Vitamin C and the Deep End

Maya's orange highlights were already fading, two weeks into summer, and she couldn't decide if that was a metaphor or just really unlucky hair timing.

"You gonna jump or what?" Jason called from the pool deck, adjusting his snapback hat like he always did when he was nervous. Which was weird, because Jason Chen was never nervous.

The pool party was supposed to be Maya's social renaissance—her chance to finally escape middle school invisibility and become someone who mattered at Riverdale High. But here she was, paralyzed at the edge of the diving board, while everyone actual person she'd ever wanted to impress watched.

"I'm good," Maya called back. "Just enjoying the view."

"Come on!" Sarah yelled. "Even Tyler did it!"

Tyler, who had jumped fully clothed five minutes ago and was now dripping pool water everywhere, grinned and gave her a thumbs up. His cable-knit sweater (who wore cable-knit in July? Tyler, apparently) was soaked and probably ruined.

Maya's phone buzzed in her pocket—her mom, reminding her to take her vitamin D supplement because apparently the sun wasn't enough. She grabbed the gummy bottle from her bag and dramatically tossed two back like they were contraband.

"What are those?" Jason asked, suddenly beside her.

"Vitamin gummies," Maya said. "Want one? They're cherry."

Jason laughed, and it was this real, unguarded sound that made something loosen in her chest. "Sure. Why not."

They sat there eating children's vitamins like rebels while everyone else swam. Jason told her about his grandma teaching him to knit (hence the cable-knit obsession). Maya admitted she'd dyed her hair orange because she read somewhere that gingers have more fun, but so far it was just fading and making her look like a sunset from 2007.

"Hey," Jason said, finishing his gummy. "You know what? You don't have to jump."

"I know."

"But if you wanted to, I'd jump with you. Like, same time."

Maya looked at the water. Looked at Jason's beat-up hat and his genuine smile and the way Tyler was now doing laps with that ruined sweater.

"Yeah," she said. "Okay."

They jumped together. The water was perfect. Her hair was definitely ruined. And Maya laughed so hard she accidentally swallowed pool water, which was gross, but also somehow exactly what freedom tasted like.

Later, as the sun set and her mom picked her up, Maya caught her reflection in the car window. The orange highlights were still fading, but she looked different anyway. Like someone who'd finally figured out how to swim in the deep end.

"How was the party?" her mom asked.

Maya smiled, already planning tomorrow's outfit. Maybe she'd wear the hat. "Actually, it was pretty legendary."