Running From the Bull

The track team called me 'Flash' but honestly? I was just running. From everything. From my parents' divorce, from Mr. Harrison's chemistry class I was definitely failing, from the fact that I'd never had a girlfriend. My older sister Maya said I needed to stop running and start living. Easy for her to say—she was heading to UCLA in the fall, literally living her best life.

Then came Jessica's pool party. The invite circulated like wildfire, and suddenly everyone was talking about it. The pool. The music. The fact that Jessica's parents were out of town. My best friend Tyrell was hyped. 'Bro, this is IT. The party of the summer.'

I wasn't sure. Parties weren't really my thing. But then I heard HER name—Chloe, the cute sophomore from my English class who always smelled like coconut shampoo. Suddenly I was in.

The night of the party, I stood outside Jessica's gate, heart pounding like I was at the starting line. Inside, the pool glowed with underwater lights. People everywhere. Music bumping. And then I saw him—Tyler, the junior linebacker who'd been making my life miserable since middle school. He was in the deep end, splashing water on everyone, calling it 'bull' when anyone complained.

'Look who finally showed up,' Tyler announced, and everyone turned. My face burned. This was it. I could turn around and keep running, like I always did. Or...

Or I could dive in. Literally. I cannonballed right next to Tyler, sending a massive wave his way. 'What's up, man?' I said, like I wasn't terrified. 'Having fun?'

The room went silent. Then Tyler burst out laughing. 'Alright, Flash! Finally!'

That night, I didn't run. I stayed. I talked to Chloe—actual sentences, not awkward nods. I even made Tyler laugh when I told him his splash technique was 'weak as hell.' Later, Tyrell and I sat on the pool's edge, feet dangling in the water, eating stolen pizza.

'You okay, man?' Tyrell asked. 'You were running around like crazy earlier.'

I looked at the water reflecting the party lights. 'Yeah,' I said. 'I think I'm done running.'

Maybe tomorrow I'd still have to deal with chemistry and my parents and everything else. But tonight? Tonight I wasn't running from anything. I was just here.