"Zhang Li, what are you doing in the men's locker room at 2 AM?" Cao Yu's voice made me freeze. His towel hung dangerously low on his hips, water droplets still running down his abs.
I clutched my phone tighter, trying to look anywhere but at his chest. "I... I was following my client's cat!"
"A cat?" He raised an eyebrow, scanning the empty locker room. "In a gym? At 2 AM?"
"Yes! Mr. Whiskers likes to work out late!" I blurted out, backing away slowly. My back hit a locker, making a loud clang.
"Mr. Whiskers?" Cao Yu stepped closer, his cologne mixing with the steam from his shower. "The same Mr. Whiskers who supposedly ate your client progress reports last week?"
"He's a very active cat!" I squeaked, desperately looking for an escape route.
"Zhang Li," he leaned in, placing one hand on the locker behind me, "want to know what I think?"
I could feel his breath on my neck. "What?"
"I think you were trying to steal my secret protein shake recipe."
I gasped in mock offense. "Me? Never! I have my own super-secret recipe!"
"Oh really?" His lips twitched. "The one that turned James's hair green last month?"
"That was a temporary side effect!" I protested. "The package clearly said 'experimental tropical flavor'!"
Just then, the locker room door swung open. "Yo, Cao Yu, have you seen my..." Big James, our resident bodybuilder, stopped mid-sentence. His eyes widened at the sight of us.
"This isn't what it looks like!" I waved my hands frantically.
"Really?" James grinned. "Because it looks like you're finally making a move on our star trainer."
"I was chasing a cat!"
"The same cat that ate my workout playlist?" James crossed his massive arms.
"Mr. Whiskers has diverse musical tastes!" I defended my imaginary feline friend.
Cao Yu suddenly grabbed my phone. "Let's see what you were really doing..."
"No!" I lunged for it, but he held it above his head.
"'How to steal competitor's training secrets'," he read aloud. "Followed by 'Best protein shake recipes to steal'."
My face burned redder than my client's post-leg-day complexion. "I was doing market research!"
"By sneaking into the men's locker room?" James laughed.
"The wifi is better here!" I blurted out.
"The wifi?" Cao Yu's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Not because I keep my recipe book in my locker?"
"You have a recipe book?" I perked up, then quickly added, "Not that I care..."
The door swung open again. This time, it was Sarah, my most dramatic client. "Oh my god, Zhang Li! I just saw your Instagram story!"
"What Instagram story?" I frowned. "I haven't posted anything..."
Sarah held up her phone. There, in glorious HD, was a live stream of me in the men's locker room, courtesy of my accidentally activated Instagram app.
"Two thousand viewers!" Sarah squealed. "They're all asking if you and Cao Yu are dating!"
I looked at my phone in Cao Yu's hand, still broadcasting live. The comments were flooding in:
"OMG HOTTEST COUPLE!"
"That towel is holding on for dear life!"
"GET IT GIRL!"
"I can explain!" I reached for my phone again, but slipped on the wet floor. Cao Yu caught me, his towel choosing that exact moment to give up its brave fight against gravity.
Sarah screamed. James whistled. The Instagram live stream hit ten thousand viewers.
And that's how I became known as the Locker Room Lurker at Elite Fitness Center.
But my embarrassment was far from over. The next morning, I walked into the gym to find all the TV screens playing my locker room adventure on loop. At the front desk, our manager Linda was waving a contract.
"Congratulations!" She beamed. "Corporate loves the viral marketing! They want you and Cao Yu to do a couples' workout series!"
Behind her, Cao Yu was demonstrating squats to a client, a smirk playing on his lips as he caught my eye.
"First session starts in an hour," he called out. "Don't be late... unless you're chasing Mr. Whiskers again!"
I groaned, already plotting my revenge. Maybe it was time to "accidentally" activate the sprinklers during his next shirtless yoga class...
The sprinklers went off exactly at 3 PM, right in the middle of Cao Yu's hot yoga class. Perfect timing.
"My hair!" A client screamed.
"My makeup!" Another shrieked.
"My abs!" Cao Yu shouted, water dripping down his torso.
I peeked through the studio window, trying to suppress my laughter. The entire class looked like wet cats at a pool party.
"Zhang Li!" Cao Yu's voice boomed. "I know you're behind this!"
