The Girl Who Knew Everything

Pool parties at Tyler's house were legendary, but they were also social minefields. I stood by the edge of the water, nursing my anxiety like it was a warm soda, watching Jenna Reynolds hold court on the diving board. She was a sphinx in a bikini—mysterious, untouchable, with secrets behind those perfectly lined eyes that could make or ruin you with one text thread.

"You're staring again," Maya said, elbowing me. "It's becoming weird."

"I'm not staring. I'm observing. There's a difference."

"Sure, Jan." Maya rolled her eyes so hard I wondered if they'd get stuck. "Just ask him to the bonfire already."

Him being Liam, who was currently floating on an inflatable unicorn, looking unfairly good. He was such a fox—smart, funny, and completely unaware of it. The combination should be illegal.

Jenna dove into the pool, surfacing like she'd staged it. "Truth or dare, anyone?"

Groans rippled through the group. Jenna's version of truth or dare was basically psychological warfare. Last week she'd asked Sarah about her mom's new boyfriend. Sarah had cried in the bathroom for forty minutes.

"Pass," I said, maybe too quickly.

"What's wrong, Alexa?" Jenna's smile was all teeth. "Chicken?"

"Bull," I said, the word slipping out before I could stop it. "I just think your version of truth or dare is messed up. Like, actually toxic."

The pool went silent. Even the water lapping against the sides seemed to hold its breath.

"Excuse me?" Jenna raised her eyebrows to kill.

"You heard me." My heart was hammering but I couldn't stop. "Last week you made Sarah cry. Today you're trying to play mind games again. It's not cool. It's honestly just mean."

Liam sat up on his unicorn, watching me. For the first time, he wasn't looking at Jenna.

"She's right," someone said. Then someone else.

Jenna's face did something complicated—anger, embarrassment, maybe a tiny crack of something real. She sank into the water until only her eyes showed above the surface.

I waded in, cooling my burning cheeks. The water felt like forgiveness. Sometimes you have to drown the old version of yourself to become who you're meant to be. And sometimes, just sometimes, the sphinx stops being a riddle and starts being just another girl who's trying too hard.

Liam paddled over on his unicorn. "That was kinda badass," he said quietly.

I smiled. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." He grinned. "Bonfire Friday? You and me?"

"I'd like that," I said, trying to play it cool, probably failing. "Bring your own courage. I'm fresh out."