Zombie at the Palm Springs Pool

Maya hadn't slept in three days. Finals week had turned her into a certified zombie, shuffling through AP Chemistry with dark circles that could rival any apocalypse survivor. Her best friend Lena had dragged her to Tyler's pool party anyway, claiming it was "practically a social requirement."

The backyard looked like something out of a teen magazine — **palm** trees swaying against the perfect California sunset, string lights ready to flicker on, and the **water** in the pool glittering like crushed diamonds. Tyler, the cute lacrosse player Maya had been lowkey crushing on since September, was already in the pool, laughing at something.

"You good?" Lena asked, sliding her a suspicious green smoothie. "Your mom made me bring this. Apparently you need vitamins to function."

Maya took a sip and almost gagged. "What is this?"

"Kale, **spinach**, some protein powder, and honestly, just drink it. You look like you're about to faint."

Tyler climbed out of the pool, water dripping from his hair, and Maya's heart did that annoying fluttery thing. He walked over, grinning. "Hey! You made it."

"Yeah," Maya managed, trying not to choke on her spinach smoothie. "Just... barely. Finals week, you know?"

"Totally." He leaned against the patio table. "I've been running on caffeine and prayers since Tuesday. I think we're all zombies at this point."

They talked for twenty minutes about absolutely nothing — his terrible cooking attempts, her horror movie obsession, how school was basically designed to break them. It was the longest conversation they'd ever had, and Maya was hyperaware of the spinach smoothie mustache she definitely had.

"Want to go for a swim?" Tyler asked suddenly. "Cool off from all this... existing."

The sun had disappeared behind the palm trees, and the pool lights were on now, turning the water into something glowing and magical. Maya hesitated — she was exhausted, her swimsuit was maybe a little old, and she was pretty sure she had spinach in her teeth.

But Tyler was smiling at her like she was actually worth talking to, and maybe that was enough.

"Yeah," she said. "Let me just... finish this first."

Lena winked from across the patio. Maya jumped into the water, zombie state and all, and for the first time all week, she actually felt alive.