Chlorine and Courage

The orange glow of sunset filtered through the backyard trees as I stood frozen at the edge of the pool party. My hair, which I'd spent forty minutes straightening that morning, now frizzed in the humidity—a literal and metaphorical mess, just like my social life.

"You coming in or what?" Daniel called from the water, dripping wet and effortless. He'd been the varsity baseball captain since sophomore year, the kind of guy who moved through high school like he owned the place. Meanwhile, I was still trying to figure out which lunch table wouldn't result in social suicide.

"Maybe," I managed, clutching my orange soda like a lifeline. My best friend Jenny rolled her eyes from the hot tub.

"Lila, you've been talking about Daniel literally forever. This is your chance."

The problem wasn't that I couldn't swim. The problem was that I'd be emerging from the water in a swimsuit while Daniel and his friends looked on with their unfair combination of athletic confidence and perfect hair. It was the stuff of my nightmares.

"Baseball tournament next weekend," Daniel said, paddling closer. "You should come. We need more fans who actually understand the game."

My heart did this embarrassing flutter thing. "I love baseball. My dad and I watch every Dodgers game."

"No way." He grinned. "Same. We should definitely talk about it."

Jenny mouthed "NOW" from behind him.

I set down my soda, took a breath, and jumped.

The shock of cold water knocked the anxiety right out of me. When I surfaced, sputtering and chlorine-scented, Daniel was laughing. But not mean laughing. Like, actually laughing with me.

"Your hair's escaping," he said, reaching out to tuck a strand behind my ear. "It looks good though."

Later, wrapped in a towel watching the stars come out, Daniel sat beside me. We talked about baseball stats and terrible umpire calls and how we both hated orange soda but drank it anyway because it was there.

"Next party," he said, "you're getting in first. I promise."

"Deal," I said, and realized my frizzy hair was completely fine. Some things are worth diving in for.