The Instagram Stakeout

Maya's thumb hovered over the screen, her heart doing that stupid fluttery thing it always did when Jake's profile popped up. Three weeks ago, they'd been perfect—stealing kisses behind the bleachers during baseball practice, his hand finding hers under the lunch table. Now? Now he was posting stories with some sophomore named Chloe, and Maya had officially entered her detect-and-overthink era.

"You're literally going to burn a hole through your screen," Zara said, dropping onto the pool chair beside her. "It's been two weeks. You need to manifest some self-respect, girl."

"I'm not stalking him," Maya lied, locking her iphone and shoving it under her towel. "I'm conducting a thorough investigation into potential emotional fraud. There's a difference."

Zara snorted, adjusting her sunglasses. "You're being a total spy. And for what? So you can watch him live his best life while you're out here overanalyzing his emoji usage? That's not serving looks, bestie."

Maya bit her lip. Zara wasn't wrong, but the sting was still fresh. Jake had been her first everything—first real boyfriend, first person she'd trusted with her messy home situation, first person who made her feel like she wasn't just the quiet girl in the back of chemistry class. And now she was back to being that girl, watching someone else live the life she'd thought was hers.

The pool party was in full swing—music thumping from bluetooth speakers, kids cannonballing into the water, someone's cousin trying (and failing) to flirt their way into a conversation with the varsity quarterback. Maya should've been having fun. Instead, she was playing detective with her ex-boyfriend's social media like it was her full-time job.

"Okay, new plan," Zara announced, sitting up. "We're going to stop acting like you're in some tragic romance movie and start acting like the bad bitch you actually are. Jake plays baseball? Cool. Chloe has perfect hair? Also cool. But you know what you have?"

"Anxiety?"

"No. You have the power to not give a single solitary heck anymore." Zara reached for Maya's iphone. "First step: you're going to block him. Not because you're bitter, but because you're ascending."

Maya hesitated. Blocking felt so... final. But Zara was right—she wasn't protecting her heart anymore. She was just torturing herself with highlights from someone else's life.

"Fine." Maya grabbed the phone, her thumb actually shaking. "But if he posts something really good in the next five minutes, I'm blaming you."

"Deal." Zara grinned. "Now get in the pool before I throw you in myself. We have a reputation to maintain."

Maya stood up, phone still in hand, and did it—block, delete, done. The tiny red confirmation button felt like dropping a match into water. It sizzled, then disappeared.

She jumped into the pool, phone tucked safely away on dry land, and let the water wash over her like a reset button. Jake was out there somewhere, probably posting something mid with Chloe. But Maya? Maya was busy learning how to be the main character again.