Zombies at the Pool Party

Maya spent forty-five minutes on her hair—curling iron, expensive products, the whole routine—only for it to frizz the moment she stepped outside. The humidity was already working against her, and she hadn't even made it through the front door.

The Hernandez pool party was legendary. Everyone who was anyone would be there, and Maya had spent the entire week psyching herself up. But now, standing at the gate with solo cup in hand, she felt like a total zombie. Three hours of sleep + test anxiety + social awkwardness = walking dead.

"Maya! You made it!" Chloe appeared, practically glowing in her bikini. "We're starting a padel tournament— you in?"

Padel. Maya had never played. Whatever it was, everyone at school seemed to be obsessed with it. Another thing she'd missed the memo on, right alongside her failed attempt to understand the appeal of podcasts.

"Actually, I think I'll—"

"Nope, you're on my team." Chloe grabbed her wrist and dragged her toward the court. "It's fine, nobody actually knows what they're doing. We're all just pretending."

The padel court was basically a tennis court but smaller, with glass walls. Maya's team lost immediately and spectacularly. But somewhere between her graceful stumble into the wall and Chloe laughing so hard Red Bull came out her nose, Maya stopped feeling like the awkward new girl and started actually having fun.

Later, floating in the pool as the sun set, Chloe pointed at the snacks table. "Behold the snack pyramid of capitalism. Three separate chip brands, all owned by the same company."

Maya snorted. "You and your conspiracies."

"I'm right though!" Chloe splashed her. "Same with social hierarchies. Looks like a pyramid from the outside, but really it's just whoever makes the most noise."

Her hair was wrecked. She'd embarrassed herself at padel. But watching the pool lights reflect off the water, Maya felt something shift. Maybe the pyramid wasn't as steep as she thought. Maybe she didn't have to be a zombie anymore.

"Same time next week?" Chloe asked.

Maya grinned. "If you promise not to destroy me at padel again."

"No promises."