SWIM TEAM · SEASON 1 · SPECIAL EPISODE 1
THE SUMMER BETWEEN
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SCENE 1 — Luca BennettLuca's Dad's HouseSeattle, Washington
July · Thursday · Early Morning
LUCA
Seattle, Washington.
July.
It's a Thursday.
His dad works early.
Which means the house is quiet by six, and Luca has the place to himself — coffee, the window, the grey Seattle morning doing what it always does.
This is the part of home he actually likes.
The stillness before anyone needs anything from him.
After coffee, Luca swims every morning. No exceptions.
He has a pool at home, but that's only for fun.
Seattle, Washington.
July.
It's a Thursday.
His dad works early.
Which means the house is quiet by six, and Luca has the place to himself — coffee, the window, the grey Seattle morning doing what it always does.
This is the part of home he actually likes.
The stillness before anyone needs anything from him.
After coffee, Luca swims every morning. No exceptions.
He has a pool at home, but that's only for fun.
Luca heads to the local aquatic center where he normally swims around 7AM.
The same pool he's been swimming at since he was twelve.
The same lane. The same black line on the bottom.
His times are better than they were in June, which
is the only thing that matters.
He doesn't think about SCU.
He doesn't let himself.
Not yet.
The same pool he's been swimming at since he was twelve.
The same lane. The same black line on the bottom.
His times are better than they were in June, which
is the only thing that matters.
He doesn't think about SCU.
He doesn't let himself.
Not yet.
After the swim Luca heads over to the big park with the pond just up the street from his house. He's spend a lot of time in this park over the years. Long walks always clear his head. He likes the quiet and the time to think.
Luca looks at the clock.
it's only 10AM.
Luca sits in the park scrolling through social media for a bit, checking out some of the other swimmers' Instagrams of those he met at the SCU recruiting weekend.
Jack
Nathan
Thomas
Then Cole, he's the team captain at SCU.
Luca stops for a second.
"Nice body."
Then he searches for Eli Becker.
He stalks Eli's profile for a minute, looking through his swim photos. He always does.
He mumbles to himself
"Fuck, that boy is so hot."
He can feel himself getting aroused.
Looking at all these profiles only makes him hornier than he already was.
Luca looks at the clock.
it's only 10AM.
Luca sits in the park scrolling through social media for a bit, checking out some of the other swimmers' Instagrams of those he met at the SCU recruiting weekend.
Jack
Nathan
Thomas
Then Cole, he's the team captain at SCU.
Luca stops for a second.
"Nice body."
Then he searches for Eli Becker.
He stalks Eli's profile for a minute, looking through his swim photos. He always does.
He mumbles to himself
"Fuck, that boy is so hot."
He can feel himself getting aroused.
Looking at all these profiles only makes him hornier than he already was.
Luca opens up Grindr and checks out some of the nearby profiles.
It's not often he finds anyone interesting nearby but today is different.
It's not often he finds anyone interesting nearby but today is different.
University of Washington.
Derek.
His online profile name is UWAthletics21.
He's a horny 21-year-old UW Soccer Player.
Profile stats are 5'9", 165#, brown hair and blue eyes.
Three miles from Luca.
He's been surfing profiles for the past hour with no luck.
Derek mumbles to himself.
Derek: "Fuck, I'm so horny."
He continues scrolling.
Derek: "I really wanna get fucked today. There's got to be a top around here somewhere. I swear this school is nothing but bottoms."
Derek.
His online profile name is UWAthletics21.
He's a horny 21-year-old UW Soccer Player.
Profile stats are 5'9", 165#, brown hair and blue eyes.
Three miles from Luca.
He's been surfing profiles for the past hour with no luck.
Derek mumbles to himself.
Derek: "Fuck, I'm so horny."
He continues scrolling.
Derek: "I really wanna get fucked today. There's got to be a top around here somewhere. I swear this school is nothing but bottoms."
He notices Luca when he comes online
"Fuck this kid's hot, must be a swimmer," he says out loud without realizing it.
Derek decides to message him.
"Fuck this kid's hot, must be a swimmer," he says out loud without realizing it.
Derek decides to message him.
Luca immediately gets a message.
UWAthletics21: "Hey what's up?"
Luca's seen his profile before, but never messaged him.
