The Bear by the Water

The lake stretched out before us, glass-smooth except for where the wind riffled the surface into tiny waves. I sat on the dock with my legs dangling in the water, watching Maya's reflection distort as she paced back and forth.

"He's just being extra," she said, flinging her hands like she was casting a spell. "Literally no one asked for his opinion."

I knew exactly who she meant. Jordan. Her older brother's best friend, who'd decided this summer that he was too cool for everything he used to love. Including being seen with us.

"You okay?" I asked, splashing a little water at her sneakers.

She stopped pacing. "I mean, yeah. It's just—Jordan was supposed to be my friend too, you know? Not just your brother's friend who tolerates you because he has to."

A low woof echoed from the trees. Bear, Jordan's enormous chocolate lab, lumbered onto the dock. His fur was matted with burrs and he smelled like swamp, but he was the only thing about Jordan that hadn't changed.

"Hey buddy," I said, scratching behind his ears. Bear leaned into my touch, his whole body wiggling. "At least someone's happy to see us."

Maya dropped to sit beside me, and Bear immediately flopped his massive head onto her lap. She buried her face in his fur.

"It's weird," she muffled into the dog's coat. "Growing up, you know? Like, one minute you're sharing secret codes and building blanket forts, and the next minute someone's talking about college applications and acting like they're too legit for everything."

"High key," I agreed, leaning back on my hands. "But maybe he's just figuring stuff out too. Being sixteen is low-key embarrassing for everyone."

Bear let out a dramatic sigh, like he personally understood the struggle of existing between who you were and who you're becoming.

"Whatever," Maya said, sitting up and wiping dog hair from her shirt. "Let's go swimming before Jordan finishes his call and makes everything awkward again."

She grabbed my hand and pulled me up, and we jumped into the water together, Bear barking happily from the dock. Some things changed. Some things didn't. But for now, we were still here, treading water together, and that had to be enough.