked. Awesome.

She'd been crushing on Tyler since seventh period English, and now at Jessica's end-of-summer party, she was officially overthinking everything. The backyard was packed with everyone who mattered at Northwood High. And Maya was still standing at the snack table, pretending to be fascinated by the taco spread.

"Hey," someone said beside her. Maya jumped and almost dumped the spinach dip.

It was Jessica's little brother, Caleb. He held out his hand. "Wanna play **goldfish**?"

"What?"

"Goldfish. The card game. Everyone's either in the pool or flirting. I'm bored."

Maya looked at Caleb — seventh grade, braces, zero social capital. Then she looked at Tyler, who was now surrounded by the popular crowd, laughing at something she couldn't hear.

"Actually," Maya said, "yeah. Deal me in."

They sat on the edge of the patio, knees pulled up, playing goldfish with a bent deck of cards. Caleb made terrible jokes. Maya laughed for real. Her palms stopped sweating.

"You're pretty cool," Caleb said after winning his third round. "For a high schooler."

"Thanks. You're not so bad yourself."

Later, when Tyler finally got out of the pool and wandered over, Maya was in the middle of explaining why goldfish was obviously superior to Go Fish.

"What's this?" Tyler asked, dripping water everywhere.

"Goldfish," Maya said, holding up her cards. "Wanna play?"

Tyler's perfect eyebrows furrowed. "Uh, maybe later. I was gonna ask if you wanted to—"

"She's winning," Caleb cut in. "Like, actually destroying me."

Tyler looked between them, confused. Maya looked at her cards, then at Caleb, who was grinning like he'd just discovered something awesome.

"You know what?" Maya smiled. "I'm good. Your turn, Caleb."

And for the first time all night, her palms were dry.