Dark hair.
Blue eyes.
Easy smile.
Twenty-one.
Nice fit body.
A soccer player.
A shirtless underwear photo and a few school photos from the University of Washington (UW).
Only a few miles away.
UWAthletics21: "Hey what's up?"
Luca's seen his profile before, but never messaged him.
Dark hair.
Blue eyes.
Easy smile.
Twenty-one.
Nice fit body.
A soccer player.
A shirtless underwear photo and a few school photos from the University of Washington (UW).
Only a few miles away.
Derek flips through the photos on Luca's profile, which includes a swim profile pic and some candid shots.
Luca goes by FitSwimmer.
Their conversation goes like this:
UWAthletics21: Hey what's up?
FitSwimmer: Nada u?.
UWAthletics21: Bro, you're SO hot! You go UW?
FitSwimmer: Na man, just graduated. Going to SCU in the fall.
UWAthletics21: Nice. I go to UW.
FitSwimmer: Soccer, right?
UWAthletics21: Yeah, how'd you guess? LOL. Swimmer right?
FitSwimmer: LOL. How'd you guess?
UWAthletics21: LOL. So you up to anything fun today?
FitSwimmer: Na, not yet, but the day is early. What about you?
UWAthletics21: Not up to anything either.
UWAthletics21: Just so damn horny today. You?
FitSwimmer: Yeah, horny 24/7
UWAthletics21: Fuck, same bro, always horny.
UWAthletics21: So what are you into?
FitSwimmer: Pretty open.
FitSwimmer: Into most things.
FitSwimmer: Love to kiss, j/o, suck, fuck.
FitSwimmer: Vers here. 8.5" uncut. U?
UWAthletics21: 8.5? Damn. So hot!
UWAthletics21: Into the same. Vers too, but I'm really wanting to get fucked today. 7" uncut here.
FitSwimmer: Sweet, I can definitely make that happen for you.
UWAthletics21: Neg and ddf?
FitSwimmer: Yeah, U?
UWAthletics21: Same. On prep and doxy.
FitSwimmer: Sweet, same.
UWAthletics21: Safe or BB?
FitSwimmer: Whatever is cool. I have condoms if you want.
UWAthletics21: Awesome. BB is cool with me, but we'll figure it out. You got me really worked up now.
UWAthletics21: So you free now? Wanna fuck?
FitSwimmer: Hell yeah, I wanna breed that hot ass.
FitSwimmer: So you hosting or wanna come here?
UWAthletics21: My roomies are home so I can host, but we'd need to be quiet.
FitSwimmer: Na, come here. I'm alone, and my place is free until tonight.
UWAthletics21: Fuck yeah bro I'd love to. You cool with us taking our time? Can you come more than once?
FitSwimmer: I'm 18, of course I can come more than once. Just need a few minutes to reload.
UWAthletics21: Sweet.
FitSwimmer: Totally game for a long afternoon.
FitSwimmer: Come over.
FitSwimmer: We can do whatever you want.
UWAthletics21: Sounds perfect.
UWAthletics21: Shoot me your address so I can see how far you are from me, and I'll head over.
UWAthletics21: I'm lowkey excited.
FitSwimmer: Me too. I'm hard thinking about it.
UWAthletics21: Same.
FitSwimmer: Here's my addy...
Luca sends the address, and Derek maps it.
UWAthletics21: Sweet, you're only about 10 minutes away.
UWAthletics21: I'm gonna shower real quick, and then I'll head over.
FitSwimmer: Sounds like a plan.
UWAthletics21: BTW, I'm Derek.
FitSwimmer: Luca.
UWAthletics21: Nice to meet you, Luca. See you in about 20.
FitSwimmer: See you then.
By the end of their conversation, both of them were hard and dripping pre-cum. Luca realizes his cock popped out of his shorts in the park during their conversation so he quickly tucks it back inside and tries to hide it as he stands up.
Luca grabs his things and walks back to his house so he can take a quick shower before Derek gets there.
It's only a few minutes from the park back to his house.
Luca is low-key excited to finally have someone close to hang out with again.
Luca mumbles to himself.
Luca: "Fuck I'm all worked up now. I hope this guy doesn't flake."
It's only a few minutes from the park back to his house.
Luca is low-key excited to finally have someone close to hang out with again.
