The Track Track Spy Track

Maya's legs burned as she rounded the corner, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Cross-country practice wasn't supposed to feel like this — like her lungs were staging a rebellion against the rest of her body. But then again, most things lately felt like some kind of weird performance she hadn't rehearsed for.

"You're staring again." Chloe's voice cut through her thoughts as they slowed to a walk near the school entrance. "At him."

"I'm not staring." Maya adjusted her ponytail, suddenly hyperaware of how her hair had frizzed into something resembling electrocuted seaweed after today's run. "I was just... observing." She winced. That sounded worse.

"You're like a low-key spy," Chloe laughed, bumping her shoulder. "But make it awkward and sweaty."

Maya's face heated up. She had been watching Liam — the new junior with the stupidly good smile and the way he somehow made gym shorts look intentional. Since he'd joined the team two weeks ago, she'd become an expert in Liam-ology: how he tied his shoes (double knots, always left first), how he stretched (way too dramatic about it), and how he never seemed to notice when anyone was looking at him.

Except apparently someone had noticed her noticing.

"So." Chloe wiggled her eyebrows. "The vitamin water incident."

"Oh my god, never speak of it." Maya covered her face with her hands. Yesterday, she'd accidentally knocked over Liam's Vitaminwater during practice, then spent thirty seconds awkwardly trying to help clean it up while he stood there being nice about it. She'd wanted to dissolve into the earth.

"He asked about you today."

Maya's head snapped up. "What?"

"Asked if you always run that fast, or if you were showing off." Chloe's grin widened. "I said you were showing off. Obviously."

"Chloe!"

"Relax." Chloe checked her phone. "I also may have given him your number."

"You WHAT?"

"You're welcome!" Chloe called over her shoulder as she headed toward the locker room.

Maya stood there, pulse racing from something that definitely wasn't running anymore. Her phone buzzed in her pocket.

Unknown: Hey. This is Liam. From practice. I was wondering...

She stared at the screen, heart doing something complicated and terrifying. Maybe being a spy wasn't so bad after all. Sometimes, the people you thought you were watching from afar were actually looking back.