The Poolside Pyramid Scheme

Maya's hair was already frizzing in the July heat, and she'd been at Tyler's pool party for exactly twelve minutes. This was it. The moment she'd been overthinking all week: actually talking to him.

"Yo Maya! You gonna swim or just stand there looking like you're solving a math problem?" That was Jayden, Tyler's best friend and possibly the most annoying human on earth.

"I'm contemplating the meaning of life," Maya shot back. "Also, my hair will straight-up murder me if I get it wet. I spent forty minutes on this."

"Girl, please." Jayden rolled his eyes. "Tyler literally has a pool. What did you expect?"

Okay, valid point.

The water gleamed like something out of a commercial, all blue and perfect and terrifying. Maya wasn't a strong swimmer. Like, at all. Last summer she'd almost drowned at the community pool and her social life had barely recovered.

"What's everyone doing over there?" She pointed toward the deep end where a group had formed.

"Oh my god, don't tell me you haven't heard." Jayden looked gleeful. "Someone's trying to build a human pyramid in the water. For TikTok. It's gonna be a disaster and I am HERE for it."

Of course. A human pyramid. Because why wouldn't a bunch of teenagers attempt something physically impossible and borderline dangerous for content?

But then she saw Tyler at the base of the pyramid, laughing as someone's foot slipped and splashed water everywhere. His hair was wet, plastered to his forehead, and he looked so unbothered it made Maya's chest hurt.

"You coming?" Jayden raised an eyebrow. "Or nah?"

"Or nah," Maya said automatically, then paused. Actually...

Her therapist had been pushing her to do uncomfortable things. Small challenges. Baby steps toward not letting anxiety run her entire life.

She touched her hair. Whatever. It would dry.

"Actually," Maya said, pulling her phone from her pocket and handing it to Jayden. "Take pictures. If I die, my Instagram needs to know."

"Bet."

The water was colder than expected, shocking her system as she waded in. Her hair did indeed frizz. Her makeup probably ran down her face. But when she reached the pyramid and Tyler grinned at her, gesturing to the empty spot beside him, Maya realized something.

Sometimes the scariest things were also the only ones that mattered.

"Hey," Tyler said, like they did this every day. "Want to be the top? You're light."

"Excuse me?" Maya laughed despite herself. "I'll have you know I've been working out."

"Sure you have, Maya."

But he moved over, made room, and the pyramid held. For exactly three seconds before collapsing into a glorious, chaotic splash of water and laughter.

A friend, she thought as she resurfaced, gasping and happy, wasn't someone who liked the perfect version of you. A friend was someone who liked the weird, frizzy-haired, terrified-of-water version.

And maybe, just maybe, something more.