The Goldfish in the Deep End

I was literally hyperventilating behind the concession stand. The hat — my dad's vintage snapback that I refused to take off even in 90-degree weather — was practically glued to my sweaty forehead. Why had I agreed to come to Jessica Benson's pool party again? Oh right, because my mom said I needed more "socialization" after she found me binge-watching anime for the seventh night in a row.

"You coming in or what?" Tyler asked, dripping **water** all over the concrete. He looked annoyingly good shirtless. Like, annoyingly.

"Yeah, just... taking my **vitamin**," I lied, pulling a random gummy from my pocket and popping it in my pocket instead of my mouth because I'm a coward.

The pool situation wasn't even the main problem. The main problem was that everyone was already paired off, playing chicken or whatever, and I was floating alone like the classroom **goldfish** that watches everyone else have actual lives. Then I saw Maya — Maya, who I'd been crushing on since seventh grade social studies — sitting alone on the edge, kicking her feet in the shallow end.

I started **running** toward her before my brain could sabotage me with 47 reasons why this was a terrible idea.

"Hey," I said, way too loud. She looked up, and I noticed something weird. She looked almost as nervous as I felt.

"Hey," she said back. Then she dropped something I couldn't see, and we both reached for it at the same time. Our hands brushed.

"Sorry," we said simultaneously.

Then we both started laughing, and I realized something: maybe everyone at this party was just pretending to know what they were doing. Even Tyler. Even Jessica. Even me.

"Wanna just sit here?" Maya asked. "Being awkward together?"

"Honestly? That sounds perfect."

I took off the hat and set it beside me. For the first time all summer, I could actually breathe.