The Phantom of Lane 4

Maya's fingers shriveled like raisins after three hours of swim practice, but she couldn't leave. Not yet. The pool deck echoed with shouts and splashes, the sharp chlorine stinging her eyes. She wiped her face with her towel, checking her phone under the bench—still no text from Jordan.

Something felt off. For a week, Jordan had been acting weird. Distant. Secretive. Maya had caught them watching her during practice through the glass doors, phone raised like they were filming. What was that about?

"You good, Maya?" Coach Miller called. "You've been staring at the wall for two minutes."

"Yeah! Just... mental prep."

Maya grabbed her backpack and slipped out the side exit. She needed answers.

Instead of going home, she circled back to the main building. Through the window, she spotted Jordan in the hallway, phone in hand, looking intense. Maya ducked behind a vending machine, feeling ridiculous. Since when was she a spy? This was Jordan—her best friend since seventh grade, the person who'd held her hair when she got food poisoning from sketchy gas station sushi.

But the tight feeling in her chest wouldn't go away.

A movement caught her eye. Jordan's phone camera reflected in the hallway mirror. They were recording something. Or someone.

Maya's stomach dropped. Was Jordan posting about her? Making fun of her terrible backstroke? Documenting her failures for clout? The thought burned worse than swallowing pool water.

She stepped out from behind the vending machine. "Jordan."

Jordan practically jumped out of their skin. "Maya! What—"

"What are you doing?" Maya demanded, voice shaking. "Are you... recording me?"

Jordan's face went bright red. "What? No! I mean, yes, but not like—"

"Like what then?"

Jordan sighed and held up their phone. On screen: the community cat that lived behind the school, a calico named Swimmer. (Because she always somehow ended up in the pool area, no one knew how.)

"I've been trying to get footage of her for my film elective," Jordan said quietly. "She's obsessed with the pool during practice. I didn't want to tell you because it sounded stupid. I thought you'd think I was being a weirdo creeper instead of practicing."

Maya stared. Then at the phone. Then back at Jordan.

"You thought I'd judge you for... following a cat?"

"She's MY CAT now," Jordan said defensively. "I've been feeding her behind the dumpster. She's gonna be in my documentary about urban wildlife."

Maya snorted. "You named her Swimmer."

"It fits!"

They stood there for a second, then both started laughing. The knot in Maya's chest loosened.

"You're such a dork," Maya said, shouldering Jordan. "Come on. Let's go find your cat and get food. I'm starving."

"Wait." Jordan bit their lip. "Can we... can I watch you practice tomorrow? From inside this time?"

Maya rolled her eyes. "Only if you teach me how to film stuff."

"Deal."