Water Bull Summer

The baseball team's end-of-season pool party at Chloe's house was supposed to be legendary. But Maya stood at the edge, her stomach doing backflips. She'd made varsity as a sophomore — huge accomplishment — but she'd been so focused on proving herself that she'd missed... well, everything. Parties. Inside jokes. The stuff that actually mattered.

"You gonna stand there all day or jump in?" Tyler called from the pool, grinning. He was the senior shortstop, effortlessly cool, currently splashing water at everyone within range.

Before she could answer, someone's dad rolled out what looked like an inflatable mechanical bull — but it floated. A WATER bull. This was new.

"Who's first?" Tyler shouted, already climbing aboard. "Maya! Rookie tax!"

Everyone cheered. Maya groaned but climbed onto the wobbling inflatable, chlorine from earlier cannonballs still dripping down her face. The bull jerked sideways. She held on, grinning despite herself. Then harder. The team chanted her name. For once, she wasn't the serious freshman who'd busted her butt making varsity. She was just Maya, holding onto a ridiculous pool toy, possibly about to faceplant in front of everyone.

The bull bucked violently. She flew off, SPLASH, water everywhere.

"ROOKIE OF THE YEAR!" Tyler screamed, high-fiving her as she surfaced, sputtering.

She'd nailed the season's final double play. But this? This was her real victory. Maya climbed back onto the water bull, hair dripping, ready to get thrown again. Finally part of it. The team. The jokes. The summer that was just beginning.