Poolside Roulette

Jake adjusted the snapback hat low over his eyes, trying to look chill. But inside? Complete chaos. The end-of-summer pool party at Taylor's house was basically social suicide in slow motion, and he was swimming right into the deep end.

Literally.

"Truth or dare?" Marcus called out, already half-submerged in the water, that insufferably perfect grin plastered across his face. The rest of the swim team circled like sharks, waiting for blood.

Jake's throat went dry. Everyone knew the rules. Pick dare, look weak. Pick truth, expose yourself. Lose-lose situation.

"Truth," he said, because he was an idiot.

Marcus's eyes lit up. "What's the deal with you and Emma?"

The group oohed in unison. Jake felt his face burn. Emma, who was currently sitting by the pool edge with her legs dangling in the water, pretending not to listen. Emma, who'd been his lab partner all sophomore year. Emma, who he'd been lowkey obsessed with since September.

"No deal," Jake managed, his voice cracking slightly. "She's just... we're just friends."

"That's such bull," someone muttered.

Before Jake could defend himself—or crumble into existence itself—Buster, Taylor's golden retriever, came tearing across the patio like a furry torpedo, chased by Taylor's little brother. The dog lept, cannonballing into the pool with a spectacular splash that drenched everyone within a five-foot radius.

Including Emma.

She shrieked, pushing soaked hair out of her face. And then she laughed. Actually laughed.

Jake's brain short-circuited. He should've been horrified. He should've been mortified that his crush had just witnessed him getting roasted by his entire swim team in front of God and everybody.

Instead, he found himself smiling. Because Emma was laughing, her eyeliner running slightly, and she looked over at him and their eyes met and it was like suddenly everything made sense.

"Your hat," she said, still giggling. "It's completely crooked."

Jake reached up, realized his snapback was practically sideways. He fixed it slowly, deliberately.

"Yeah, well," he said, finding some unexpected confidence somewhere. "Been meaning to ask you something."

Her laughter softened into something else. Something interested. "Yeah?"

"You wanna get out of here? Go get food or something?"

Emma stood up, water dripping from her clothes, and shrugged. "Depends. You paying?"

Jake grinned, finally feeling solid ground. "Absolutely."

Behind them, the swim team whooped. Marcus gave him a thumbs-up. Buster shook himself off like a sprinkler, spraying water everywhere all over again.

Sometimes the worst moments became the best ones. And sometimes, you just had to jump in.