Zombie Pool Party Apocalypse

The invitation sat in my notifications like a grenade I hadn't pulled the pin on yet: POOL PARTY @ JAKE'S HOUSE. 7 PM. BRING A SWIMSUIT. NO AWKWARDNESS ALLOWED.

I stood in front of my mirror, staring at my reflection like it might offer some backup. Instead, it just showed me what I already knew: a oversized tie-dye shirt that screamed "I'm trying too hard" and my lucky beanie — the same gray hat I'd been wearing since seventh grade, back when I thought covering my hair would somehow make me invisible. Spoiler: it didn't.

"You going or what?" My little brother appeared in my doorway, holding his stuffed bear like it was a hostage. "Morgan asked about you at school. She was like, 'Is Marcus coming?' and I was like, 'IDK, he's been in his room since last Tuesday.'"

"Thanks for the play-by-play," I muttered, grabbing my phone. "And stop carrying Mr. Fluff-face around. You're twelve, not five."

"Whatever." He vanished.

The cable company had shut off our internet yesterday because Mom "forgot" to pay the bill. Again. So I'd spent twenty-four hours basically living like it was 1995, which meant I had approximately zero distractions from overthinking tonight.

Jake's house was already lit up when I arrived, bass thumping through the walls like the house had a heartbeat. The pool area was packed — seniors from the football team, the dance squad girls, randoms I didn't recognize. Everyone moved with this confident ease I'd been trying to fake since freshman year.

"Marcus!" Morgan found me immediately, splashing out of the pool. Her wet hair slicked back, she looked effortless and gorgeous and suddenly I remembered why I'd been crushing on her since Biology. "You made it! We're doing a zombie movie marathon later. Jake's got every Romero film on this old cable box his uncle rigged up. It's literally the most cursed thing I've ever seen."

"Zombie movies?" I managed, my voice doing that annoying cracking thing. "Like, actual zombies?"

"Well, not actual zombies," she laughed, water droplets flying everywhere. "Although after finals week, we all kind of look like the walking dead."

Someone cannonballed into the pool, sending a wave of chlorinated water my direction. I jumped back, almost tripping over Jake's little sister, who was sitting in the corner clutching a stuffed bear and looking as overwhelmed as I felt.

"Sorry," I said automatically.

"It's fine," she mumbled. "I'm just hiding. Everyone's so... loud."

"Same." I slid down next to her. "I'm Marcus, by the way. Professional party-avoider."

She cracked a tiny smile. "I'm Chloe. Professional little-sister-hider."

We sat there for a minute, just existing while the chaos of the party swirled around us. And then Morgan was back, toweling off her hair.

"Okay, zombie time! Who's in? Jake's setting up the projector by the patio. Marcus, you coming?"

I looked at my lucky hat in my hands. Then at Morgan. Then at Chloe, who looked like she could use an escape too.

"Yeah," I said, pulling the beanie back on. "Yeah, I'm in."

For the first time all night, I didn't feel like I was faking it. Sometimes the coolest moments happen when you stop trying so hard to be someone you're not.