Before a preseason dual meet against UT, Coach Sima keeps Scarlett and Pen out of synchro, which secretly relieves them both. Scarlett is anxious—this is her first competition since the crash and her inward-dive block persists. In the locker room, Pen reassures her, and they head out past team posters, including an unsmiling Lukas.

On deck, the swimmers warm up and teammates banter about Lukas trying the 200 free. Scarlett greets Sunny, a UT recruit she trained with in St. Louis, then tapes up while recalling a text from Lukas apologizing. When Scarlett asks Pen about Lukas and mentions meeting his brother Jan, their confusion is interrupted as Pen spots her teacher, Theo, in the stands, giddy at his unexpected arrival.

Scarlett’s first dive, a reverse two-and-a-half tuck, is excellent and earns high scores, even drawing praise from a UT coach. Subsequent rounds—forward three-and-a-half, twists, armstand, and backward—go smoothly. After five rounds, Scarlett sits second, two points behind Pen and well ahead of a UT sophomore. Pen pulls Scarlett aside, insisting she can handle the inward pike and urging a positive mindset.

Climbing the tower, Scarlett visualizes life beyond the block: normal practices, pride, and feeling whole again. She notes her teammates and coaches cheering, and spots Lukas watching from across the pool. With the time warning called, she commits to the attempt and launches.

Her body flows into a clean pike, and for a heartbeat relief blooms—until she surfaces to Pen’s frown and realizes she never turned inward. The dive itself is good, but the goal is missed. Scarlett’s competitive return is strong, yet the inward barrier remains.