Deep End Secrets

The pool party at Jessica's house was supposed to be Kara's chance to finally swim with the popular kids. Instead, she sat on the edge in her cutoffs, dipping her feet in the water while everyone else splashed around in the deep end. Fifteen years old and she'd never learned to swim. Pathetic.

"Kara, come in!" Jessica called, doing a perfect backstroke. "The water's perfect!"

Kara forced a laugh. "In a minute!" She clutched her iphone like a lifeline, scrolling through Instagram to look busy. Anything to hide her secret.

Then her phone buzzed. An anonymous message: "I know what you're hiding."

Kara's stomach dropped. Was someone spying on her? She glanced around, paranoid. Jessica's older brother Tyler sat on the patio, nursing a soda and looking… intense.

Another message: "Your phone's been uploading to the cloud. Your swimming lesson searches. Everything."

Kara's face burned. She looked up to find Tyler watching her. He raised his phone slightly, nodding toward the pool house.

Her heart pounding, Kara followed him inside. Tyler leaned against the wall, suddenly serious. "I'm not going to tell anyone."

"You… you saw?" Kara's voice cracked.

"I work at the community pool, Kara. I see adults taking lessons every day. My dad didn't learn until he was thirty." Tyler's expression softened. "Everyone's afraid of something. Some people just hide it better."

Kara let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "I thought you were going to expose me."

"Why would I do that?" Tyler laughed. "That's lame. Besides, I'm the one who told Jessica to invite you. She thinks you're cool."

"She does?"

"Dude, everyone thinks you're cool. You're the only person who doesn't think you're cool." Tyler handed her a pool schedule. "Lessons start next week. I'll sign you up if you want."

Kara looked at the paper, then back at the pool where Jessica waved at her, grinning. The water glittered in the afternoon sun. Not scary. Just waiting.

"Yeah," Kara said, finally smiling. "I'd like that."

She walked back to the pool, phone in her pocket, and jumped in. She wasn't swimming perfectly yet, but she wasn't hiding anymore either. And that felt like floating.