Undercover at the Deep End

Maya adjusted her dad's fishing hat, pulling the brim low. The hat smelled like lake **water** and old bait, but it was perfect camouflage. She wasn't actually fishing — she was on a mission.

Across the community pool, Jessica's crew sat in their usual spot. The popular girls. The ones who always knew which bathroom stall was unlocked and whose parties everyone talked about on Monday. Maya had been watching them for weeks, gathering intel like a total creep.

"You're being a **spy** again," said Leo, dropping onto the lounge chair beside her. He cracked open a soda. "It's giving obsession."

"It's called observation," Maya said, not taking her eyes off her target. "And I'm not obsessed. I'm strategically positioning myself."

"For what? To become besties by osmosis?" Leo snorted. "Just go talk to them, dude."

Easy for him to say. Leo was Leo — he could talk to anyone. Meanwhile, Maya had spent eighth grade as the girl who accidentally farted in the middle of a presentation, and some first impressions never really recovered.

Jessica laughed at something her friend said, tilting her head back. Her hair fell perfectly, obviously. Everything about her was effortless. Probably her whole life was just one long aesthetic TikTok.

Maya's phone buzzed. Mom: [Your cousin starts at your school Monday. Be nice to her.]

Great. Another thing to overthink.

"You know," Leo said, "Jessica's hat is actually from that vintage shop downtown. The one you like."

Maya squinted. Sure enough, Jessica wore a bucket hat with a sunflower patch. The exact same one Maya had saved in her "someday" folder for three months.

"No way," Maya whispered.

"Way." Leo stood up and stretched. "I'm hitting the snack bar. You coming, or are you gonna stay here being creepy?"

Maya looked at Jessica, then at her own ridiculous fishing hat. At Leo, waiting. At the pool sparkling like something out of a movie.

She took off the hat and shook out her hair.

"I'm coming," she said. "And Leo?"

"Yeah?"

"You're the worst wingman ever."

He grinned. "I know."