Brielle was late to their Saturday meetup at the park—something she never was.


Maya sat on a blanket under the big oak tree, her sketchpad in her lap and the Summer List at her side. She was halfway through doodling the two of them as superheroes when Brielle finally appeared, hair pulled into a messy bun and a grocery bag swinging from her wrist.


“Sorry, sorry,” Brielle huffed, collapsing onto the blanket. “My mom had to pick up an extra shift and left me in charge of the gremlins.”


Maya blinked. “Your brothers?”


“Same thing.” Brielle flopped back and covered her eyes with her arm. “They covered the couch in peanut butter. Again.”


Maya laughed, but something in Brielle’s voice was tight.


“You okay?”


Brielle didn’t answer for a moment. Then she sat up slowly. “I mean, yeah. Just… this summer’s not gonna look exactly how I thought.”


Maya waited.


“My mom’s been working doubles,” Brielle said quietly. “Bills are piling up, and I’m basically the backup parent now. It’s not like I mind helping, but…” She trailed off and shook her head. “I feel like the walls are closing in.”


Maya reached over and squeezed her hand. “We’ll make it work. Even if we can’t do everything on the list. We’ll just… get creative.”


Brielle gave a tired smile. “I knew you’d say something like that.”


Maya grinned. “Superhero powers, remember?”


Brielle pulled a sandwich from the grocery bag and tossed it to her. “Peanut butter-free. For now.”


They sat in the shade, eating and laughing, and Maya felt that quiet warmth again—the kind that only came when someone trusted you enough to be real.


Later, Brielle said, “You still talking to Lucas?”


Maya shrugged. “A little. He’s… interesting.”


“Interesting how?”


“Like… still water. There’s stuff going on under the surface.”


Brielle raised a brow. “Be careful. Still water can run deep—and sometimes it drowns you.”


Maya tossed a blade of grass at her. “Relax, Brielle. You’re not my mom.”


“No,” she smirked, “but I’m the best friend. Which is basically the same thing, but cooler.”


As the sun dipped low and the park emptied out, Maya looked at their list again. Some items might not happen. But some still could.


And if anyone could turn a mess into magic, it was the two of them—together.