Cable Knit Courage

The pool party at Skylar's place was literally the social event of the summer, and I was currently hiding behind a massive palm tree in her backyard, questioning every life choice that led to this moment.

"You good, or should I call an exorcism?" My best friend Rico appeared, clutching a red solo cup like it was the holy grail.

"I'm not getting in that pool," I hissed, clutching my towel like a lifeline. "Everyone's gonna see my–"

"Your what? Your perfectly normal body that literally nobody is thinking about because they're all too busy worrying about their own?" Rico snorted. "Bro, it's swimming. Not bare-knuckle boxing."

I watched from behind the palm as Tyler—the guy I'd been lowkey crushing on since freshman year—laughed at something Jessica said. He was wearing this beat-up cowboy hat that should've looked ridiculous but somehow made him look like the main character of a coming-of-age movie I'd been mentally writing about us for months.

"I can't believe you're letting anxiety win," Rico said. "Remember when you came to school in that cable-knit sweater during 90-degree weather because you 'wanted to make a statement'? That was cringe, but you OWNED it."

"That was different," I protested. "I didn't have to wear a swimsuit in front of Tyler."

"You literally wear shorts that show more leg than–"

"RICO."

He sighed dramatically. "Fine. But you're missing out. The pool's not that deep. Get it? Deep? Because–"

"Your pun game is suffering today."

"Bro, just bear with me here," Rico said, already backing away toward the pool. "Five minutes. If you're not in, I'm telling Tyler you have a crush on him and forcing you to own it immediately. That's the deal."

I waited exactly four minutes and thirty-seven seconds before I heard Tyler's laugh cut through the humidity again, and I thought: you know what? Screw it.

I dropped my towel, walked toward the pool in my one-piece, and cannonballed in right next to them.

"FINALLY," Rico yelled. "What took so long?"

"Plot development," I said, surfacing to find Tyler smiling at me.

"Nice form," he said, tilting that ridiculous hat. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I said, and actually meant it. "Just needed a minute to gather my protagonist energy."

He laughed, and I caught Rico's thumbs-up from across the pool.

Sometimes courage is just jumping in before your brain can talk you out of it. Also, Rico was never allowed to pick my outfit again, but that was a problem for tomorrow-me.