The Pool Party Protocol

Maya's hands shook as she stared at her reflection. The haircut was supposed to be subtle layers, but instead she looked like a poodle someone had tried to groom with a lawnmower. Her mom had offered sympathetic words and that ancient stuffed bear from childhood—like a fuzzy brown security blanket could fix social suicide.

"You're being dramatic," her younger brother called from the hallway. "It's just a pool party."

Just. He didn't get it. This was Jake's party. Jake, who'd sat behind her in chemistry since September, whose handwriting looked like actual typography, who'd once complimented her hoodie and she'd thought about it for three weeks.

Maya's phone buzzed: "u coming? everyone's already swimming lol"

She threw on her swimsuit—the one with the modest cut because apparently her body image was stuck in middle school—and grabbed her towel. She was running so late her palms were sweating. Her hair, usually her best feature, now defied gravity in all the wrong directions.

The backyard was already loud with music and laughter. Maya hovered near the fence, clutching her towel like a shield. Through the crowd, she spotted Jake by the pool, doing some ridiculous impression that had everyone cracking up. Of course he was funny too. Because the universe wanted her to suffer.

"Maya!" Jake waved her over. "Finally! We were about to send a search party."

She stepped closer, and her stomach did that awful knotting thing. But then Jake's eyes widened.

"Whoa, your hair!" He grinned. "It looks sick. Did you cut it?"

Maya blinked. "I... yeah. It's kind of a disaster."

"No way." He shook his head. "It's bold. I dig it."

Her brain short-circuited. He dug it?

"You should get in here," someone called. "Chicken fight tournament!"

Maya looked at the water, sparkling and inviting. At her reflection earlier—how she'd let herself spiral over something so small. At Jake, still smiling at her like she was worth noticing.

She dropped her towel on the nearest chair and jumped in.

The shock of cool water was perfect. Emerging with her slicked-back ruined hair feeling somehow intentional, Maya laughed at something Jake said. Whatever happened next—at least she was here, not hiding in her bathroom. The night was young, and apparently, so was she.