Luca mumbles to himself.
Luca: "Fuck I'm all worked up now. I hope this guy doesn't flake."
It takes Derek about 30 minutes to get to Luca's house.
He shows up with the specific confidence of someone who's done this before and isn't weird about it.
Luca answers the door shirtless in athletic shorts.
Derek smiles. "Fuck you're even hotter in person."
Luca laughs. "Thanks. You too, come in."
He shows up with the specific confidence of someone who's done this before and isn't weird about it.
Luca answers the door shirtless in athletic shorts.
Derek smiles. "Fuck you're even hotter in person."
Luca laughs. "Thanks. You too, come in."
Derek unzips his jacket and follows Luca over to the couch.
They sit on the couch for maybe five minutes.
Surface stuff. Music, swimming, the city. Derek's good-looking in a straightforward way that asks nothing complicated of Luca.
That's what he wanted.
That's exactly what he wanted.
Derek leans over and starts kissing Luca.
Luca leans into it.
"So... Wanna go back to my room?"
Derek smiles. "I thought you'd never ask."
They sit on the couch for maybe five minutes.
Surface stuff. Music, swimming, the city. Derek's good-looking in a straightforward way that asks nothing complicated of Luca.
That's what he wanted.
That's exactly what he wanted.
Derek leans over and starts kissing Luca.
Luca leans into it.
"So... Wanna go back to my room?"
Derek smiles. "I thought you'd never ask."
Luca gets up and leads the way upstairs to his room, and Derek follows.
Luca shuts the door behind them and locks it.
Luca shuts the door behind them and locks it.
Thirty minutes later...
A few hours pass...
They spent the entire afternoon exploring each other's bodies. Inside and out.
Luca bred Derek's ass twice before they ended up taking turns fucking each other. In their final round, Derek quickly lost it inside of Luca, and then Luca flipped him over and finished inside of him before Derek tapped out.
They both flopped down on the bed together, breathless.
Derek: "Damn Luca, don't you ever get tired?"
Luca laughs. "Na. I can go as long as you want."
Derek: "I don't think my ass can go as long as you want, though."
Luca: "Fair."
Derek: "Seriously, though, where have you been all summer? I really needed this."
Luca smiles: "Here and there. I don't get online that much. I've found most guys are flakes."
Derek: "Totally. I'm glad you weren't."
Luca: "I'm glad you weren't either."
Derek: "Come here."
Derek reaches over and grabs Luca and pulls him closer.
They start kissing.
Derek: "Fuck you're so hot, man."
Luca: "You too. Ready to go again?"
Derek literally laughs out loud.
Derek: "Dude, I don't think I can handle that big ass cock of yours inside me again today."
Luca: "It's not that big, and you took it like a champ. You can fuck me again instead if you want."
Derek: "I'd love to stay longer, but I need to get out of here in a little bit. I have a summer class tonight."
Luca: "It's all good. My Dad will be home later anyway. Not that it really matters either way. He's cool about me having guys over."
Derek: "That's awesome. I wish my parents would have been that cool about me fucking guys, but that's a story for another day."
Luca bred Derek's ass twice before they ended up taking turns fucking each other. In their final round, Derek quickly lost it inside of Luca, and then Luca flipped him over and finished inside of him before Derek tapped out.
They both flopped down on the bed together, breathless.
Derek: "Damn Luca, don't you ever get tired?"
Luca laughs. "Na. I can go as long as you want."
Derek: "I don't think my ass can go as long as you want, though."
Luca: "Fair."
Derek: "Seriously, though, where have you been all summer? I really needed this."
Luca smiles: "Here and there. I don't get online that much. I've found most guys are flakes."
Derek: "Totally. I'm glad you weren't."
Luca: "I'm glad you weren't either."
Derek: "Come here."
Derek reaches over and grabs Luca and pulls him closer.
They start kissing.
Derek: "Fuck you're so hot, man."
Luca: "You too. Ready to go again?"
Derek literally laughs out loud.
Derek: "Dude, I don't think I can handle that big ass cock of yours inside me again today."
Luca: "It's not that big, and you took it like a champ. You can fuck me again instead if you want."
Derek: "I'd love to stay longer, but I need to get out of here in a little bit. I have a summer class tonight."
