The Goldfish Incident

Maya stood by the pool, clutching her dad's oversized fishing **hat** like it was a life raft. The graduation party raged around her—music thumping, people she'd known since middle school now suddenly strangers in their polo shirts and sundresses.

"You look like you're plotting something," said Leo, sliding up beside her. Leo with his stupid perfect hair and that jacket he'd worn every day since freshman year.

"I'm plotting my escape," Maya muttered. "Before someone tries to make me jump in that **water** again."

Leo grinned. "Come on, it's not that bad. Unless you're secretly a mermaid who can't get wet?"

"Ha ha. No. I just don't do public swimming. It's weirdly intimate, don't you think? Like, everyone's all shiny and vulnerable?"

"Wow. You really overthink everything."

"Says the guy who spent twenty minutes explaining why he doesn't like **goldfish** crackers because of their vacant expressions."

Leo laughed, and something in Maya's chest did that annoying fluttery thing. Not that she'd ever admit it.

Then Jenna appeared, Maya's former best friend turned queen bee of the friend group that had somehow splintered apart over nothing. Jenna with her perfect everything.

"Maya!" Jenna squealed like she hadn't actively ignored Maya for three months. "Leo said you might actually go in this time."

Maya tightened her grip on the hat. "Probably not."

"Oh come on, don't be such a—"

"Don't," Leo said, suddenly sharp. "Let her be."

Jenna's face fell. Then hardened. "Whatever. Just know that everyone thinks you're being weird lately. Like you're too cool for us now."

Maya's face burned. But then Leo was there, stepping between them like he'd been practicing it.

"She's not being weird. You are," he said. "Remember when you stopped talking to her because she didn't invite you to that thing? That wasn't cool."

Jenna's mouth opened. Closed. Then she stormed off, hair flipping behind her like an angry **fox** tail.

"You didn't have to do that," Maya whispered.

"Yeah, I did." Leo looked at the pool. "You know what? Let's not swim. Let's get out of here."

Maya looked at her hat. At Leo. At the water that had seemed so threatening five minutes ago.

She took off the hat. "Actually... maybe we could just dip our feet in?"

Leo's grin was worth it. "Progress. I'll take it."