The Sphinx by the Pool

Maya stood by the edge of the pool, clutching her oversized bucket **hat** like a shield. The summer humidity had already frizzed her curls into something resembling a science experiment, and now she had to survive Jordan's party without humiliating herself.

"Hey, Maya!" Jordan waved from the diving board, looking annoyingly perfect in a rainbow bikini. "You coming in or what?"

"In a minute!" Maya called back, her voice cracking. Great. Smooth.

She'd spent forty-five minutes getting ready, only to discover a massive piece of **spinach** wedged between her front teeth in the rearview mirror. How long had it been there? All through math class? While she'd talked to Tyler in the hallway?

Maya groaned and shoved her hat on, pulling the brim low. She looked like a detective in a terrible noir film, but at least her mouth was hidden.

"Nice hat," said a voice behind her. Tyler.

Of course. Because the universe wanted her to suffer.

"Thanks," she mumbled through the fabric. "It's... sun protection."

"Cool." He shifted his weight. "So, I was gonna get some **water** from the cooler. Want some?"

Maya's heart did this embarrassing flutter thing. But she couldn't open her mouth. Not with the spinach situation.

"Actually, I think I'll just... **swimming**," she blurted, then immediately realized she'd used the word as a verb. Who says "I think I'll just swimming"?

Tyler didn't laugh. He just smiled, kind of understanding. "Yeah, the water looks awesome. Race you?"

Before Maya could respond—or panic about her spinach disaster—he cannonballed into the pool, splashing water everywhere. Her hat flew off.

She stood there, exposed. Literally and figuratively.

Then she saw her reflection in the sliding glass door: no spinach. It had been a smudge on her mirror the whole time.

"You coming?" Tyler yelled, treading water.

Maya looked at the pool, then at her hat floating away like a defeated boat, then back at Tyler, who was waiting for her.

She dove in.

Later, they sat on pool chairs, eating pizza, and Tyler told her about how he'd failed his driver's test three times. Maya talked about her fear of public speaking. They laughed about nothing and everything.

"You know," Tyler said thoughtfully, "you're like a **sphinx**. All mysterious with the hat, but then you're actually chill."

"A sphinx?" Maya raised an eyebrow. "That's definitely a first."

"Yeah, but like, a cool sphinx. One that doesn't do riddles."

Maya laughed so hard pizza almost came out her nose. Maybe summer wasn't going to be so bad after all.