The Orange Shadow at Sunset

I pressed myself against the rough bark of the palm tree, heart pounding like I'd just finished a lap in the pool instead of standing perfectly still. Jordan had been swimming for twenty minutes, slicing through the water with that effortless grace that made everything look easy. Everything except talking to me, apparently.

"You're being creepy again," Mia said, appearing beside me with two orange sodas. "Your soda's warm by the way."

"I'm not being creepy," I protested, taking the can. "I'm observing. There's a difference."

"You're literally hiding behind a palm to watch Jordan swim. That's the definition of creepy." She cracked her soda open. "Just go talk to them. We've known each other since kindergarten, it's not that deep."

I shifted my weight. The humidity was making my vintage band t-shirt stick to my back in the most unflattering way possible. "It's different now. We're in high school. Jordan's captain of the swim team and I'm... well, I'm the person who almost failed gym class because I refused to wear those ridiculous shorts."

Jordan finished their laps and pulled themselves out of the water, water droplets catching the late afternoon sun like diamonds. They ran a hand through their hair — the same shade of orange as the sunset that was painting everything in gold and pink — and my stomach did that embarrassing fluttery thing that teenagers in books always described but I thought was exaggerated until it happened to me.

Then Jordan turned. Not toward their friends laughing by the diving board. Not toward the snack table. Straight toward my palm tree.

"Enjoy the show?" Jordan asked, grinning.

My face burned hotter than the asphalt in July. "I wasn't — I mean, I was just —"

"Relax." Jordan leaned against the tree next to me, close enough that I could smell the chlorine and coconut sunscreen. "I was hoping you'd notice."

"You were?"

"Why do you think I've been swimming laps for twenty minutes straight?" Jordan's grin widened. "I saw you hiding behind this palm ten minutes ago. Figured if I made it look impressive enough, maybe you'd finally say something."

I stared. "Wait. You saw me? And you kept swimming?"

"Reverse spy tactic." Jordan nudged my shoulder with theirs. "Worked, didn't it?"

I couldn't help it. I laughed. "You're ridiculous."

"But ridiculously charming, right?"

"Don't push it."

"Fair." Jordan nodded toward the pool. "Want to actually swim this time? Together? Or are you going to spy on me from behind another palm?"

I looked at the water, then at Jordan's hopeful expression, then at Mia who was dramatically pretending not to watch from across the pool.

"Together," I said. "No spying required."