Green in the Deep End

Marcus's first day as a lifeguard wasn't supposed to end with spinach in his teeth and a severed cable at the bottom of the pool. But here he was, seventeen years old, wearing the too-tight staff shirt that screamed "rookie" in bright yellow letters, staring into the chlorinated abyss.

"You going in, or just looking dramatic?" Chloe called from the guard chair. She was nineteen, had hair the color of grape soda, and had already saved three people this summer. Marcus had accidentally high-fived a sixth grader earlier and called it a rescue.

"The pool vacuum cable snapped," he said, gesturing at the innocent-looking blue water. "Maintenance said someone had to get it."

"Maintenance is Kevin, who's literally eighty-two." Chloe hopped down from her chair. "I'll do it. You watch the deck."

"No, I got it." Marcus straightened his spine. "I'm the new guy. I should prove myself."

"Suit yourself." Chloe flipped her sunglasses down. "But you've got something in your teeth, just so you know."

Marcus froze. "What?"

"Green stuff. Spinach?"

His lunch from the café replayed in his mind: that stupid healthy wrap he'd ordered because Chloe had mentioned she was vegan yesterday. He'd been trying to impress her by making better food choices, hoping she'd notice he wasn't just some basic dude who lived on pizza and energy drinks.

"I'm good," he lied. "Going in."

The pool was colder than expected. He swam to the bottom, spotted the cable snarled around the drain, and grabbed it. His lungs burned as he worked it loose, the chlorinated silence pressing against his ears. When he surfaced, gasping, Chloe was leaning over the edge, grinning.

"You still have spinach in your teeth," she said. "But you got the cable. Not bad, rookie."

Marcus swiped his tongue across his teeth, missing the green stuff completely. "Is it still there?"

"Yeah. But honestly? It's kinda cute. Makes you look like you actually eat vegetables." She tossed him a towel. "I'm Chloe, by the way. Official welcome to the worst job you'll ever love."

"Marcus," he managed, spinach and all. "And I think I'm going to like it here."