I ducked, but my neon pink shoelaces betrayed my position.
"Get in here!" He commanded.
I straightened up, putting on my most innocent face. "Oh my! What happened here?"
"Don't play dumb," he walked towards me, his wet yoga pants leaving puddles on the floor. "Only you would know about the sprinkler timing system."
"Me?" I batted my eyelashes. "I'm just a simple trainer who can barely operate the smoothie blender!"
"The same trainer who 'accidentally' ordered fifty cases of protein powder to my personal address?"
"The website was confusing!"
James appeared in the doorway, his massive frame blocking the exit. "Yo, Zhang Li, your revenge backfired. The wet yoga video is trending!"
"What?" I grabbed his phone.
There it was: #WetYogaChallenge trending on Twitter. The video showed Cao Yu, water cascading down his muscles, demonstrating a perfect warrior pose.
"Check the comments," James grinned.
"'Hottest yoga class ever!' 'Where do I sign up?' 'That trainer could teach me downward dog any day!'" I read aloud, my plan crumbling like a protein cookie.
"Corporate called," Linda rushed in, waving her tablet. "They want to launch a new class series: Waterfall Yoga with Cao Yu!"
"And guess who's going to be my assistant instructor?" Cao Yu smirked.
"No..." My eyes widened.
"Yes," he leaned closer, water dripping from his hair onto my face. "Hope you brought your swimsuit, partner."
"But I can't even touch my toes!"
"Don't worry," his smile turned wicked. "I'm an excellent hands-on instructor."
The next day, I arrived at the gym wearing my most professional swimsuit - a neon orange one-piece with 'TRAINER' bedazzled across the back.
"What are you wearing?" Sarah gasped.
"My aqua-fitness uniform!" I struck a pose.
"It looks like a traffic cone had a baby with a disco ball," James commented.
"At least I'm visible in case of drowning!"
Cao Yu walked in, wearing black swim shorts that should be illegal in at least forty states. "Ready for our first session?"
"I was born ready!" I lied through my teeth.
The studio filled with eager participants, mostly women who mysteriously developed an interest in yoga after yesterday's viral video.
"Today," Cao Yu announced, "we'll demonstrate partner poses."
"Partner?" I squeaked.
"Zhang Li, come here," he beckoned. "Let's show them the flying whale pose."
"The what now?"
Before I could protest, he had his hands on my waist, lifting me into the air. I flailed like a startled flamingo.
"Relax," he whispered, his breath tickling my ear.
"I am relaxed!" I hissed, my arms windmilling. "This is my relaxed face!"
"Now, transition to dolphin dive," he instructed.
"I don't speak marine mammal!"
The class watched in horror as I transformed from flying whale to falling penguin, taking Cao Yu down with me. We splashed into the shallow pool, creating a mini tsunami.
"Perfect demonstration of what not to do," Cao Yu emerged, pushing his wet hair back.
"I meant to do that," I sputtered. "It's called... innovative aqua yoga!"
Just then, the studio door burst open. A woman in designer workout gear strutted in, her platinum blonde hair bouncing with each step.
"Am I interrupting something?" She smiled like a shark circling prey.
"Victoria?" Cao Yu's eyes widened.
"The one and only," she purred. "I heard Elite Fitness was making waves... literally."
I scrambled to my feet, water dripping from my traffic cone swimsuit. "And you are?"
"Victoria Chase, owner of Luxe Fitness Empire," she extended a manicured hand. "I'm here to offer Cao Yu a position as our head trainer. Double his current salary, plus... other benefits."
The pool water suddenly felt colder.
"We could use someone with your... assets," she eyed Cao Yu appreciatively.
"I'm happy here," he replied.
"Are you?" She raised an eyebrow. "Teaching remedial yoga with Nemo here?"
"Hey!" I protested. "I'm more of a Dory, thank you very much!"
"Think about it," Victoria handed him a business card. "Luxe Fitness is where you belong. Not in this... kiddie pool."
As she sashayed out, her designer heels clicking on the wet floor, I felt something sink in my stomach. And it wasn't just pool water.
"Well," James broke the silence, "that was intense."
"Please," I scoffed, wringing water from my suit. "She's just another gym shark in designer compression pants."
