Sink or Swim

Marcus stood at the edge of the pool, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. Chloe Delgado's pool party. The invitation had been practically handed down by God herself—or at least by Alexa Chen, who'd found it crumpled in Chloe's locker during fourth period.

Everyone was already in the water, splashing and laughing like they'd been friends since kindergarten. Lucas was doing a cannonball off the diving board. Even Justin, who Marcus had barely spoken to since that awkward lab partner situation in October, was there, acting like he totally belonged.

Marcus adjusted his shirt, feeling like the world's biggest fraud. His mom's new health obsession was basically ruining his life. Yesterday she'd replaced all the Cheetos with something made from pea protein that tasted like compressed grass. And those horse-pill vitamin supplements she made him choke down every morning with a glass of almond milk? Not exactly helping him blend in with the cool crowd.

He made his way to the snack table, which was basically his only safe zone. Chips, soda, regular stuff that normal people ate. Then he saw it, sitting innocently between a bag of Doritos and a plate of cookies—

Spinach dip. Actual honest-to-god spinach dip, with little green flecks mocking him from inside the bowl. Who brought spinach dip to a high school pool party? It was like his mother had somehow tracked him down and sabotaged the entire social event.

Marcus reached for a bag of chips, but someone bumped into him from behind. He stumbled forward, arms flailing wildly as he tried to regain his balance. The bag of chips went flying. His hand knocked against the spinach dip bowl, sending it sliding toward the table's edge.

Time seemed to slow down as the bowl tipped, gravity taking its sweet, cruel time. The green goo splattered across the concrete patio like a crime scene from a healthy cooking show.

The music stopped. Conversation died. Every single person at the party turned to stare at him, Marcus Cortez, standing there like an absolute idiot next to a puddle of ruined spinach dip.

His face burned. He wanted to dissolve into the concrete, become one with the patio, never show his face at school again. This was it. Social suicide. He'd be the spinach dip guy until graduation.

Then someone laughed.

It was Chloe. She was doubled over, practically crying, and at first Marcus thought—no, she wasn't being mean. She was actually laughing. Like, really laughing.

"Dude," she said between gasps. "That was legendary."

"I'm so sorry," Marcus started, but she waved him off.

"That spinach dip was questionable anyway. My mom's going through this phase where she thinks everything needs to be 'heart-healthy.'" She rolled her eyes. "You basically did us all a favor."

Other people were laughing too, but not at him. With him. Justin came over and clapped him on the shoulder. "Smooth move, Cortez. Very dramatic."

"Yeah, my mom's all about that stuff too," someone else said. "She literally makes me drink this green powder every morning. Tastes like lawn clippings."

"No way," someone else chimed in. "My parents are totally obsessed with supplements now. They've got this whole vitamin regime that takes like twenty minutes."

Marcus felt his shoulders drop, tension leaking out of him. He wasn't the only one. Turns out, half the people at this party were dealing with parents who'd suddenly decided nutrition was their new personality trait.

"You coming in or what?" Chloe called from the pool's edge, already in the water. She was smiling at him. Actually smiling.

Marcus kicked off his shoes. Maybe today was the day he'd finally stop standing on the edge watching everyone else have all the fun.

Maybe today he'd actually dive in.