Crush Court at Sunset

Leo adjusted his borrowed padel racket, the grip slick with nervous sweat. Summer camp at the rec center had seemed like a good idea three weeks ago, but that was before he realized Maya would be here every afternoon, practicing her backhand with scary intensity.

"You're staring again," Jamal whispered, bumping Leo's shoulder with a grin. "Smooth, bro. Real smooth."

Leo's face burned. He wasn't spying on Maya exactly. Just... strategically observing. From a distance. Through the fence. Totally normal behavior.

The bull of the camp, Trevor, strutted past with his crew, all Oakley confidence and cologne. Trevor's phone dangled from a charging cable like some digital umbilical cord, because apparently being unplugged for ten minutes would kill him.

"Watch this," Trevor announced, bouncing a ball off his racket. "Maya! Bet I can beat you cross-court!"

Maya glanced over, unimpressed. "Maybe if your ego didn't count as a second player."

Jamal nearly choked trying to suppress a laugh. Trevor's expression darkened like someone had spit in his Gatorade.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Trevor stepped closer, and the courtyard suddenly felt very small. Leo's stomach did that familiar twist — the one that said *run* or *apologize for existing* or *both*.

"Just saying." Maya adjusted her ponytail, completely unbothered. "Confidence isn't the same as competence."

Trevor's crew snickered. Someone's phone chimed. The tension stretched thin and electric, like before summer thunder.

Then Leo's backpack zipper failed. His childhood teddy bear — the one he'd packed secretly because homesickness was real and thirteen-year-olds weren't supposed to need comfort objects — tumbled out onto the court.

Silence.

Maya's eyes lit up. "Is that Mr. Whiskers?"

Leo wanted to dissolve into molecular vapor. "I... it's for my little sister. She forgot it."

"Cool." Maya picked up the bear, carefully dusting off its paw. "My little brother has one just like this. Calls him Captain Cuddles."

Trevor snorted. "Wow, Leo. That's —"

"Actually pretty brave," Maya interrupted, shooting Trevor a look that could curdle milk. "Honesty's hot."

She handed Leo back the bear, their fingers brushing for maybe half a second. His stomach did a different kind of twist.

"You wanna play mixed doubles?" she asked. "Trevor can referee. Since he's obviously not playing today."

Trevor opened his mouth, closed it. Even he couldn't fight that momentum.

Leo's palms still sweated, his racket still felt foreign, but as Maya winked at him, he thought maybe — just maybe — he wouldn't mind being exactly who he was for once.