But when I looked at Cao Yu, he was staring at Victoria's business card with an unreadable expression.
"Time for backflips!" I announced desperately. "Who wants to see me attempt a triple somersault?"
"No!" The entire class shouted.
Too late. I was already in motion, creating another mini tsunami. This time, I managed to flood the sound system, causing it to blast "Baby Shark" on repeat.
"Do do do do do do," James sang along.
"This is why we can't have nice things," Cao Yu sighed, but I caught the smile tugging at his lips.
As the class evacuated to the rhythm of "Baby Shark," Linda appeared with more news.
"Corporate loved the chaos!" She clapped. "They want to launch a water aerobics battle show: 'Splash Wars: Trainer Edition'!"
"With who?" I asked, dreading the answer.
"Luxe Fitness has already accepted the challenge," she beamed. "You and Cao Yu versus Victoria and her team!"
I looked at my reflection in the pool water - bedazzled swimsuit, chlorine-green hair, and all.
"Bring it on," I declared, right before slipping on a pool noodle and face-planting into the water.
Cao Yu helped me up, his hand lingering on my waist. "You know," he whispered, "Victoria's offer means nothing."
"Really?" I tried to sound nonchalant while spitting out pool water.
"Really," he smiled. "Besides, who else would flood my yoga class and turn it into an underwater disco?"
"So you're staying?"
"On one condition," his eyes sparkled mischievously.
"What's that?"
"You have to wear this swimsuit for all our battles."
"Deal!" I grinned, then realized what I'd agreed to. "Wait, no!"
But it was too late. Linda was already ordering matching swimsuits for the entire staff.
"They'll have 'Elite Fitness Warriors' rhinestoned on the back!" She announced excitedly.
James flexed in anticipation. "Do they come in extra extra extra large?"
As everyone discussed swimsuit colors and rhinestone placement, I noticed Victoria watching through the studio window, her shark-like smile promising trouble.
The water aerobics battle was about to get very, very interesting.
"Welcome to Camp Splash!" James stood before us in a rhinestone-covered camouflage swimsuit. "This is where warriors are made!"
"This is the YMCA pool," I pointed out.
"Shh!" He waved his pool noodle scepter. "This is our secret training facility!"
Our team huddled on the pool deck, all wearing matching bedazzled swimsuits. Mine still said 'TRAINER' across the back, now with added glitter that left a sparkly trail wherever I went.
"First exercise," James announced, "underwater synchronized swimming!"
"I can barely swim regular style!" I protested.
"That's why you're paired with Cao Yu," James winked.
"I don't need..." I turned to argue but lost my words. Cao Yu had just emerged from the changing room in our team swimsuit. The rhinestones spelled 'ELITE' across his chest, each letter twinkling like a disco ball.
"Like what you see?" He smirked.
"I'm admiring the craftsmanship," I sniffed. "The rhinestones are very... symmetrical."
"Sure," Sarah giggled. "The rhinestones."
"Into the pool!" James blew his whistle, which shot glitter instead of making sound. "Today we learn the Mermaid Massacre routine!"
"The what?" The team asked in unison.
"It's like regular synchronized swimming," James demonstrated with elaborate hand gestures, "but with more jazz hands and aggressive hip thrusts."
"I quit," Linda announced.
"Too late!" James blocked the exit. "I've already ordered our team jackets. They say 'Splash Warriors' in holographic vinyl."
I stepped into the pool, immediately slipping on the first step. Cao Yu caught me, his hands steady on my waist.
"Careful," he whispered. "We can't have our secret weapon injured."
"Secret weapon?" I scoffed. "I'm more like a secret liability."
"Trust me," he winked. "I've seen you dance at the gym's Christmas party."
"That was one time! And the eggnog was surprisingly strong!"
"Five, six, seven, eight!" James started the music - a remix of "Under the Sea" with heavy bass. "Everyone, follow my lead!"
What followed was pure chaos. Sarah got tangled in her pool noodle. Linda's rhinestones started falling off, creating an underwater glitter storm. James attempted a backflip and belly-flopped spectacularly.
"Now for the partner lift!" James announced. "Cao Yu, show them how it's done!"
Before I could protest, Cao Yu's hands were on my waist again. "Ready?"
"No!"