Luca: "It's all good. My Dad will be home later anyway. Not that it really matters either way. He's cool about me having guys over."
Derek: "That's awesome. I wish my parents would have been that cool about me fucking guys, but that's a story for another day."
The house goes quiet again.
They get dressed and both emerge together from the room a little sweaty, breathless, and a bit disheveled.
They get dressed and both emerge together from the room a little sweaty, breathless, and a bit disheveled.
Derek's gets to the front door, easy about leaving, jacket already on. No drama. No implication. Just two people who knew what this was from the first message.
Derek: "Thanks, Luca, that was so fucking hot."
Luca: "You're welcome. Thanks for lending me your ass to use for the afternoon."
He turns back to Luca as he starts to walk out.
Derek: "Of course, bro. Anytime. Let's do this again sometime soon."
Luca nods. "For sure. Heading to SCU in a few weeks, so try to catch me before then."
Derek: "Will do. So... same time tomorrow then?"
Luca laughs, "Sure, if you can handle it."
Derek: "I can handle it. I'll text you tomorrow."
Luca: "Deal."
Derek: "Later bro. See you tomorrow."
Luca: "Later, Derek. See you tomorrow."
Luca watches Derek walk down the sidewalk and to his car. He waves again, then closes the door.
Luca stays where he is for a minute.
He's not sad.
It's just — there's always just that moment after. The room going back to itself.
The absence of something settling into place.
Derek: "Thanks, Luca, that was so fucking hot."
Luca: "You're welcome. Thanks for lending me your ass to use for the afternoon."
He turns back to Luca as he starts to walk out.
Derek: "Of course, bro. Anytime. Let's do this again sometime soon."
Luca nods. "For sure. Heading to SCU in a few weeks, so try to catch me before then."
Derek: "Will do. So... same time tomorrow then?"
Luca laughs, "Sure, if you can handle it."
Derek: "I can handle it. I'll text you tomorrow."
Luca: "Deal."
Derek: "Later bro. See you tomorrow."
Luca: "Later, Derek. See you tomorrow."
Luca watches Derek walk down the sidewalk and to his car. He waves again, then closes the door.
Luca stays where he is for a minute.
He's not sad.
It's just — there's always just that moment after. The room going back to itself.
The absence of something settling into place.
He looks at his phone.
No new messages.
He thinks about Eli.
Three weeks earlier. The last night of camp.
He doesn't mean to let himself go there.
He just does sometimes, when it's quiet enough, and his guard is down, and there's nothing left to redirect toward.
Eli laughing at something stupid.
Then he thinks about what happened and the way Eli looked at him afterward, like he was figuring something out and didn't have the language for it yet.
Luca had already known, by then.
He'd known since the beach.
He picks up his phone.
Still no messages.
He opens up Instagram, navigates to Eli's profile, and starts scrolling through the photos.
"Fuck." Luca looks down. He's getting hard again.
Despite the afternoon he'd just had with Derek, he finds himself restless and horny thinking about Eli.
Luca decides to head back upstairs for some private time before his dad comes home. He jerks off two more times, looking at Eli's pictures, wondering what it would be like if they ended up at the same university together.
Just another normal summer day in Seattle for Luca.
No new messages.
He thinks about Eli.
Three weeks earlier. The last night of camp.
He doesn't mean to let himself go there.
He just does sometimes, when it's quiet enough, and his guard is down, and there's nothing left to redirect toward.
Eli laughing at something stupid.
Then he thinks about what happened and the way Eli looked at him afterward, like he was figuring something out and didn't have the language for it yet.
Luca had already known, by then.
He'd known since the beach.
He picks up his phone.
Still no messages.
He opens up Instagram, navigates to Eli's profile, and starts scrolling through the photos.
"Fuck." Luca looks down. He's getting hard again.
Despite the afternoon he'd just had with Derek, he finds himself restless and horny thinking about Eli.
Luca decides to head back upstairs for some private time before his dad comes home. He jerks off two more times, looking at Eli's pictures, wondering what it would be like if they ended up at the same university together.
Just another normal summer day in Seattle for Luca.
August. SCU Fall Semester Starts Tomorrow.
The house feels smaller when you're leaving it.
Luca loads the last bag into the car and stands in the driveway for a second.
