Courtside Crush

Chloe's sandals made that awkward slap-slap sound against the concrete as she approached the padel court. Her heart did that stupid flutter thing whenever she saw Jake—like a trapped bird panicking against her ribs.

"You coming?" Marcus yelled from inside the court, already sweating through his tank top. The popular kids. The ones whose parents owned actual houses in this gated community instead of rentals like hers.

Chloe's mom had dropped her off with zero warning this morning. "Your father and I need space," she'd said, handing Chloe a fifty-dollar bill and directions to her aunt's place. Which happened to be three doors down from the club's private pool.

The water shimmered beyond the court's glass wall—blue and perfect and completely empty because it was members-only before noon. Aunt Sarah had hooked her up with a guest pass, but Chloe still felt like she was crashing a party she hadn't been invited to.

"Chloe! You playing or what?" Jake flashed that smile that made her brain turn to static.

She stepped onto the court, her borrowed racquet feeling like a weapon she didn't know how to use. The ball came flying at her face and she swung—and missed spectacularly, tripping over her own feet.

The group laughed. But not mean-laughed. Like, actually laughed.

"First time?" Jake asked, holding out a hand to help her up.

"Is it that obvious?" Her face burned hotter than the summer sun.

"Everyone starts somewhere." He pulled her up, his grip warm and steady. "I fell on my face three times my first week."

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Mom again, probably with another update about the implosion of their marriage. Chloe silenced it. For the first time all morning, the crushing weight in her chest felt lighter. Like she could actually breathe.

"Show me the basics?" she asked Jake.

"Best bear hug I've given all summer," he teased, demonstrating some kind of ridiculous celebratory move.

And just like that, Chloe wasn't the new girl anymore. She was just Chloe, trying not to embarrass herself at padel while figuring out how to survive the summer. The water still glimmered beyond the glass, but for the first time, it didn't feel so out of reach.