The Pool Party Zombie

Maya's brain felt like straight-up mush. Three weeks of finals had turned her into a certified zombie, surviving on coffee and zero sleep. But somehow she'd agreed to come to Jessica's pool party.

"You HAVE to come," Chloe had begged. "Everyone's gonna be there. Including Tyler."

Right. Tyler. The reason Maya had spent forty-five minutes trying to look effortless while actually trying way too hard.

The backyard was already packed. People in swimsuits everywhere, music bumping, that specific summer vibe that made everything feel possible. Maya hovered near the snack table, clutching a plate of spinach artichoke dip like it was her lifeline. Her mom had practically force-fed her actual spinach that morning, claiming she needed "brain food." Whatever.

"Maya! You made it!" Jessica materialized, beaming in a floral bikini that looked like it cost more than Maya's entire wardrobe. "Get in the pool!"

"I'm good," Maya lied. She'd forgotten to shave. Again. Zombie brain problems.

"Nope, you don't get to hide today." Jessica dragged her toward the water. "Tyler's been asking where you are."

Wait, WHAT?

Before Maya could process that information, she saw him. Tyler Rodriguez, sitting on the pool edge in swim trunks, messing with his phone. He looked up and caught her eye. Actually smiled.

Her stomach did that flippy thing it always did when he was nearby.

Then it happened. Tyler stood up, held up his phone. "Hey everyone, watch this!"

And then—he bear-crawled. Like, actual hands-and-knees bear mode across the diving board, while blasting some weird sound effect from his phone. The entire pool went wild. People were LOSING IT.

Maya cracked up. Something about this perfect guy just committing to such a dorky bit made him actually, you know, attainable.

Tyler jumped in, surfacing right in front of her. "You saw that, didn't you?"

"The bear crawl?" Maya smirked. "Hard to miss."

"I've been practicing for TWO WEEKS hoping you'd be here to see it." His hair was wet, his smile genuine. "Wanna get in? Or are you gonna hold that spinach dip hostage all day?"

Maya set down her plate. Yeah, she'd survived finals. Yeah, she was exhausted. But sometimes zombie mode was exactly what you needed to finally just jump in.