Seattle doing what it always does.
Grey sky. Salt air. The specific quiet of a Saturday
morning with nowhere to be yet.
His dad comes out and hands him a coffee.
You sure you don't want me to drive down with you.
I can fly back?
I'm good.
Eighteen hours is a long drive.
I know.
His dad nods. Doesn't push it.
That's the thing about growing up between two
houses — you learn early how to leave.
"Bye Dad"
His Dad gives him a hug.
"Good luck, I'm really proud of you son, you're going to be great. I'll see you in a few weeks."
Luca gets in the car and waves.
Starts driving.
Luca loads the last bag into the car and stands in the driveway for a second.
Seattle doing what it always does.
Grey sky. Salt air. The specific quiet of a Saturday
morning with nowhere to be yet.
His dad comes out and hands him a coffee.
You sure you don't want me to drive down with you.
I can fly back?
I'm good.
Eighteen hours is a long drive.
I know.
His dad nods. Doesn't push it.
That's the thing about growing up between two
houses — you learn early how to leave.
"Bye Dad"
His Dad gives him a hug.
"Good luck, I'm really proud of you son, you're going to be great. I'll see you in a few weeks."
Luca gets in the car and waves.
Starts driving.
SCENE 2 — Eli BeckerKevan's BackyardSan Francisco, California
July · Afternoon
Eli
San Francisco, California
July.
The summer for Eli sounds like his friends.
Kevan's backyard. Someone's speaker. The specific noise of people who've known each other since freshman year of high school, with nowhere to be and nothing urgent.
Eli's good at this.
At being easy.
At filling space.
At being the version of himself that everyone expects.
He stretches out in the grass and lets the afternoon happen around him.
This is normal life for Eli.
San Francisco, California
July.
The summer for Eli sounds like his friends.
Kevan's backyard. Someone's speaker. The specific noise of people who've known each other since freshman year of high school, with nowhere to be and nothing urgent.
Eli's good at this.
At being easy.
At filling space.
At being the version of himself that everyone expects.
He stretches out in the grass and lets the afternoon happen around him.
This is normal life for Eli.
Ryan, Eli's best friend for nearly twelve years, is next to him — talking mostly, the way he always does, occasionally saying something out loud that nobody asked for.
"Hey, E, so tell me about your SCU visit," Ryan says.
Eli squints at the sky.
"It was good."
"That's not what I asked."
"There were a bunch of guys from different schools. We did trials. It was pretty standard."
Ryan looks at him.
"And?"
"And nothing."
"You've been weird since you got back."
"Hey, E, so tell me about your SCU visit," Ryan says.
Eli squints at the sky.
"It was good."
"That's not what I asked."
"There were a bunch of guys from different schools. We did trials. It was pretty standard."
Ryan looks at him.
"And?"
"And nothing."
"You've been weird since you got back."
"I haven't been weird."
"Dude, you reacted to some guy's message with a heart."
Eli doesn't say anything.
"I saw it," Ryan says. "On your phone."
"Don't read into it. I was just being friendly."
"I don't think you've ever done that in your life."
Eli picks at the grass.
"His name's Luca, he says finally. He swims distance. He's from Seattle."
Ryan waits.
"We just got along, Eli says. It was easy to talk to him. That's it."
"Is he gay?"
A second too long before Eli answers.
"Dude, you reacted to some guy's message with a heart."
Eli doesn't say anything.
"I saw it," Ryan says. "On your phone."
"Don't read into it. I was just being friendly."
"I don't think you've ever done that in your life."
Eli picks at the grass.
"His name's Luca, he says finally. He swims distance. He's from Seattle."
Ryan waits.
"We just got along, Eli says. It was easy to talk to him. That's it."
"Is he gay?"
A second too long before Eli answers.
"Yeah."
"Is he hot?"
"He's a swimmer. You'd like him."
"Damn Eli, you're turning into a gay friend magnet, aren't you?"
Eli laughs.
"I guess so. What can I say, I'm hot, so the gays just find me."
Ryan laughs.
"Ok, now. First, I've been here before you were hot. So there's that. "
Eli nods.
"True."
Then Ryan adds, "Second, you sure aren't lacking in self-confidence anymore since you grew into that hot body are you?"
