The Goldfish Summer

The pool glittered like liquid diamonds under the July sun, but Maya's stomach did backflips. She stood at the edge of the Hernandez's backyard, clutching her iPhone like a lifeline. Everyone from junior year was already in the water, laughing and splashing, while Maya remained stuck on dry land, wearing a cover-up that felt like armor.

"Maya! Get in here!" Jordan called from the shallow end. He was that effortlessly popular kid who somehow knew everyone's name before they even met.

She opened her mouth to say she'd forgotten her swimsuit, but then her eyes landed on the side table where a glass bowl sat in the shade. Inside, a single goldfish swam in lazy circles, its orange scales catching the light.

"He looks lonely," someone said beside her.

Maya turned to find Riley, the quiet girl from her English class, holding a plate of fruit chunks.

"Yeah," Maya agreed, surprised. "Kind of like me right now."

Riley laughed, and just like that, something shifted. "Try this," she said, holding out a piece of bright orange fruit. "It's papaya. My mom's obsessed with bringing 'exotic' stuff to parties."

Maya hesitated, then took a bite. Sweet and tropical with this weird pepper kick. "Actually... that's kind of amazing?"

"Right?" Riley's eyes lit up. "But don't tell anyone I said that. I'm supposed to be too cool for fruit."

They stood there watching the goldfish, and for the first time all afternoon, Maya's iPhone stayed dark in her hand. She wasn't scrolling, wasn't checking how many times she'd been left on read, wasn't calculating who was ignoring whom.

"What's his name?" Maya asked, nodding toward the fish.

"Bartholomew," Riley deadpanned. "Because he looks like a Bartholomew."

Maya snorted, and suddenly she was laughing—a real, unexpected laugh that escaped before she could stop it. Jordan yelled something from the pool, but for once, Maya didn't care.

"Hey," Riley said, "wanna save Bartholomew? He's practically baking in this sun."

Maya looked at the pool, then at Riley, then back at her phone screen lighting up with notifications she suddenly didn't need to check.

"Yeah," Maya said, and meant it. "Yeah, I really do."