The Spy Who Caught Her

Maya pulled the brim of her red beanie lower, practically disappearing into the fabric. Three tables away in the cafeteria, Julian Fox laughed at something his friends said, throwing his head back with that effortless confidence that made everyone gravitate toward him.

"You're doing it again," Jayden said, stealing a fry from her tray. "The spying thing. It's getting weird, bestie."

"I'm not spying," Maya protested, though her ears burned hot. "I'm... observing. There's a difference."

"You've been 'observing' Julian Fox since September." Jayden rolled their eyes. "Just talk to him already. Or at least stop wearing that hat every time he's within a fifty-foot radius. It's literally your tell."

The hat had become her armor lately. Whenever Fox entered a room, Maya would tug the beanie down like it could somehow shield her from the terrifying reality that she was absolutely gone for a boy who barely knew she existed.

Julian Fox was the kind of guy who made everything look easy. Advanced classes, varsity soccer, student council. Meanwhile, Maya was still figuring out who she was—beyond being the quiet girl in AP Bio who occasionally said smart things about cellular respiration.

"What would I even say?" she whispered. "Hey, Julian, I've been watching you from afar for six months like a total creep—"

"Okay, don't lead with that." Jayden snorted. "Also, he's looking over here right now."

Maya's stomach did that familiar flippy thing. She didn't look. She concentrated very hard on her cafeteria pizza.

"He's coming over," Jayden hissed. "Maya. He's walking here right now. Abort mission or commit to the bit."

Panic seized her chest. This was it. The moment her not-so-secret spying would be exposed, and she'd have to transfer schools from sheer embarrassment.

"Hey."

Maya looked up. Julian Fox was standing at their table, holding something red and folded.

"You dropped this in the hallway earlier." He placed her beanie on the table. His crooked smile made her brain short-circuit. "I was going to give it back during Bio, but you left before I could catch you."

"Oh." Maya touched the hat like it was an alien artifact. "Thanks."

"No problem." He paused. "So... see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah," she managed. "Tomorrow."

He walked away, and Jayden let out a tiny shriek.

"DID YOU SEE THAT? He noticed you left BEFORE you left! He's been watching you too! This is mutual spying! We are SO talking about this at lunch—"

But Maya was still processing something else. Julian had called her by name. He'd known who she was this whole time.

Her spy game wasn't nearly as secret as she'd thought.

And maybe, just maybe, that wasn't such a bad thing after all.