He lifted me anyway. For a brief moment, I was airborne, striking what I hoped was a graceful pose but probably looked more like a startled starfish.
"Now spin!" James commanded.
"Spin?" I squeaked.
Cao Yu started turning, still holding me above the water. That's when we discovered my rhinestones weren't just decorative - they were reflective. The pool area turned into a disco inferno, blinding everyone.
"My eyes!" Sarah screamed.
"It's like a aquatic laser show!" Linda shielded her face.
"Perfect!" James clapped. "Victoria won't know what hit her!"
Speaking of Victoria, a slow clap echoed through the pool area. She stood at the entrance, wearing a designer swimsuit that probably cost more than my monthly rent.
"How adorable," she purred. "Playing with glitter in the kiddie pool."
"This is a professional training session!" I declared, still suspended in Cao Yu's arms.
"Really?" She raised an eyebrow. "Then you won't mind if I share this?"
She held up her phone, showing a video of our entire practice. My starfish pose was featured prominently.
"You were recording?" Linda gasped.
"Oh honey," Victoria smiled. "I'm live streaming."
I looked at the view count: 50,000 and climbing.
"The comments are quite entertaining," Victoria scrolled through her phone. "'Is this a swimming class or a circus?' 'That blonde one moves like a drunk penguin!'"
"Hey!" I protested. "I'm more of a tipsy dolphin!"
Cao Yu finally lowered me back into the water. "Victoria, this is private property."
"Not anymore," she smirked. "I just bought the YMCA."
"What?" We all shouted.
"That's right. This facility now belongs to Luxe Fitness. And you're all trespassing."
"You can't do this!" James hugged his glitter whistle protectively.
"I already did," she waved a document. "You have one hour to clear out. Oh, and Cao Yu?" She paused at the door. "That offer still stands. We have a much better pool... and better partners."
As she left, her designer heels clicking on the wet tiles, I felt Cao Yu tense beside me.
"Now what?" Sarah asked, still untangling herself from the pool noodle.
"We train somewhere else," Cao Yu said firmly.
"Where?" Linda gestured at her rhinestone-shedding swimsuit. "We're not exactly welcome at regular pools!"
"I might know a place," I said slowly. "But you're not going to like it."
"Try me," Cao Yu challenged.
"My neighbor has a rooftop kiddie pool..."
"Perfect!" James interrupted. "The smaller the pool, the more intimate the practice!"
"It's shaped like a turtle," I added.
"Even better!" James was already packing his glitter whistle. "We'll call it Operation Turtle Power!"
As we gathered our sparkly belongings, I noticed Cao Yu looking at his phone.
"Victoria's offer?" I tried to sound casual.
"No," he showed me the screen. "The video comments. They're calling us 'The Sparkle Squad' and demanding more content."
"Really?" I peered at his phone. The hashtag #SparkleSquad was trending.
"Apparently," he scrolled through comments, "our 'unique approach to aquatic exercise' is going viral."
"Unique is one word for it," I watched as James attempted to stuff his rhinestone camouflage suit into a tiny gym bag.
"Corporate's calling!" Linda announced. "They want us to... oh no."
"What?" We all gathered around her.
"They want us to compete against Luxe Fitness in their new pool... on live television."
"Television?" I felt faint.
"National television," Linda clarified. "This Sunday."
"But that's in three days!" Sarah finally freed herself from the pool noodle.
"Three days to perfect our routine in a turtle-shaped kiddie pool," I summarized. "While being filmed for national TV."
"Don't forget the rhinestone situation," James added, picking glitter out of his belly button.
"At least it can't get worse," Linda sighed.
Just then, my phone pinged. It was an email from the TV network:
"Dear Sparkle Squad,
To add excitement to Sunday's competition, we've invited special guest judge: Olympic swimming champion Michael Phillips!"
"I take it back," Linda groaned. "It got worse."
"To the turtle pool!" James raised his glitter whistle triumphantly.
As we trudged out of the YMCA, leaving a trail of rhinestones in our wake, I caught Cao Yu staring at Victoria's business card again.
"Hey," I nudged him. "You're not actually considering..."
"Never," he smiled, ripping the card in half. "I'm Team Turtle all the way."
"Even with the rhinestones?"
"Especially with the rhinestones," he picked a glitter piece off my nose. "They bring out your eyes."
