Sunburned at the Deep End

Leo tugged the brim of his stupid uniform hat lower, but the sun still found his neck. His second week as pool attendant, and he'd already learned three things: the deep end collected the most interesting debris, Mrs. Henderson always complained about the water temperature, and Maya from the tennis club swam laps every Tuesday at exactly 2 PM.

Today, he'd brought spinach smoothie in a desperate bid to seem healthy. Sophisticated. Someone who ate things that weren't pizza rolls at midnight. The green sludge sat in the breakroom fridge like a radioactive experiment.

The pool vacuum's cable snaked across the concrete like a giant black worm, and Leo wrestled with it while trying not to look like he was trying not to look at Maya. She'd just finished her laps and was toweling off by the lounge chairs, her hair slicked back like something from a movie where people knew what they were doing with their lives.

"Hey, Pool Boy," she called, and his stomach did something embarrassing. "You're gonna miss a spot."

He looked down. The vacuum had wrapped around his ankle like a clumsy octopus.

"Yeah," he said brilliantly. "Strategic maneuver. Testing its grip strength."

She laughed, which was worse than if she hadn't. "You're weird."

Leo retreated to the breakroom, defeated, and grabbed his spinach smoothie. He'd show her sophisticated. He'd gulp it down like someone who did this every day, who cared about antioxidants and fiber and whatever else made spinach a lifestyle choice.

The first sip was fine. The second was manageable. The third went down the wrong pipe.

He choked. Not like a delicate cough—like full-body, eyes-watering, can't-breathe choked. Green sludge erupted from his nose. Maya appeared in the doorway, tennis racket in hand, and watched him gasp for air while spinach dripped from his chin.

"Okay," she said slowly. "That was genuinely impressive."

Leo wiped his face with what remained of his dignity. "I hate this stuff."

"Then why drink it?"

"Thought it would make me cool. Obviously, that worked."

She set down her racket and sat on the edge of the break table. "You know what's actually cool? Not trying so hard. Also, that hat looks ridiculous on you."

"It's mandatory."

"Wear it backwards."

He did. She nodded approval.

"Better. Now, are you gonna finish that, or can we go back outside where I don't have to watch you torture yourself?"

Leo dumped the smoothie. They sat by the pool, his feet in the water, talking about everything and nothing while the cable of the pool vacuum lay forgotten on the concrete behind them. For the first time all summer, he wasn't trying to be anyone else.