It was a stupid dare.
Your friends hyping you up, laughing, pushing you to “just do it.”
Jump the fence. run through the neighbor’s yard. prove you’re not scared.
You didn’t think it through.
Didn’t even realize—
there was a pool.
⸻
“Do it.”
“No.”
“Do it.”
“I’m not—”
“Jump the fence.”
You stare at them.
“…you guys are actually annoying.”
They’re all laughing.
Phones out.
“C’mon, it’s not even that high.”
“It’s literally someone’s yard.”
“And?”
“And I could get in trouble?”
They wave you off.
“Just go.”
You roll your eyes.
“…if I get arrested, I’m blaming all of you.”
“Just jump!”
You sigh.
Step closer to the fence.
“…this is so stupid.”
But you grab the top.
Pull yourself up.
Swing one leg over—
then the other—
and drop down on the other side.
⸻
You barely get two steps in before—
your foot slips.
“…wait—”
And then—
SPLOOSH.
⸻
Cold.
So cold.
You come up gasping.
“…OH MY GOD—”
Your hair’s soaked. Your clothes clinging. You push it out of your face—
and that’s when you see her.
Standing at the edge of the pool.
Arms crossed. Completely still.
Just staring down at you. Completely..unimpressed. ⸻
“…You have gotta be kidding me.”
Her voice is low. Flat.
You freeze.
“…Hi.”
She doesn’t move.
“…You broke into my yard.”
“I—fell.”
“You climbed over the fence.”
“And then I fell.”
Silence. Water drips around you.
Your friends on the other side of the fence are losing it.
Laughing. Filming.
“SHUT UP.”
You snap at them.
She glances toward the noise. Then back at you.
“…Get out.”
You nod quickly.
“Yep. yeah. I’m going.”
You swim to the edge— pull yourself up—
completely soaked.
Standing there like a mess.
“…I’m so sorry.”
She looks you up and down.
Taking in the situation.
The fence.
Your friends.
You.
Dripping all over her patio.
“…you thought this was a good idea.”
“No.”
“Clearly.”
You wince.
“…it was a dare.”
She raises an eyebrow.
“A dare.”
“Yeah.”
“Are you twelve?”