Bear Hugs at the Lightning Pool

Marcus stood at the edge of the pool, clutching his phone like a lifeline. The TikTok invite had said 'pool party of the CENTURY' and now here he was, surrounded by the varsity crowd, wearing swim trunks his mom picked out, feeling completely out of place.

'Sup, Marc?' Jake appeared beside him, holding what looked like—was that papaya?

'My aunt's trying to get me to eat healthy.' Jake rolled his eyes. 'Want some? It's actually not terrible.'

Marcus declined, but Jake didn't move. The papaya sat there, bright orange against the concrete, like some weird social test.

Everyone else was already swimming—cannonballs and chicken fights and Instagram-worthy moments. Marcus's chest tightened. He hadn't told anyone he basically didn't know how to swim. The last time he'd tried, his cousin had laughed so hard she choked on her soda.

'So are you getting in or what?' Jake asked, then his expression shifted. 'Wait, you good bro?'

Before Marcus could deflect, lightning cracked across the sky. Like, actually scary-close lightning. Someone screamed—playfully, at first—but then thunder rumbled through everything, shaking the patio furniture.

'Everybody OUT!' Jake's voice changed. He wasn't the chill senior anymore. He was big, commanding, waving people toward the house. 'MOVE, NOW!'

Marcus had never seen this side of him. But then again, Jake played linebacker. In two seconds, he was a literal bear—huge, protective, herding everyone inside like they were baby cubs.

The storm hit hard. Water blasted off the pool surface in sheets. They all squeezed into Jake's basement, safe and dry, watching the rain through the sliding glass doors. Someone's phone started playing throwbacks. Another kid produced the abandoned papaya, cutting it into pieces with a pocket knife.

'Actually kind of fire?' Marcus took a slice. It was sweet, unexpected, not what he expected at all.

Jake dropped beside him on the couch, hair dripping, chest heaving from herding everyone. 'You okay?' He looked genuinely concerned.

'Yeah. Thanks for... you know.'

'We good.' Jake bumped his shoulder. 'Same time next week? Just—maybe check the weather first.'

Marcus laughed. For the first time all night, he actually relaxed. The papaya was sweet. The bear of a senior beside him wasn't so scary. And maybe, just maybe, next time he'd actually get in the water.