Orange Soda Sunset

Marcus stood at the edge of the pool, clutching his orange soda like a lifeline. The can was sweating almost as much as he was.

"You gonna jump or what?" Chen called from the water, grinning like he'd just invented summer. "Or are you gonna let Jordan win this one too?"

Jordan. The name alone made Marcus's stomach twist. She was everything he wasn't: confident, graceful, probably born knowing how to cannonball without looking like a dying fish.

The dare had seemed simple five minutes ago: jump off the high dive, or wear the orange floatie ring for the rest of the party. The floatie was shaped like a bull's head—complete with horns—because Chen's older brother had weird taste in party supplies.

"Taking the bull by the horns," someone yelled. Marcus hated them all a little.

He climbed the ladder, each step heavier than the last. His phone buzzed in his pocket—probably his mom asking if he was having fun. Ha.

The board bounced beneath his feet. Below, the water sparkled, mocking him. Jordan was watching now, her orange bikini bright against the blue pool. She waved.

Marcus's face burned. He could just climb down, let them laugh, wear the stupid bull floatie. It was just a party, just some kids from school.

But then he remembered last month's science presentation. He'd frozen, forgotten everything, stood there while someone whispered "total flop" loud enough for everyone to hear.

Not this time.

He squeezed the orange soda can one last time before setting it on the diving board's edge. It tilted dangerously.

"Watch this," he muttered, and jumped.

The fall was forever and a second. He hit the water wrong—totally ungraceful, probably looked like a terrified otter—but he was down. He came up sputtering while everyone screamed.

He'd done it. The bull floatie stayed dry.

"Finally!" Jordan yelled, laughing. "About time you took the bull by the horns, Marcus."

Later, when his orange soda was warm and everyone was playing chicken fights, Jordan sat next to him.

"You looked terrified up there," she said quietly.

"Was I that obvious?"

"Only to me." She smiled. "I always freeze before I dive too. It's kind of our thing, I guess."

The bull floatie bobbed forgotten in the corner. Marcus finished his warm orange soda and thought maybe being terrified wasn't the worst thing in the world. Not if you could still jump anyway.