The Sphinx at Sectionals

Maya positioned her goggles on her forehead, trying to look like she belonged in the fast lane. Which she definitely didn't. The swim team's social pyramid was crystal clear: seniors at the top, freshmen at the bottom, and everyone else fighting for the middle layers.

'You're staring again,' Chloe whispered, elbowing her. 'He's not gonna magically notice you.'

'Maybe he's psychic,' Maya shot back, though her face heated. They were poolside at the country club, three weeks into summer, and Leo Martinez—senior, swim captain, completely out of her league—was doing lazy laps like he owned the water.

Leo climbed out, water streaming off his shoulders, and shook his hair like some kind of slow-motion movie moment. That was when it happened: he looked right at her. Actually AT her.

'You're Maya, right?' His voice was lower than she expected. 'You're swimming the 50 free at sectionals?'

'Me? No. I mean, yeah, but—I'm alternate.' She practically choked on her own tongue.

'That's BS.' He pulled his goggles down around his neck. 'You dropped three seconds last meet. I checked.'

Maya's brain short-circuited. Leo Martinez had checked her times?

'Really?'

'Yeah.' A grin cracked through his carefully blank expression—like he was some kind of sphinx who'd finally decided to share a riddle's answer. 'Want some advice? Stop overthinking everything. Just swim.'

'That's it? That's your wisdom?'

'Hey, it worked for me.' He flipped a bottle of bright orange gummies at her. 'Also, your mom told mine you've been taking those stress vitamins. These are better. Pure confidence.'

Maya caught the bottle automatically. Gummy bears.

'You're messing with me.'

'Only a little.' He backed toward the water, grinning now. 'See you at practice, Maya.'

She watched him dive in, cutting through the water like he was part of it. Around her, the summer noise of splashing and laughter and typical teenage chaos filled the air. But for the first time, Maya didn't feel stuck in the middle of some invisible pyramid. She just felt... ready.

'Well?' Chloe demanded. 'What did he SAY?'

Maya smiled, popping a gummy bear into her mouth. 'That I should stop overthinking everything.'

'He's not wrong.'

'Yeah.' Maya pulled her goggles down. 'He's really not.'