The Sphinx's Summer Riddle

Leo pulled his beanie hat down tighter, trying to disappear into the fabric. Fifteen years old, and here he was at Jessica Carson's pool party, clutching his iphone like it was a shield against actual human interaction.

The backyard buzzed with the chaos of fifty teenagers swimming, flirting, and blasting music. Leo stayed planted in a lounge chair, thumbing through his phone, when he felt a shadow fall over him.

"You're not swimming."

Leo looked up. Maya Santiago stood there, dripping wet in her cutoff jean shorts and bikini top. She was the kind of pretty that made his tongue feel like sandpaper.

"I, uh, forgot my swimsuit," he lied.

Maya raised an eyebrow. "That's a boring lie. Try again."

His face burned. He tugged his hat lower.

"Fine. I don't swim in front of people."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why not swim in front of people? Are you part fish? Is it a cultural thing? Do you have sensitive skin?"

Leo blinked. "I just don't like it."

"That's not a reason, that's a fear. You're not alone in that, you know." She pointed across the pool, where Jake—the guy who had started a fight in algebra last week—was standing nervously by the inflatable bear float, pretending to check nonexistent messages on his phone. "Everyone's faking it."

Leo stared. Jake had seemed so confident.

"Life is one big series of moments where we're all bluffing," Maya continued. "Like we're living inside a sphinx riddle, and none of us remember the answer." She tilted her head. "Wanna know a secret? I don't actually like pool parties either."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because growth happens outside your comfort zone."

She held out a hand. "Come on. We're going to conquer fears together. I'll dive off the diving board if you cannonball off that bear float."

Leo's heart raced. He looked at the giant inflatable bear floating innocently in the deep end. At Maya's hand. At his phone, safe and dark in his grip.

He set the iphone on the lounge chair. Took Maya's hand. And for the first time all summer, he didn't feel invisible.

"Deal."