The Bear in the Deep End

My hair had other plans. I'd spent forty-five minutes with the diffuser, hoping for beach waves, but humidity had turned them into a frizz explosion that made me look like I'd stuck a fork in an electrical socket. Great. Just great. Because today was the day Jake finally noticed me, obviously.

The pool party was in full swing—literally. People were cannonballing, screaming, generally living their best lives while I sat on the edge in my oversized t-shirt, clutching my towel like it would save me from social annihilation.

"Maya! You swimming or what?" It was Chen, bouncing in the shallow end like an over-caffeinated dolphin.

"Maybe later!" I called back, lying through my teeth. The truth was, I hadn't been swimming since middle school, back when I was convinced my body was something to hide. Now, at sixteen, I still hadn't quite shaken that feeling. Plus, my hair. My poor, innocent hair would retaliate with vengeance.

Then I saw him. Jake. Navy trunks, dry shirt, sitting alone on a lounge chair with... was that a book? At a pool party? I felt this weird little flutter, like goldfish doing loop-de-loops in my stomach. Before I could talk myself out of it, I grabbed my tote and headed over.

"That looked more interesting than this," I said, gesturing vaguely at the chaos.

He looked up, actual light in his eyes. "Thank you. I was beginning to think I'd accidentally crashed a Dolphins reunion."

I laughed, and something shifted. We talked—really talked—about books and music and how everyone at our school was obsessed with being seen. He got it. He GOT it.

"So," he said, closing his book. "You going in? The water's actually not bad."

I hesitated.

He pulled something from his bag—a tiny, bedraggled stuffed bear, missing an ear. "This is Barnaby. He protects my dignity at pool parties. You can borrow him."

I stared. Then I was laughing so hard my stomach hurt. "You bring a teddy bear to defend your honor?"

"Barnaby has never let me down. Besides," he grinned, "I figure if people are judging me, they're judging the guy with the bear. Not exactly original material."

Something inside me loosened. "Alright. But Barnaby comes with me."

The water was cold and perfect. I swam with a stuffed bear clutched in one hand, hair plastered to my forehead, feeling ridiculous and alive and like maybe, just maybe, I'd been taking myself too seriously all along. Jake jumped in beside me, splashing water everywhere, and when our eyes met across the pool, I didn't feel like the girl with the frizzy hair anymore. I was just Maya, swimming with a bear named Barnaby and a boy who made ordinary feel like magic.