chlorine & cat burglars

The pool party was supposed to be Jax's chance to finally prove he wasn't just "the baseball guy's son." But instead, he stood by the edge of the **water**, clutching a soaking wet pool noodle like a lifeline, while Chloe—the only person he actually wanted to impress—laughed at something Tyler said.

"Dude, your dad's gonna be stoked if you make varsity," Tyler called out, splashing **baseball** references into every conversation like he was paid to do it. Meanwhile, Jax had been secretly taking **padel** lessons at the rec center for months, terrified his baseball-obsessed father would find out.

Then he heard it—the distinctive jingle of a collar. Jax froze. That was Luna's bell.

No way.

His escape-artist **cat** burst through the gate, soaking wet and immediately scaling the patio furniture like a furry mountain climber. The party stopped. Everyone stared.

"Is that—" Chloe started, grinning.

"That's LUNA!" Jax's sister screamed from inside the house.

What happened next was exactly the kind of disaster that became legendary in high school group chats for years. Luna, still damp from her adventure through the neighborhood, launched herself from the pergola directly onto Tyler's floating **baseball** cap, sinking it instantly. Tyler lunged, slipped, and created a splash wave that knocked three people into the **water**.

Chloe was laughing so hard she couldn't breathe. Jax waded in, trying to rescue his cat while maintaining whatever dignity he had left.

"Your cat's a menace," Chloe said, wiping tears from her eyes. "It's kinda iconic."

"She's... expressive," Jax managed, cradling a purring Luna.

"Hey," Chloe lowered her voice. "I heard you're taking padel lessons at the rec center. My friend's brother is the instructor there. He said you're actually pretty good."

Jax's stomach did that thing where it forgot how to organ. "You—wait, you knew?"

"I noticed your racquet bag that one time." She shrugged. "It's cool you're doing your own thing, honestly. Not just living for your dad's baseball legacy."

Later that night, while Luna licked her paws clean on his bed, Jax's phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number: *This is Chloe. Luna deserves a treat. Also, want to hit the padel courts sometime?*