The Pool Party Intelligence Mission

Maya pulled her beanie **hat** down to her eyebrows, surveying the chaos from the safety of the lounge chair. The annual neighborhood pool party. Every summer since forever. And every summer, she spent it fully clothed, watching everyone else have the time of their lives while she pretended to be fine.

"Yo, Maya! You gonna swim or what?" Leo called from the pool, droplets clinging to his stupid perfect hair. He grinned, and her stomach did that annoying flutter thing it always did when he looked at her.

"Maybe later," she lied, adjusting her **hat** like armor.

Her phone buzzed. Group chat exploding. Everyone posting stories, living their best lives. Maya tapped through, feeling that familiar ache—that FOMO that hit hard even when you didn't want to join in.

Then she saw it: Leo's ex, Chloe, sliding onto the lounge next to him. Touching his arm. Laughing at something he said.

Maya's fingers moved before her brain caught up. She became a private investigator, a **spy** gathering intel from twenty feet away. Every glance, every laugh—she catalogued it all. Were they getting back together? Had they ever actually broken up? Her overprotective **cat**, Mochi, would've hissed at Chloe. Maya wished she could channel that energy.

**Lightning** cracked the sky. Someone gasped.

"Everyone out!" Leo's mom shouted from the back door. "Storm's coming in hot!"

The party scattered. Towels flew, people scrambled. Maya reached for her bag, but her hand knocked into someone else's.

"Sorry," Leo said, dripping pool water everywhere. He wasn't looking at Chloe anymore. He was looking at Maya. "Hey, you never got in the water."

She laughed nervously. "Not really a swimmer."

"Same. I mostly just pose for pics. It's exhausting, honestly." He dropped his voice. "Hey, your brother mentioned you're going to Homecoming alone?"

Maya's heart raced. "Yeah. Why?"

"I was gonna ask..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Never mind, it's dumb—"

"Ask me what?"

"If you wanted to go together? As friends? Unless—"

"Yes," she said too fast. "I mean, yeah, that would be... yeah."

**Lightning** flashed again, closer this time. Thunder shook the ground. But Maya didn't care. She pulled off her **hat**, let her hair down, and actually smiled.