The Pool Table Pact

Marcus stood at the edge of the empty pool, its cracked bottom staring up like some dried-up dream. Three months ago, this had been the spot—the place where everyone who was anyone hung out during summer break. Now it was just a concrete hole in the ground behind Jordan's house.

"You gonna stand there all day or actually help?" Jordan called out, dropping a tangled mass of ethernet cable onto the ground. It snaked through the dead leaves like a black plastic vine.

Marcus sighed and dragged the heavy cable across the yard. Ever since Jordan's parents got divorced and the pool drained, his former best friend had been acting weird—obsessed with this whole underground LAN party idea like it was gonna bring back the old crew.

"This is cringe, Jordan," Maya said from the porch, scrolling through her phone with freshly painted black nails. "Literally nobody does LAN parties anymore. That's like, so 2010."

Jordan ignored her, already on his hands and knees connecting cables to a jury-rigged setup of ancient monitors and gaming PCs. "You'll see. Once word gets out that we've got the only spot in the neighborhood with zero parental supervision and unlimited snacks, everyone'll come back."

Marcus's stomach twisted. He knew Jordan was desperate, but watching his friend cling to the past like this made something inside him hurt.

"Yo, what's for food anyway?" Marcus asked, changing the subject. "Because if it's spinach again like last time, I'm passing."

Jordan finally looked up, his face lighting up. "No spinach today, bro. I got us pizza, chips, and those energy drinks you like. The good stuff."

Something about Jordan's determined smile made Marcus's chest tighten. This wasn't just about gaming or hanging out—it was about not letting go. About refusing to accept that things changed, people drifted apart, and that maybe that was okay.

"Alright," Marcus said, picking up a controller. "But if nobody shows, we're doing something else. Maybe something... new?"

Jordan paused, then nodded slowly. "Yeah. Maybe."

By midnight, it was just the three of them in the empty pool, neon monitors glowing against the concrete walls, laughing until their sides hurt at absolutely nothing. And somehow, Marcus thought, watching his friend finally smile without forcing it, this was exactly right.