Deep End

Scarlett starts therapy with Sam shortly before the start of her junior year. After her injury during the NCAA championship two years ago, Scarlett saw a licensed sports psychologist through Stanford Athletics but recently switched to Sam to get a different perspective. Scarlett starts by telling Sam about diving, explaining five of the six main dives and omitting the dive she did when she hurt herself.

During “the first week of classes” (9) Scarlett chats with her roommate Maryam about her German class. She needs the language credit for premed but is already struggling. Maryam encourages her but Scarlett has felt discouraged ever since her injury. She remembers the incident clearly. She messed up her inward dive and ended up hurting her ear, neck, shoulder, wrist, and ankle. During her recovery, her stepmom Barb, a doctor, encouraged her to take things slow. She gradually worked back up to training and restarted therapy because of the twisties (a mental block in diving and gymnastics where the athlete loses their place in the air). She silently hopes her schoolwork won’t turn out the same.

Scarlett reports to the aquatic center for practice. She runs into Pen and Lukas arguing, interrupting to make sure Pen is okay.

Lukas assures Scarlett everything is okay and leaves. She’s surprised he knows her name but turns her attention to Pen. Victoria arrives, and the friends comfort Pen as she explains she and Lukas were fighting because she doesn’t know if she wants to be with him anymore; he’s into BDSM and she isn’t. Victoria insists she can’t break up with him because they’re perfect together. Intrigued and confused, Scarlett asks to meet Pen for coffee after practice.

Over coffee, Scarlett tells Pen that she’s also into BDSM and had similar relationship struggles before. She and her ex, Josh, weren’t into the same things but were able to communicate about their differences. She suggests that Pen and Lukas might find a balance, too. Surprised, Pen asks Scarlett more about her preferences. They share what they like in bed and why. Scarlett enjoys BDSM because it’s more controlled and defined. Pen is accepting but explains her fears of staying with Lukas. She ends the conversation abruptly, remembering she has study group.

Scarlett continues struggling in her classes over the following week. One day, she calls Barb to discuss her situation. Scarlett has relied on Barb since she was little. Her dad Alex was abusive, and Barb left him when she realized how his violence was affecting Scarlett. She’s been Scarlett’s only family ever since.

Scarlett attends a party at Coach Sima’s house, where she runs into Lukas. She’s again surprised that he remembers her. Pen pulls her away. She, Pen, and the other divers get drunk and chat. Pen confesses that she and Lukas broke up. When Lukas joins their group, Pen drunkenly suggests that he and Scarlett have sex.

Pen keeps insisting that Lukas and Scarlett would be perfect together. Lukas tries to escort her out of the party. Before they leave, Scarlett apologizes on Pen’s behalf.

During Scarlett’s session with Sam, Sam asks about Scarlett’s mental block. Scarlett admits it’s the first one she’s had.

Penelope texts Scarlett, apologizing for what happened and promising that she’s cleared things up with Lukas too.

Over the following weeks, Scarlett starts seeing Lukas everywhere around campus but tries to focus on classes, her PT exercises, diving practice, and therapy. Then one day, she gets locked out of the locker room where she left all her things. She texts Pen, who calls Lukas to come and open the door. (He has keys because he’s a captain.)

Lukas shows up to help a nervous Scarlett. Before opening the door, he mentions the “elephant in the room” (51)—alluding to their shared interest in BDSM. Scarlett relaxes and collects her things. While walking together afterward, Lukas reminds Scarlett they’ve met several times over the past two years. Scarlett doesn’t remember because she was injured and struggling with recovery and school. He notices her tense shoulder and helps her stretch it out. The conversation turns to Pen, whom they both know has started seeing someone new. Lukas insists it doesn’t bother him since they’re broken up. Scarlett still can’t make sense of the breakup because they seemed perfect together but she admits she’s single too. She hasn’t had sex or a relationship since she and Josh broke up two years ago. When Lukas offers to walk her home, she declines. Later that night, Lukas emails her suggesting they sleep together when Scarlett is ready.

Scarlett is worried when she gets a note from her biology professor Dr. Carlsen about seeing him after class. In his office, he reveals she did better than anyone on her paper and he wants her to help his colleague, Dr. Smith, with a research project. Scarlett feels shocked and thrilled.

During therapy, Sam asks Scarlett about the inward dive again, but she hesitates to explain why it’s challenging for her.

Scarlett and her teammates take their team photos. Afterward, she feels disoriented and distracted, still unsure if she’ll ever succeed at anything again. Pen interrupts her thoughts, inviting her to dinner. Flattered, Scarlett agrees to meet her the following night.

Scarlett reports to Dr. Smith’s office. She meets a graduate student on the project named Zach and discovers that Lukas is the other undergraduate assistant on the team.

After the meeting, Scarlett and Lukas chat about the project and their premed degrees and go out for dinner together.

Scarlett enjoys her dinner with Lukas until his swimming friends, Kyle and Hunter, join them. They’re surprised to see Lukas with someone other than Pen. (He and Pen have yet to publicly reveal their breakup.) Lukas notices Scarlett’s discomfort and sends his friends away. He then asks Scarlett more about herself, insisting that if they want the same things they have to trust each other. Scarlett agrees but waits to share her trauma.