"That's chlorine irritation," I corrected.
"Team meeting at Zhang Li's turtle pool in one hour!" James announced. "Bring snacks and waterproof mascara!"
As we left, the janitor stared at our glitter trail. "Not again," he muttered. "First the Christmas party eggnog incident, now this..."
I pretended not to hear him. We had bigger problems - like fitting five adults into a turtle-shaped kiddie pool while performing underwater jazz hands.
The competition just got a lot more interesting... and a lot more cramped.
"The neighbors called the police again," I announced, climbing onto my rooftop where the team was crammed into my turtle pool.
"What did they say this time?" James asked, attempting a pirouette in six inches of water.
"They reported 'suspicious adults doing interpretive dance in a children's pool while covered in glitter.'"
"That's... actually accurate," Sarah admitted, adjusting her rhinestone swim cap.
"Also," I checked my phone, "Mrs. Johnson from 3B thinks we're running an illegal disco cult."
"Disco cult?" Cao Yu raised an eyebrow. "The rhinestones aren't that bad."
Just then, Linda executed a spin move, sending sparkles everywhere. The entire rooftop lit up like Times Square.
"Okay, maybe they are that bad," Cao Yu conceded.
"Focus!" James blew his glitter whistle. "We have thirty-six hours until the competition. Let's run through the routine again!"
We all squeezed into the turtle pool. Its smiling face seemed to mock our attempts at synchronized swimming in what was essentially a large puddle.
"Five, six, seven, eight!" James started the music on his waterproof speaker.
I attempted my part of the routine, immediately elbowing Sarah in the face.
"Sorry!" I called out, then backed into Cao Yu's chest.
"If you wanted to get closer, you could just ask," he whispered.
"I'm practicing my moves!" I protested, face turning red.
"Your moves or your moves?" Linda wiggled her eyebrows.
"The dance moves!" I splashed her, causing a mini tsunami in our tiny pool.
"Hey!" A voice called from below. "Is this the pool party?"
We all froze. A group of six-year-olds in party hats stood at the rooftop entrance, led by a confused parent.
"Tommy's birthday pool party?" The parent checked her invitation. "Rooftop pool?"
"This is not..." I started.
"POOL PARTY!" The kids screamed, charging toward our turtle sanctuary.
"Abort mission!" James yelled. "Save the rhinestones!"
Too late. A wave of excited children crashed into our pool, creating chaos. Water splashed everywhere, rhinestones flew like shooting stars, and James's waterproof speaker started playing "Baby Shark" on repeat.
"My choreography!" James clutched his glitter whistle.
"My pool!" I watched as the turtle's smile stretched under the weight of too many occupants.
"My abs!" Cao Yu got hit by a pool noodle wielded by an enthusiastic six-year-old.
"Cannonball!" A kid screamed, launching himself into our already overcrowded space.
CRACK!
The sound made everyone freeze. We looked down. A hairline fracture appeared in the turtle's shell.
"Nobody move," Cao Yu commanded.
"Is this part of the party entertainment?" The parent asked hopefully.
"Yes!" I blurted out. "We're... the Sparkle Squad! Professional pool party entertainers!"
"The ones from the viral video?" Her eyes widened.
"The very same," James recovered quickly. "Kids, who wants to learn our signature move - the Mermaid Massacre?"
"ME!" The children screamed in unison.
For the next hour, we taught water aerobics to sugar-hyped six-year-olds while trying to prevent our pool from completely collapsing.
"Jazz hands!" James instructed. "More sparkle! More passion!"
"This is actually good practice," Linda noted as we performed our routine. "If we can do it with chaos..."
"Speaking of chaos," Sarah pointed at the rooftop entrance.
Michael Phillips, Olympic champion and our future judge, stood there with a camera crew.
"We heard there was a pool party," he grinned. "Mind if we film some behind-the-scenes content?"
"Behind the scenes of what?" I whispered to Cao Yu. "Our descent into madness?"
"Just smile and sparkle," he whispered back.
The camera crew circled our turtle pool as we performed with the kids. The crack in the shell grew longer.
"This is amazing!" Michael laughed. "The intimacy of the space, the community involvement, the... is that pool about to break?"
CRACK!
Water started leaking from the turtle's smile.
