The Vitamin Summer

Maya stared at the orange **vitamin** bottle on her nightstand, the pills rattling like anxious thoughts. At sixteen, she'd decided this summer would be different — she'd be different. More confident. Less awkward. The directions said take with **water**, so she downed two with a grimace, already regretting everything before 9 AM.

Her aunt and uncle's house was huge compared to her cramped apartment. The **pool** in the backyard called to her like a siren, but she wasn't supposed to have friends over. Which was exactly why, when Jake from her history class texted "ur family has a pool right???" she'd responded "yeah come thru 😏" before her brain caught up.

Now Jake was coming over. And he'd invited THREE other people. Maya's stomach did backflips.

The **cat**, Barnaby, judged her from the windowsill as she frantically cleaned. "You're overthinking," he seemed to say with his narrowed yellow eyes. "Also, you missed a spot."

The doorbell rang. Jake showed up with smooth energy and his stupidly perfect smile, followed by Chloe (who always looked effortless in a way that made Maya want to scream), Tyler (loud, confident, exactly the kind of person Maya wasn't), and someone whose name she missed immediately.

"So..." Chloe scanned the backyard. "The **pool**?"

"Right!" Maya's voice cracked. "Let me just..."

She grabbed the **pool** cover and yanked. Nothing happened. The **cable** was jammed. Of course.

"Here, I got it," Tyler said, jumping in. Three yanks later, the cover flew off, knocking Maya's iced tea into the grass.

"My bad," he said. Everyone laughed. Maya forced a smile.

They spent the next hour doing exactly what normal teenagers did. Jake splashed Chloe. Tyler cannonballed. Maya sat on the edge with her feet in the **water**, nursing aSprite, feeling like she was watching her own life through a screen.

Then Jake swam over. "You coming in?"

"Maybe." Maya shrugged. "I'm not really a **pool** person."

"What does that mean?" He pushed wet hair from his forehead.

She almost made up an excuse. Almost said something cool and dismissive. Instead, the truth slipped out: "I don't want anyone to see me in a swimsuit."

The words hung there. Jake blinked. Then shrugged. "Same. I skipped leg day for like... my whole life."

Maya laughed. Real laughter.

"But seriously," Jake said, "you're overthinking it. We're all just awkward teenagers trying to look chill."

Maya looked at him — really looked. The slight awkwardness in his posture. The way he kept adjusting his swim trunks. The tension in his smile.

"You're nervous too?" she asked.

"Terrified. I didn't even know if you actually wanted me here."

"I literally practiced what to say when you texted."

They stared at each other. Then they both cracked up.

"Okay, get in," Jake said. "I'll go first so you can laugh at my pale legs."

Maya slid into the **water**. Cool liquid swallowed her, and for the first time all summer, she stopped overthinking.

Later, everyone dried off in the sun. Chloe hooked her phone to the portable speaker. Tyler complained about his mom making him take vitamins. Barnaby the cat pounced on a fallen chip.

"This was actually sick," Jake said, bumping Maya's shoulder. "We should do it again."

"Yeah," Maya said. And meant it.

That night, she took her vitamins with water before bed. No grimace this time. Maybe tomorrow would be different. Or maybe she'd just be herself, and that would be enough.

Barnaby purred from the foot of her bed. Maya fell asleep to the sound of pool water lapping against the sides, already excited for whatever awkward, wonderful mess tomorrow would bring.