Eli shrugs. "Nope, I perfectly self aware," and smiles back at Ryan.
"But damn, already trying to replace me with a new gay friend. So not cool. Just not cool at all."
Eli leans over and bumps his shoulder into Ryan's.
"You're my best friend, Ry. You know you can never be replaced."
Ryan laughs.
"That's right, you'd better remember that before you start going around picking up new gay friends."
"Is he hot?"
"He's a swimmer. You'd like him."
"Damn Eli, you're turning into a gay friend magnet, aren't you?"
Eli laughs.
"I guess so. What can I say, I'm hot, so the gays just find me."
Ryan laughs.
"Ok, now. First, I've been here before you were hot. So there's that. "
Eli nods.
"True."
Then Ryan adds, "Second, you sure aren't lacking in self-confidence anymore since you grew into that hot body are you?"
Eli shrugs. "Nope, I perfectly self aware," and smiles back at Ryan.
"But damn, already trying to replace me with a new gay friend. So not cool. Just not cool at all."
Eli leans over and bumps his shoulder into Ryan's.
"You're my best friend, Ry. You know you can never be replaced."
Ryan laughs.
"That's right, you'd better remember that before you start going around picking up new gay friends."
Ryan grins.
"You're gonna have to hook me up with him when I come visit. You know I love a hot swimmer."
He bumps his shoulder against Eli's and smiles.
"Oh, I know," Eli rolls his eyes. "How could I forget?"
"You never stopped telling me all year long how much you loved everyone on the Men's swim team."
Ryan shrugs.
"Well, not everyone, but yeah, and puts his hand on Eli's leg."
Eli laughs and swats his hand away.
"Will you stop being a fool today?"
Conversation with Ryan has always just been like this. Fun and easy.
They've never hidden any secrets from each other. Until today.
"You're gonna have to hook me up with him when I come visit. You know I love a hot swimmer."
He bumps his shoulder against Eli's and smiles.
"Oh, I know," Eli rolls his eyes. "How could I forget?"
"You never stopped telling me all year long how much you loved everyone on the Men's swim team."
Ryan shrugs.
"Well, not everyone, but yeah, and puts his hand on Eli's leg."
Eli laughs and swats his hand away.
"Will you stop being a fool today?"
Conversation with Ryan has always just been like this. Fun and easy.
They've never hidden any secrets from each other. Until today.
The Rest of July Flys By for Eli.
The rest of July passes the way summers do when you're not paying attention.
Swim practice.
Kevan's backyard.
The same coffee shop on Fillmore.
Rooftop talks with Ryan.
Maya asking him every other day if he's nervous about college and him telling her no every time.
He's not nervous.
He's going to SCU.
That part is decided.
He doesn't think too hard about why.
Swim practice.
Kevan's backyard.
The same coffee shop on Fillmore.
Rooftop talks with Ryan.
Maya asking him every other day if he's nervous about college and him telling her no every time.
He's not nervous.
He's going to SCU.
That part is decided.
He doesn't think too hard about why.
August. SCU Fall Semester Starts Tomorrow.
August.
Eli's parents will drive him down to SCU tomorrow.
His mom wants to help him pack.
He lets her because it's easier than explaining that he doesn't have that much to bring.
Maya sits on his bed watching him fold things and offering opinions nobody asked for.
"You should bring the blue one."
"I'm bringing the blue one."
"What about that hoodie?"
"Yes."
"What about—"
"Maya."
She grins. Doesn't stop.
His mom appears in the doorway with a look on her face he doesn't want to deal with.
"You could have gone to UCSB. Or Berkley with Ryan."
"I know."
"SCU is a great school. I just want to make sure you're going for the right reasons."
Eli folds a shirt.
"I am."
She tilts her head.
"They have a great swim program, I told you that already."
"I still don't understand why you changed your mind at the last minute. You've wanted to go to UCSB ever since we went to that swim camp there that one year."
"Are you sure you didn't meet a girl? At that recruiting weekend? Online?"
Eli doesn't look up.
"No."
His mom smiles like she doesn't believe him.
Maya points at him from the bed. "He's lying."
"I'm not lying."
"You got weird after that trip," Maya says. "Like,
noticeably weird."
"I'm not weird."
His mom is still smiling.
