The Poolside Glitch

The chlorine smell hit me before I even saw the water. Jessica's party. The one everyone had been talking about for weeks.

I stood by the **pool**, clutching my **iPhone** like a lifeline. My playlist was queued up, my outfit was curated—vintage oversized tee, cutoffs that hit just right. I'd practiced my chill vibe in the mirror for twenty minutes.

But here's the thing about trying to look effortless: it takes a lot of effort.

"Hey, Maya!" Jessica waved from her lounge chair. Perfect skin, perfect smile. Somehow even her wet hair looked intentional.

I waved back, trying to match her energy. Then it happened—my sweaty **palm** betrayed me. The **iPhone** slipped.

Time slowed down. The **iPhone** hit the deck, bounced once, and did this horrifying arc toward the **pool**.

"No no NO—"

Splash.

Silence. Like, actual silence. The music kept thumping but everyone just stared at the ripples.

My face burned. I wanted to disappear, teleport, literally anything but stand there.

Then this guy Marcus—I'd had a crush on him since October—jumped in. Fully clothed. Vans and everything.

He surfaced holding my **iPhone**, water dripping everywhere. "Got it."

Everyone erupted. Someone high-fived him. Jessica started laughing, but not mean-laughing. Like, actually laughing.

"You good?" Marcus asked, wading toward the edge.

"My charging **cable** is going to hate me," I said, then immediately cringed. Why did I say that?

Marcus grinned. "I think your phone's the bigger problem right now."

He climbed out, soaking wet, and handed me the **iPhone**. Our fingers brushed for like half a second.

"Thanks," I managed. "For... you know. The whole diving thing."

"No problem." He squeezed out his shirt. "Worth it for the show."

Later, my dad would ask why my **iPhone** smelled like chlorine. I'd tell him everything except the part about Marcus's smile when he handed it back. Some things you don't translate to adult language.

The **iPhone** never worked quite right again. But honestly? Neither did I. And that was kind of perfect.