The Pool Party Disaster

My hair was a disaster zone—curls frizzing like I'd stuck my finger in an electrical socket. Not exactly how I wanted to look when Jake finally noticed me at the biggest pool party of the summer.

"You good?" Maya asked, handing me a soda. "You look like you're about to throw up."

"I'm bearing it," I said, trying to sound chill. "Totally fine."

Lie. My stomach was doing backflips.

The Schmidt's backyard was packed—seniors, juniors, even some college kids back for summer break. The pool glowed blue under the string lights, music bumping from speakers someone had set up. I'd spent two hours on my hair this morning, but humidity had other plans.

Then I saw Jake. Board shorts, perfect smile, talking to some college girl like he wasn't completely aware that half the people here were secretly watching him.

That's when Buster happened.

Buster was the Schmidt's golden retriever, basically a furry therapist who greeted everyone like they were his best friend. Someone had left the gate open, and Buster spotted something across the yard—maybe a squirrel, maybe destiny.

He took off like a rocket, straight toward the patio table where—yep, you guessed it—my phone sat, connected to the charging cable I'd borrowed from Mrs. Schmidt because my battery was at 4%.

"Buster! NO!" I screamed, but it was too late.

The cable went flying. My phone slid across the concrete like it was competing for Olympic gold. Buster pounced, grabbing the cable in his mouth like it was a prize rope, spinning in circles while everyone watched.

Dead silence. Then laughter.

But then Jake was there, helping me untangle the cable from Buster's happy-death-roll grip.

"Classic Buster," he said, grinning at me like my hair wasn't a frizz monster and I hadn't just humiliated myself in front of everyone. "Hey, you're in my English class, right?"

My heart did something illegal.

"Yeah," I managed, while Buster chewed on the cable like it was his job. "That's me. The girl whose phone just got attacked by a dog."

"Better than getting attacked by a bear," Jake said, and we both laughed, and suddenly my hair being a mess didn't matter so much anymore.

Sometimes the worst moments become the best ones. Not that I'd ever admit that to Maya.