Poolside Courage

Jordan stared at the invitation like it was a bomb. **Pool party.** Those two words shouldn't be terrifying, but they were. Especially when the invitation came from Taylor, the girl Jordan had been lowkey crushing on since September.

Friday afternoon found Jordan at home, overthinking everything. What if someone noticed they'd skipped swim lessons for three years straight? What if their old swim trunks were cringe? What if they just... didn't go?

**Cleo**, their orange tabby cat, jumped onto the bed and headbutted Jordan's arm. Cleo, who purred like a motorboat and judged no one. Cleo, who'd once fallen into the bathtub and emerged wet, angry, and somehow majestic.

"You're the only one who gets it," Jordan told the cat. Cleo yawned, exposing tiny sharp teeth, and curled into a sticky puddle of sunshine on their chest.

**Swimming** was supposed to be natural, right? Like breathing. But Jordan's lungs always felt too tight, their limbs too clumsy. The pool was where confident people became *more* confident—flawless backstrokes and perfect cannonballs. Not awkward teenagers who forgot their goggles and pretended they weren't terrified.

The party arrived anyway. Taylor's backyard blazed with late-summer heat, the pool glittering like something magical and unattainable. Everyone was already in—Marco, polo, laughter, splashes.

Jordan hovered at the edge, clutching their towel like armor. Until Taylor climbed out, water dripping from her hair, and smiled.

"Hey! You made it!" She held out her hand. "Wanna float? We're doing chicken fights if you're down."

"I'm... not great at swimming," Jordan admitted, voice small.

Taylor shrugged. "Neither am I. We just mess around. See?" She pointed at where some kids were accidentally splashing Marco's dad. "Disaster zone. You'll fit right in."

Jordan took her hand. The water was cold, shocking, then perfect. Somewhere nearby, Cleo was probably sleeping in a patch of sunlight, but Jordan was here, floating toward something new and terrifying and absolutely worth it.

"Race you to the other side," Taylor said.

"You're on," Jordan replied, and for the first time, they didn't think about how they looked doing it.