Goldfish Confessions

The sweat on my palms had nothing to do with the heat and everything to do with Maya standing three feet away, laughing at something Tyler said.

I'd been a spy for two weeks now—watching her crew dominate the padel courts every Friday while I "stretched" behind the fence with tragic desperation. My goldfish, Nacho, was the only one who knew the full extent of my humiliation. I spent way too much time explaining my feelings to a fish who mostly cared about flakes and swimming in circles.

"Bro, just go over there," Kira said, appearing beside me like she'd materialized from my embarrassment. "You're not being mysterious. You're being a living representation of the 👁️👄👁️ emoji."

"I'm observing their technique," I lied. "Strategic analysis."

"Strategic cringe." She checked her phone. "They need a fourth for mixed doubles. Tyler's bailing to go to his cousin's quinceañera. This is literally the universe handing you a plot device."

Before I could protest, Kira was marching toward their group, dragging me by my backpack strap. The universe, apparently, had no respect for my nervous system.

"Maya!" Kira called. "Marcus plays. He's actually lowkey fire." She glared at me. "Show them."

I stepped onto the court, palms practically leaking adrenaline. Maya tossed me a racquet, her smile doing something complicated to my chest.

"Don't choke, Espinosa," she said, but it wasn't mean. It was challenging.

"I don't choke," I replied, channeling Nacho's indifferent energy. "I adapt."

The first ten minutes were a disaster. I shanked everything. Maya's friend Amir kept yelling "BRICK" whenever I missed. But then—something clicked. A serve from Maya came fast and sharp, and without thinking, I pivoted and smashed it back. The ball kissed the corner of the service box, perfectly unreturnable.

The court went silent.

"Okay, okay, I see you!" Maya grinned, and something in her face shifted. "Where'd you learn that shot?"

"YouTube," I said, which was true. "And my sister's ex-boyfriend was kinda a padel head before they—" I stopped. "Never mind."

"No, say more," she said, stepping closer. Her eyes had actual gold flecks in them. I noticed for the first time.

"Honestly?" I smiled, feeling weirdly steady. "It's a long story. But it starts with me buying you a boba after we destroy Amir and Kira."

Maya considered this, tilting her head like she was solving for X in an equation I'd finally made interesting.

"Deal," she said. "But you're paying for yourself too, Espinosa. Don't think I didn't see you lurking behind that fence for weeks."

She winked.

Kira howled. Amir made a noise like a dying teapot. But I just smiled back, palms finally dry, thinking Nacho was absolutely going to hear about this.