Ace at the Padel Court

Maya's dad dropped her off at the country club parking lot wearing his lucky Phillies hat, backward like he thought that made him cool.

"You got this, Mays," he said, revving the engine of his beat-up Honda. "Fake it 'til you make it."

She watched him drive off, the hat already feeling too tight. This was her third week at the club's summer padel camp, and she was still low-key terrible. The other girls were all decked out in matching skirts and actual court shoes, while Maya showed up in sneakers from Target and a nervous smile that made her look like she was about to throw up.

The problem wasn't just that she sucked at padel. The problem was Liam.

Liam with the perfect forehand and the jawline that could cut glass. Liam who'd said "nice try" when she faceplanted last week, which she'd been thinking about literally every night since. This was pathetic, honestly. She was fifteen, not twelve.

Today, the coach announced they'd be playing mixed doubles. Maya's stomach did that thing where it felt like it was trying to escape through her throat.

"Maya, you're with Liam."

Oh, hell no.

They took their positions on the court. The hat kept slipping down over her eyes. Why did she let her dad talk her into wearing this? She looked ridiculous. Liam was probably mentally rating her outfit from 1 to 10. Spoiler: it was a zero.

Their opponents served — a ball coming at Maya fast and high. She scrambled to return it, her racket making contact with a pathetic *thwud*. The ball sailed into the fence.

"My bad," she mumbled, face burning.

"You're good," Liam said. "Just loosen up."

They played another point. Maya actually got her racket on the ball this time, sending it back over the net. But then she caught sight of her reflection in the club window — and froze.

She had spinach in her teeth. From lunch. Probably from that spinach artichoke dip her mom made her eat before she left.

Why. Just. Why.

It was right there, bright green in her front teeth, mocking her entire existence. No wonder Liam kept looking at her like that. He wasn't checking her out. He was mentally screaming about how there was actual vegetation stuck in her teeth.

She couldn't play anymore. She couldn't breathe.

"I need a second," Maya choked out, dropping her racket and sprinting for the bathroom. The hat fell off on the court and she left it there. Whatever. She was never showing her face here again anyway.

She scrubbed her teeth until they hurt, checking the mirror three times. No spinach. Never again would she eat anything green before noon. Her phone buzzed.

Liam: hey you forgot your hat

Liam: also my friend wanted to know if you're coming to the end-of-summer party next week?

Maya stared at her screen. He was inviting her to a party? After she'd humiliated herself? Was this a joke?

Maya: lol I left on purpose. that hat is cursed

Maya: and um maybe? if i'm still allowed back at the club lol

Liam: definitely. you're actually getting good at this

Maya scrolled up, smiling for real now. Maybe the padel skills weren't completely nonexistent. Maybe the hat wasn't so bad. And definitely, definitely, she was never eating spinach again before talking to a boy she liked.

Fake it 'til you make it? Yeah. She could work with that.