"Everyone out!" I commanded.
The evacuation looked like a glitter tornado hit a water park. Kids slipped on rhinestones, parents grabbed party favors, and our team tried to save our equipment.
The turtle pool gave one final groan before splitting in half, sending a wave of water across my rooftop.
"And cut!" The camera director called. "This is gold!"
"Our practice pool!" James mourned.
"Our routine!" Linda picked up scattered rhinestones.
"My security deposit!" I stared at the water flooding my rooftop.
"Actually," Michael approached us, "this might work in your favor. The network loves the underdog story - elite gym versus rooftop warriors. The turtle pool just adds character!"
"Character?" I squeaked.
"Plus," he added, "those kids had better rhythm than most Olympic teams I've seen."
"Does this mean..." Sarah started.
"Yep," Michael grinned. "The network wants the kids in your performance."
"What?" We all shouted.
"Think about it - the Sparkle Squad featuring the Turtle Pool Kids. It's television gold!"
"But the competition is tomorrow!" James protested.
"And we don't have a pool!" I added.
"Leave that to me," Michael winked. "Just keep the rhinestones and the chaos. Oh, and maybe get those kids some matching swimsuits?"
As the camera crew packed up and the party moved downstairs, we stood around our broken turtle pool.
"Well," Cao Yu picked up a rhinestone, "at least Victoria can't sabotage our practice pool anymore."
"Because we did that ourselves," I sighed.
"Team meeting at my place!" James announced. "We need to choreograph a routine for twenty people in twelve hours!"
"With kids hopped up on birthday cake," Linda added.
"And no pool," Sarah reminded.
"And rhinestones," I picked one out of my hair. "So many rhinestones."
My phone pinged. It was an email from the network:
"Competition update: Due to popular demand, the event has been moved to Madison Square Garden. Expected audience: 20,000+"
"Oh, and one more thing," Michael called from the stairs. "Victoria just announced her team is partnering with a professional circus troupe!"
I looked at our team - soaking wet, covered in glitter, surrounded by broken pool pieces and scattered party favors.
"We're doomed," I groaned.
"No," Cao Yu grabbed my hand. "We're viral."
"Same thing!" I threw my hands up, accidentally hitting the rooftop sprinkler system.
Water rained down, making our rhinestones sparkle even brighter.
"The neighbors are going to love this," I watched as more glitter washed onto the streets below.
"DISCO CULT!" Mrs. Johnson yelled from her window.
Tomorrow was going to be interesting... if we survived the night.
Madison Square Garden had never seen anything like this. Twenty thousand people watched as Victoria's circus troupe performed perfect backflips in a Olympic-sized pool.
"They have actual dolphins," I whispered from backstage. "We have six-year-olds hopped up on energy drinks."
"Correction," James adjusted his rhinestone-covered swim cap, "we have sugar-powered chaos machines in sparkly swimsuits."
Our team huddled behind the curtain, watching Victoria's spectacular show. Her performers flew through the air on water jets, creating perfect formations.
"And now," the announcer boomed, "Team Luxe's grand finale - the Triple Twisting Water Dragon!"
"We're doing the Broken Turtle Shuffle," I reminded everyone. "With kids who think 'synchronized' means 'everyone screams at once.'"
"Speaking of kids," Linda looked around, "where are they?"
"SURPRISE ATTACK!" A battle cry rang out.
Twenty small figures in matching turtle-shaped swimsuits burst from behind props, armed with pool noodles and water guns.
"My circus!" Victoria screamed as her perfect formation dissolved into chaos.
The dolphins fled. The water jets went haywire. The circus performers scrambled to avoid being hit by foam torpedoes.
"Those are our chaos machines!" James wiped away a proud tear.
"Get them!" Victoria commanded her team.
Too late. The kids had already implemented their "super secret special move" - a combination of cannonballs and uncontrolled splashing.
"That's our cue!" James pushed us forward. "Sparkle Squad, assemble!"
We ran out as "Baby Shark" blasted through the speakers - not our planned music, but somehow perfect.
"Jazz hands!" I yelled, slipping on the wet stage and sliding right into the pool.
The audience roared. They thought it was intentional.
"Follow her lead!" James commanded.
Our entire team belly-flopped into the pool, creating a tidal wave that sent Victoria's remaining circus performers surfing toward the audience.
