Scarlett finishes a first draft of her med school personal statement and immediately trashes it after Maryam eviscerates its artificial tone. Frustrated and insecure, Scarlett considers asking Lukas for help but decides against it.

At the pool complex during Pool Wars, Coach Sima delays diving practice while swimmers race. Pen happily makes space for Scarlett and reassures her that Rachel’s frostiness is habitual, not about Scarlett. Pen also explains she and Lukas are keeping their breakup private because of gossip and Lukas’s intense privacy, recalling how he deflected personal questions even as a teen.

Lukas wins his race with little fanfare. During post-race bustle, Pen hugs him while Lukas watches Scarlett, then men’s head coach Urso arrives, praising his splits. Urso notices writing on Lukas’s hand and, despite Lukas’s deflection, declares it their new lucky routine. Scarlett realizes it is the convolutional neural network she drew earlier; Pen kisses Lukas’s jaw goodbye and Scarlett and Pen head to dryland.

During dryland, Scarlett texts Lukas to confirm the hand drawing. Their banter turns playful as he admits someone used indelible marker and jokes that he needs her around for big meets, effectively making her part of his ritual. Scarlett challenges his superstition but concedes she has her own, recalling a bad dive after her shammy was stolen.

A sudden scream interrupts practice. Scarlett runs over to find Victoria on the floor with an ankle bent at an unnatural angle, bringing the session to an alarming halt.