Electric Dead Summer

Maya felt like a zombie that Friday night. Three AP classes, swim practice, and her parents' passive-aggressive dinner conversations will do that to a person. But Chloe, her best friend since seventh grade, refused to let her rot on the couch watching Netflix.

"We're going to Leo's house," Chloe announced, already dressed like she was about to walk a runway instead of crashing a gaming session. "His parents got that weird exotic fruit box from his aunt's farm share. We're trying everything."

Maya's stomach did a little flip. Leo. The guy she'd been lowkey crushing on since homecoming, when they'd slow-danced to a song that was definitely too slow, and he'd made some awkward joke about his sweaty palms. She'd laughed. He'd relaxed. They hadn't really talked since.

"I don't even like papaya," Maya lied, mostly to sound less eager than she actually was.

"You've never had papaya, Maya. Don't be dramatic."

Leo's basement was exactly what every suburban basement should be: worn couches, a TV taking up half the wall, posters of bands half the group pretended to know. Lightning flashed through the small window, making everything glow purple-white for a second. A summer storm was rolling in.

"Oh good, you're here," Leo said, and Maya's pulse quickened. He held up a piece of bright orange fruit. "Behold, the papaya. It tastes like... I don't know, cantaloupe's weird cousin?"

Maya took it. His fingers brushed hers. Lightning flashed again—crack this time, closer.

They sat on the floor while the storm intensified outside, eating papaya and mango and something called dragon fruit that stained everyone's fingers pink. Someone put on a zombie movie, but no one was really watching. They were talking about graduation, about college, about how everything was about to change.

"I feel like I'm sleepwalking through everything lately," Leo admitted, picking at the carpet. "Like, grades, college apps, whatever. Just going through the motions."

"Zombie mode," Maya said softly. "I get that."

He looked at her then, really looked at her, as lightning lit up the whole room. "But not right now, right?"

She shook her head. "Not right now."

And for the first time in months, Maya didn't feel like she was waiting for something to happen. Something already was.