"It's okay if you did. I just want to know you're not choosing a school over a girl who doesn't even know you exist."
Eli looks up at that.
"It's not like that."
"If you say so. Just remember to use..."
"MOM." Eli interrupts her.
She holds her hands up. "Okay. Okay."
She lets it go.
Eli's parents will drive him down to SCU tomorrow.
His mom wants to help him pack.
He lets her because it's easier than explaining that he doesn't have that much to bring.
Maya sits on his bed watching him fold things and offering opinions nobody asked for.
"You should bring the blue one."
"I'm bringing the blue one."
"What about that hoodie?"
"Yes."
"What about—"
"Maya."
She grins. Doesn't stop.
His mom appears in the doorway with a look on her face he doesn't want to deal with.
"You could have gone to UCSB. Or Berkley with Ryan."
"I know."
"SCU is a great school. I just want to make sure you're going for the right reasons."
Eli folds a shirt.
"I am."
She tilts her head.
"They have a great swim program, I told you that already."
"I still don't understand why you changed your mind at the last minute. You've wanted to go to UCSB ever since we went to that swim camp there that one year."
"Are you sure you didn't meet a girl? At that recruiting weekend? Online?"
Eli doesn't look up.
"No."
His mom smiles like she doesn't believe him.
Maya points at him from the bed. "He's lying."
"I'm not lying."
"You got weird after that trip," Maya says. "Like,
noticeably weird."
"I'm not weird."
His mom is still smiling.
"It's okay if you did. I just want to know you're not choosing a school over a girl who doesn't even know you exist."
Eli looks up at that.
"It's not like that."
"If you say so. Just remember to use..."
"MOM." Eli interrupts her.
She holds her hands up. "Okay. Okay."
She lets it go.
Eli and Ryan's Goodbye.
Later that evening, Ryan and Eli meet up to say an emotional goodbye to each other.
They sit on the ledge for a while without saying much.
The city doing what it always does below them.
"You good?" Ryan asks.
"Yeah." Eli looks out at the skyline. "I think so."
You're going to kill it down there. You know that right?"
Eli smiles.
"SCU's program is legit. They're going to push you harder than you've ever been pushed. And you're going to be better for it."
"Yeah. I know."
"I mean it." Ryan looks at him. "You're one of the best butterfly swimmers I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot of swimmers."
"You've seen like twelve swimmers."
"Twelve very average swimmers. You're not average."
Eli laughs.
"I'm coming to visit, Ryan says. First chance I get. Berkeley's not that far."
"You better. I don't know how I'm going to manage without you around, nagging me all day long after 12 years."
"Yeah, well, you know we should basically be common law married by now, but you kept refusing to fall for my subtle seduction plan all these years."
Eli laughs again. "I don't think there was ever anything subtle about your plan."
"Give a guy credit for trying."
"Trying to get into my pants more like it."
"Yeah, and you liked it. You never cared that I was gay. Those couple of times, you could have just stopped me."
"Of course I didn't care that you were gay, why would I. We live in SF for gods sake, being gay is just a normal thing here, right?'
Ryan grins. "Right."
"So you and Luca are actually rooming together?"
"Yeah."
"Interesting."
"It's not interesting."
"No it's very interesting." Ryan nods slowly. "Very, very interesting."
"Ryan."
"I'm just saying." He holds his hands up. "All I'm saying is — watch yourself."
Eli shakes his head.
"And obviously," Ryan adds, completely straight-faced, "you're going to need to send me some photos."
What kind of photos.
"The kind where he's not wearing anything."
"I'm so not doing that."
"Come on E. Best friend. Twelve years. This is all I'm asking."
"Absolutely not."
"Not even one?"
"No."
Ryan sighs dramatically.
"Fine." He bumps his shoulder against Eli's. "But think about it. And in the meantime, just send me pics of you. Clothes on, clothes off, I accept all photos of Eli Becker."
Eli laughs and shoves him.
They go quiet again.
They sit on the ledge for a while without saying much.
The city doing what it always does below them.
"You good?" Ryan asks.
"Yeah." Eli looks out at the skyline. "I think so."
You're going to kill it down there. You know that right?"
Eli smiles.
"SCU's program is legit. They're going to push you harder than you've ever been pushed. And you're going to be better for it."
"Yeah. I know."
