The Pool Party Apocalypse

The **water** in Chloe's backyard **pool** shimmered like liquid diamonds under the string lights. I stood there in my new bikini from PacSun, suddenly regretting every life choice that led to this moment. My crush, Jake, was definitely staring. Or maybe he was staring at the **dog**—Chloe's golden retriever, Buster, who was currently doing laps around the patio like he owned the place.

"Dude, you good?" Marcus whispered, bumping my shoulder with his signature lack of spatial awareness.

"I'm literally having a panic attack," I whispered back. "This is it. This is my villain origin story."

"Want some **papaya**?" Maya appeared out of nowhere, thrusting a fruit tray toward me like it was a peace offering. "My mom went to Whole Foods and got extra. It's supposed to be, like, super hydrating or something."

I took a piece because what else do you do when someone offers you exotic fruit at a party? The first bite hit my tongue like—actually, I have no idea what papaya tastes like. Kind of like melon, but weirder? Like melon that's trying too hard?

Then the **lightning** flashed.

Not real lightning—though the sky was getting ominously dark. No, it was the weird eye-contact lightning that happens when your crush actually looks at you and time does that slo-mo thing from movies. Jake was walking toward me. Through the pool. Yes, wading through the shallow end like some kind of mythic creature emerging from the sea.

"Hey," he said. **Water** dripped from his hair. How was he this confident in human existence?

"Hey," I squeaked. Smooth. Truly award-winning social skills here.

"You want to play chicken?" He gestured to where everyone was pairing up.

The **dog** barked like he was commenting on this entire situation. I took a breath and grabbed Maya's papaya tray for moral support.

"Yeah," I said, actual words leaving my mouth. "Yeah, let's do this."

Sometimes the scariest moments are just the beginning of everything good. The lightning in my chest had nothing to do with the storm finally breaking overhead.