Mechanical Bulls & Papaya Dreams

Maya couldn't believe she was actually doing this. The county fair. With Lucas. Who she'd been crushing on since seventh grade.

"You're not chickening out, right?" Lucas grinned, pointing at the mechanical bull that looked way more menacing than anything had a right to look.

"Please," Maya scoffed, though her hands were sweating. "I was literally raised on edge."

Her phone buzzed in her pocket — probably her best friend Sasha live-texting from across the fair. Maya had promised to keep her posted on Operation: Don't Be Awkward.

The guy running the bull ride, who couldn't be older than twenty and definitely worked here for the free rides, raised his eyebrows. "First timer?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"The way you're gripping your phone like a lifeline gave it away." He chuckled. "Hand it over. You don't want to lose it mid-buck."

Maya reluctantly surrendered her iPhone, watching Lucas place his on the table next to hers. Their screens glowed with notifications — Sasha had sent approximately forty-seven texts.

"Together or separate?" the ride operator asked.

Maya's stomach did that thing it did whenever she and Lucas accidentally made eye contact in math class. "Together?"

"Separate," Lucas said quickly. Too quickly.

Oh. Okay. Cool.

The ride was surprisingly fun — Maya lasted 2.4 seconds longer than Lucas, which she'd definitely be bringing up later. They ended up at the food court afterward, sharing a plate of papaya that Lucas claimed was "basically exotic" even though they both knew he'd never tried it before.

"It's... interesting," Maya said, trying not to laugh at the expression on his face.

"It tastes like summer vacation feels," Lucas decided, and wow, since when was he poetic?

Her phone buzzed again. Sasha: WELL??

Maya typed back: WE ATE PAPAYA AND IT WAS WEIRDLY ROMANTIC?

"Who's that?" Lucas nodded at her phone.

"Just Sasha. Being... Sasha."

"Tell her I said hi," Lucas said, and then he did that thing where he looked at Maya like she was the only person at the fair who mattered.

"Hey," he said. "You want to go again? On the bull?"

Maya looked at her phone, at the papaya, at Lucas who was smiling like he meant it.

"Definitely," she said. "But I'm beating your time again."