"I mean it." Ryan looks at him. "You're one of the best butterfly swimmers I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot of swimmers."
"You've seen like twelve swimmers."
"Twelve very average swimmers. You're not average."
Eli laughs.
"I'm coming to visit, Ryan says. First chance I get. Berkeley's not that far."
"You better. I don't know how I'm going to manage without you around, nagging me all day long after 12 years."
"Yeah, well, you know we should basically be common law married by now, but you kept refusing to fall for my subtle seduction plan all these years."
Eli laughs again. "I don't think there was ever anything subtle about your plan."
"Give a guy credit for trying."
"Trying to get into my pants more like it."
"Yeah, and you liked it. You never cared that I was gay. Those couple of times, you could have just stopped me."
"Of course I didn't care that you were gay, why would I. We live in SF for gods sake, being gay is just a normal thing here, right?'
Ryan grins. "Right."
"So you and Luca are actually rooming together?"
"Yeah."
"Interesting."
"It's not interesting."
"No it's very interesting." Ryan nods slowly. "Very, very interesting."
"Ryan."
"I'm just saying." He holds his hands up. "All I'm saying is — watch yourself."
Eli shakes his head.
"And obviously," Ryan adds, completely straight-faced, "you're going to need to send me some photos."
What kind of photos.
"The kind where he's not wearing anything."
"I'm so not doing that."
"Come on E. Best friend. Twelve years. This is all I'm asking."
"Absolutely not."
"Not even one?"
"No."
Ryan sighs dramatically.
"Fine." He bumps his shoulder against Eli's. "But think about it. And in the meantime, just send me pics of you. Clothes on, clothes off, I accept all photos of Eli Becker."
Eli laughs and shoves him.
They go quiet again.
The city spread out below them, golden and familiar.
They hug and say goodbye.
Ryan hugs Eli tightly.
"I'm really going to miss you E."
"I'm going to miss you too Ry. We'll see each other soon. Be safe at school ok?"
Ryan nods.
The last good night of summer before they both move on to the next chapter of their lives tomorrow.
They hug and say goodbye.
Ryan hugs Eli tightly.
"I'm really going to miss you E."
"I'm going to miss you too Ry. We'll see each other soon. Be safe at school ok?"
Ryan nods.
The last good night of summer before they both move on to the next chapter of their lives tomorrow.
His room is dark.
It's Late.
He's got his phone propped on his chest, a video's playing on loop that he stopped actually watching almost an hour ago.
He's not thinking about anything specific.
That's mostly true.
He opens his messages without deciding to.
Scrolls back to the text from Luca.
The one he reacted to with a heart before he could
stop himself.
"Hey. I'm really glad we hung out this weekend, you made it way more bearable. Let me know where you end up. Hope we get to hang again sometime."
He looks at it for a second.
Just looks at it.
Lies there for a while.
Doesn't turn the video back on.
He puts the phone down on his chest and
stares at the ceiling again.
Eli can't stop thinking about what happened this summer at swim camp with him and Luca.
It's Late.
He's got his phone propped on his chest, a video's playing on loop that he stopped actually watching almost an hour ago.
He's not thinking about anything specific.
That's mostly true.
He opens his messages without deciding to.
Scrolls back to the text from Luca.
The one he reacted to with a heart before he could
stop himself.
"Hey. I'm really glad we hung out this weekend, you made it way more bearable. Let me know where you end up. Hope we get to hang again sometime."
He looks at it for a second.
Just looks at it.
Lies there for a while.
Doesn't turn the video back on.
He puts the phone down on his chest and
stares at the ceiling again.
Eli can't stop thinking about what happened this summer at swim camp with him and Luca.
Earlier this summer at SCU Recruitment Camp
Earlier this summer at SCU Recruitment Camp
This is his last night here.
Tomorrow he drives to SCU.
Tomorrow he'll be roommates with Luca.
He closes his eyes and thinks about SCU
and Luca.
Tomorrow he drives to SCU.
Tomorrow he'll be roommates with Luca.
He closes his eyes and thinks about SCU
and Luca.
Fall semester begins
now at SCU.
You've met Luca and Eli.
Now meet Cole, Jaxon, Noah and the rest of the crew.
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Season 1 is 10 episodes plus 3 special episodes.
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