"Formation Turkey Turtle!" James called out.
"That's not a real formation!" I spluttered.
"It is now!"
The kids surrounded us, creating a chaotic whirlpool of splashing and sparkles. Our rhinestones caught the spotlight, turning the pool into a giant disco ball.
"My eyes!" Michael Phillips shielded his face from the glitter storm.
"More sparkle!" Mrs. Johnson's voice rang out. She stood in the front row, wearing a homemade "Disco Cult Forever" t-shirt.
"When did she..." I started to ask.
"Less talking, more chaos!" James interrupted.
Victoria attempted to salvage her show, sending in her backup dancers. They dove gracefully into the pool... and straight into our rhinestone reflection barrier.
"It's like a sparkly force field!" Sarah laughed.
The audience was losing their minds. What they saw was either the worst or best water show in history - no one could tell which.
"Time for the grand finale!" James announced.
"We have a finale?" I looked at Cao Yu in panic.
He grabbed my hand. "Trust me."
Before I could protest, he lifted me onto his shoulders. The kids formed a circle around us, creating a mini whirlpool.
"Now!" James commanded.
Every child unleashed their water guns at once, creating a water fountain effect. The stage lights hit our rhinestones, sending rainbow reflections across the entire arena.
"It's beautiful!" Someone in the audience sobbed.
"It's ridiculous!" Victoria shrieked.
"It's both!" Michael Phillips stood up, clapping.
The crowd went wild. Even Victoria's team had stopped trying to fight it, instead joining our chaotic water ballet.
"If you can't beat them, join them?" Victoria's lead performer shrugged, doing the chicken dance in perfect sync with our kids.
Victoria stood at the pool's edge, watching her perfect show dissolve into a pool party.
"Oh, what the hell," she threw off her designer heels and jumped in, rhinestones from her swimsuit adding to our light show.
The judges huddled together, then Michael Phillips took the microphone:
"In my twenty years of competitive swimming, I've never seen anything like this. It wasn't synchronized swimming... it was synchronized chaos. And it was perfect. The winners are... EVERYONE!"
"Everyone?" Victoria surfaced next to me.
"Can they do that?" I asked.
"They just did!" James hugged his glitter whistle.
"And," Michael continued, "the network has ordered a new show - 'Splash Squad: When Fitness Gets Wet' - starring both teams!"
Victoria looked at me. I looked at her. We both burst out laughing.
"Does this mean I can keep the rhinestone swimsuit?" She asked.
"Only if you join our disco cult," I grinned.
"Deal," she high-fived me, sending sparkles everywhere.
Cao Yu pulled me close. "So, about that private training session we never finished..."
"The one where I broke into the men's locker room?"
"I was thinking more about the one where you flooded my yoga class."
"I have a better idea," I smiled, then pushed him underwater.
He emerged laughing, pulling me down with him. Underwater, surrounded by swirling rhinestones and chaos, he kissed me.
We surfaced to wolf whistles and applause.
"About time!" James shouted.
"My ship has sailed!" Mrs. Johnson threw rhinestones from the audience.
"Group hug!" The kids charged at us.
The resulting splash soaked the first three rows of the audience, but no one cared. They were too busy joining in the world's largest synchronized pool party.
"By the way," Linda swam up to us, "the network wants us to tour."
"Tour?" I squeaked.
"Worldwide," she grinned. "They're calling it 'Splash Squad: Global Chaos.'"
"With all of us?" Victoria asked.
"Every sparkly one of us," Linda confirmed. "Even Mrs. Johnson."
"DISCO CULT WORLD DOMINATION!" Mrs. Johnson shouted from her seat.
And that's how our disaster became a worldwide sensation. Victoria's circus performers taught our kids acrobatics. The kids taught the circus performers how to cause maximum chaos with minimum effort. James created a line of glitter whistles. Mrs. Johnson became our unofficial mascot.
As for me and Cao Yu? We still teach at Elite Fitness. But now our couples' workout class includes mandatory sparkles and occasional water fights.
"Ready for today's class?" He asked, holding up a rhinestone-covered water gun.
"Born ready," I grinned, already soaking wet from "accidentally" turning on the sprinklers.
Some things never change. They just get sparklier.