Citrus Dreams and Baseball Diamonds

Maya's first week of sophomore year was serving anxiety worse than her mom's chalky **vitamin** C tablets that tasted like crushed aspirin. She'd spent the entire summer overthinking everything — her hair, her nonexistent style game, the fact that she was practically invisible in a school of 2,400 kids who all seemed to have their lives figured out while she was still trying to decide if **orange** was really her color or just something she'd settled on because the shirt was on sale.

"Earth to Maya," Sarah said, snapping her fingers. "You're zoning again. That's literally the third time since lunch."

They were sitting on the bleachers near the **baseball** diamond, watching JV tryouts like half the school did when the weather was decent. Maya's stomach did that annoying flippy thing whenever Tyler Chen walked by, which was ridiculous because Tyler was a junior and had zero clue she existed.

"I'm not zoning," Maya lied, adjusting her oversized **hat** to hide her face. "I'm... observing. For journalistic purposes."

"You don't even write for the paper anymore." Sarah deadpanned. "Just admit you're simmering over Tyler again."

"I am NOT simmering. Simmering is what eighth graders do. I'm... appreciating from a distance. There's a difference."

Her phone buzzed. Her mom, reminding her about the family dinner tonight. Great. Another evening of her aunt asking why she didn't have a boyfriend yet while her cousins talked about their college applications like they were applying for hostage positions.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Sarah stood up and stretched. "I'm gonna hit the vending machine. You want anything?"

Maya shook her head, watching Tyler adjust his cap as he stepped up to bat. He hit a line drive into center field and someone shouted "YESSS" way too loudly. That's when it happened — a cat, someone's missing pet probably, darted across the field right as Tyler was rounding second base. He didn't see it.

Without thinking, Maya vaulted over the bleacher railing and sprinted onto the field, scooping up the confused **cat** a split second before Tyler would've tripped over it. Time literally stopped. Everyone was staring. Tyler skidded to a stop like three feet from her.

"Uh," he said. "Thanks?"

"Yeah," Maya said, her brain completely empty. "No problem. Just... doing my part for campus wildlife."

She walked back to the bleachers holding the cat like it was a normal thing people did, Sarah losing it beside her. Tyler watched her go. For once, Maya wasn't invisible.

"Okay," Sarah wheezed between laughs. "I take back everything. That was legendary."

Maya couldn't help it. She grinned. Maybe sophomore year wouldn't be so terrible after all.