Goldfish in the Palm Court

Maya's palms were sweating so much she could practically water plants with them. Standing outside the community rec center, clutching her dad's old **padel** racket like a lifeline, she rehearsed what she'd say if anyone asked why she'd shown up alone.

"Just here to... check out the court?"

Lame. So incredibly lame.

Inside, the air smelled like floor wax and teenager desperation. Maya spotted him immediately—Tyler, leaning against the wall like he owned the place, laughing at something Jenna said. Her stomach did that awful little flip it always did when he was near, like a **goldfish** trapped in a too-small bowl, swimming frantically in circles.

"Hey, you coming?" Tyler called, and suddenly Maya was moving forward, her feet somehow knowing what to do even when her brain didn't.

The first serve sailed wild, clanking against the fence. Someone giggled—maybe Jenna, maybe just the echo chamber of Maya's own insecurity. But Tyler just grinned. "Try it again. Put some **vitamin D** energy into it."

Maya blinked. "What?"

"You know, sunshine power." He gestured vaguely at the skylights. "My mom's always talking about how we're all deficient."

The weirdest thing was, it worked. Maya's second serve arced perfect and true, a clean shot that had Tyler raising his eyebrows.

"Okay then, Tiger Woods," he said.

After practice, they sat on the edge of the **palm**-tree planter out front, nursing lukewarm Gatorades from the vending machine. Tyler was explaining how padel was like tennis but cooler, more chill, less pressure—and Maya was actually listening, until Jenna appeared in the doorway with that look.

That sphinx-like expression that said: *I know something you don't.*

"Tyler, your sister's here," Jenna said, and just like that, the moment dissolved. But as Maya walked home alone in the golden afternoon light, her racket bumping rhythmically against her leg, she realized something important:

Her palms weren't sweating anymore.

And tomorrow, she'd come back.

The goldfish in her chest had finally learned to swim straight.