Three-Second Rule

Maya's palm was sweating—like, actually dripping—inside the limited-edition Jordans she'd saved three months of Chick-fil-A money for. This was it. The house party where Tyler from AP Bio would definitely, maybe notice her.

"Yo, you good?" Marcus nudged her. "You look like you're about to throw up."

"I'm chill," Maya lied, wiping her hand on her jeans. "Totally chill."

She wasn't chill. Because right now, across the room, Tyler was laughing at something. His laugh. The one that made her stomach do that weird flutter thing. Her phone buzzed: *You coming?* from Kaelin, who was already inside with her older sister's fake ID. *This party is lowkey fire.*

Maya grabbed a random cup from the kitchen counter because holding something made her look less awkward. Big mistake. The punch—more alcohol than juice, judging by the fumes—hit her tongue like battery acid. She gagged, then coughed, then half the cup splashed onto some girl's outfit.

"My vintage BLAZER!" The girl screamed.

Everyone stared. Tyler looked over. Maya's face burned so hot she felt like a human microwave. She bolted toward the backyard, because fight-or-flight is real, and flight was winning.

The backyard had those tiny plastic ponds rich people had. Goldfish pond. And because the universe had a personal vendetta against her, Maya tripped. Her palm slammed into the edge, and somehow—physics works in mysterious ways—a goldfish launched itself onto the grass beside her.

It flopped. She froze. The fish flopped again.

"Dude," someone said behind her. A guy in a beanie she didn't recognize. "Is that... Nemo?"

"I think his name is Bubbles, actually," said another voice.

Maya looked up. Tyler. Of course Tyler.

"He's suffocating," Tyler said, dropping to his knees. "Help me."

They both scrambled, cupping their hands, trying to scoop the flopping fish. Maya's phone slipped from her pocket—straight into the pond.

"My life is over," she muttered.

"Bro, your phone?" Tyler winced. "That's rough."

But then he laughed. Not mean-laughing. The laugh.

"You're pretty clumsy, huh?" He splashed water at her, grinning. "I like that."

Her heart did the flutter thing again. But different this time.

Later, Kaelin found her sitting by the pond, hair wet, socks soggy, no phone, goldfish safely rescued.

"So..." Kaelin raised her eyebrows. "How'd it go with Tyler?"

Maya looked at her grass-stained jeans, her ruined shoes, her still-sweating palm.

"Well," she said. "I think I have a date tomorrow."

"To do what? Save more fish?"

"No, fool. To get spinach pizza." Maya shrugged. "It's his weird favorite. Don't judge me."

"Spinach pizza?" Kaelin made a face. "That's actually so random." She paused. "But also... kinda cute?"

Maya's phone was gone, her shoes were wrecked, and she smelled like pond water. But somehow, impossibly, she was winning.