Orange Cat at Padel Practice

Maya's sneakers squeaked against the court as she sprinted backward, racquet extended. She missed the ball entirely.

"Yo, you good?" Liam asked, grinning.

"Yeah, just... warming up," Maya lied, wiping sweat from her forehead.

Padel was supposed to be her thing. That's what she'd told Sofia and the others when they'd all bonded over tennis tryouts last week. But the truth? Maya had never picked up a racquet until Tuesday night, watching YouTube tutorials until 3 AM, desperate to fit in.

Behind the chain-link fence, the orange cat appeared. It was the same stray from behind the cafeteria - the one Maya had secretly shared her lunch with since the first week of school. The cat sat, watching through the fence like it knew.

"Nice form," came a voice from the sidelines.

Maya turned to see Sofia leaning against the fence, the orange cat now rubbing against her ankles.

"I saw you feeding him yesterday," Sofia said. "After school, behind the dumpsters."

Maya's stomach dropped. She'd been running from so much this year - from her old school's rumors, from her parents' divorce fallout, from the pressure to reinvent herself here. Now her secret was out.

"His name's Mango," Sofia continued. "I've been feeding him since September."

Maya blinked. "You too?"

"Club's full, apparently." Sofia smiled. "Hey, for what it's worth? Your backhand was better than mine first month."

Later, at the water fountain, Maya gulped down cool water, Sofia beside her.

"I don't actually play," Maya admitted quietly. "I just... wanted to belong."

"We figured," Sofia said. "But you showed up. That's what matters."

The orange cat appeared again, weaving between their legs. Sofia nudged Maya. "Tomorrow? Same time. I'll teach you my terrible serve."

Maya smiled. For the first time since moving here, she wasn't running anymore.