Break Point

The sun beat down on the outdoor padel court, heat waves rippling off the blue artificial turf. My palms were sweating through my grip, and not just because it was ninety degrees out.

"You got this, Maya!" Jason called from the other side of the net, flashing that perfect smile that made everyone at Northwood High think he was practically a saint. "Just like we practiced."

Right. Like we'd actually practiced. More like he'd talked at me for twenty minutes about his upcoming Instagram collab while I hit balls against the wall by myself.

I'd been running from the truth about our friendship for months now—ever since he'd ditched me at lunch to sit with the cool kids, then claimed he "didn't see me" despite us literally making eye contact. But the worst part? I'd let him get away with it. Because being Jason's friend, even a fake one, was better than being nobody.

The padel tournament was his idea, obviously. Something about "building his personal brand" for his sports influencer dreams. I was just the prop, the loyal bestie who made him look like a genuine team player.

His serve came at me hard. I backpedaled,racquet raised, and somehow—miraculously—sent the ball rocketing back. The glass walls vibrated with the impact. Jason's eyes went wide.

"Whoa, since when do you actually play?"

"Since always," I said, surprised by my own voice. "You just never asked."

Something shifted in that moment. The ball bounced between us, forgotten.

A group of girls from our grade walked past the courts, checking us out. Jason immediately switched on his charm, but something else took over. I stopped running from what I'd known for too long.

"You know what?" I called across the net. "I'm done being your background character." I picked up my bag. "Find someone else to make you look authentic."

Jason's jaw actually dropped.

Walking away from the court, away from him, I felt lighter than I had in months. My phone buzzed with a text from Zoe, the quiet girl from my English class who'd asked me to sit with her yesterday.

"Hey, want to hang out after school?"

I grinned, typing back my response as I walked toward my first real friend in who knew how long. Some games aren't worth playing.