Bull in the Water

The parking lot smelled like sunscreen and ambition. I pulled my swim cap tight, fingers brushing against the lucky **hat** my grandpa gave me—a faded trucker cap I wore before every meet. It was weird, yeah, but we all have our things.

Summer regionals. The pressure was real, and I was lowkey freaking out.

I stretched on the pool deck, palms sweating against the concrete. Coach Miller blew his whistle—time to warm up. I slipped into the water, the cool silence wrapping around me like a reset button. This was my element. I'd been **swimming** competitively since seventh grade, my body shaped by endless laps and 5 AM practices.

"Hernandez, you're up against Sterling in the 200 free," Coach said, clipboard in hand.

My stomach dropped. Brayden Sterling, aka "**The Bull**." Guy had shoulders like a linebacker and a reputation for crushing souls in the water. He'd already signed with Ohio State. I was just trying not to embarrass myself before college applications.

I positioned myself on the starting block, heart hammering against my ribs. The whistle blew.

I dove.

Water rushed past my ears, everything narrowing to the rhythm of my strokes. Pull, breathe, kick. Pull, breathe, kick. I could hear Sterling splashing beside me, a freight train of a swimmer. But I'd been working on my turns all season, shaving off fractions of seconds with each practice.

By the final lap, my lungs burned. I gave it everything, **running** on pure adrenaline and desperation.

I touched the wall, gasping, and whipped around.

Second place. By two-tenths of a second.

Sterlin pulled himself out of the water, water streaming down his face. He caught my eye and gave me a nod. "Nice race, Hernandez."

I sat on the pool edge afterward, legs dangling in the water, tracing a **palm** tree design on my towel with one finger. I hadn't won, but I'd pushed the Bull to his limit.

Maybe that was enough for now.

Sterling dropped his gear bag beside me. "You got plans for the summer? There's a club team looking for relays."

I looked up, surprised. For the first time, The Bull seemed like just another guy who loved the water.

"Yeah," I said, grinning. "Yeah, I'm interested."