Fox in the Aisle

Maya's summer job at Trader Joe's was supposed to be "aesthetic Instagram content," but mostly it was just her in a hideous Hawaiian apron, restocking **papaya** chunks at 7 AM while her friends posted beach photos she'd definitely get FOMO from later.

Then Fox started working in the bakery section.

Fox, whose real name was apparently Marcus but everyone called him because of his red hair and how he could charm Ms. Peterson, the manager who hated everyone. Fox with the tooth gap that did something to Maya's stomach that had nothing to do with the questionable **vitamin** waters she chugged for energy.

"You gonna eat that expired mango tart?" Fox asked, leaning against her stack of organic potato chips. His hair was messier than usual, like he'd been running his hands through it. Again.

"Expired?" Maya raised an eyebrow. "Bold of you to assume I won't report you."

"Bold of you to assume I haven't already eaten three."

That was their thing. Banter that felt like **lightning** crackling between her fingertips, the kind of tension that made her hours sorting through bruised peaches feel like something out of a coming-of-age movie.

The summer was ending in three weeks. College applications were looming. Her friends were obsessed with SAT prep and their "aesthetic" study schedules, while Maya was falling for a boy who made expired pastries sound romantic and knew exactly which papaya was worth buying.

"So," Fox said on her second-to-last day, sliding a container across the break room table. "Made you something."

Inside: a weird-looking smoothie. **Papaya** (obviously), some green stuff, what looked like actual dirt.

"It's not poisoned," he promised. "My mom's secret hangover cure. Though I guess you'd call it a 'morning-after-Earth-Science-regret' cure for you."

Maya took a sip. Surprisingly delicious. "What's in it?"

"Secret." He grinned, and there was that **lightning** feeling again, electric and impossible to ignore. "But seriously, Maya—"

"My last day is Saturday."

"I know. I was gonna say... college applications are stupid, but also, I found this **vitamin** supplement that's supposed to help with focus—"

"Fox."

"—and I thought maybe we could study together sometime? If you're not too busy being mysterious and intriguing in the produce section?"

Maya smiled into her weird smoothie. Summer wasn't over yet.