Padel Court Secrets

Maya gripped her **iphone** so tight her knuckles turned white, the screen glowing against the dark sky. Rain threatened, but Coach Ruiz insisted on one last **padel** match before the tournament tomorrow.

"You're overthinking it, Maya," called Lucas, her mixed doubles partner, flashing that annoyingly perfect smile. "Just hit the ball."

Easy for him to say. Lucas moved like the game was choreographed, while Maya was constantly checking her phone for *that* text. The one that never came.

A crack of **lightning** split the sky, closer than comfortable. Coach blew the whistle. "Everyone inside, NOW!"

But Maya's pocket buzzed. Not a text. A notification from an unknown number: "I know what you did last summer."

Her stomach dropped. Someone was **spy**-ing on her? But what had she even done last summer besides obsess over her crush on Liam and take way too many **vitamin** D supplements because her mom said she was deficient?

"Maya, you coming?" Lucas called from the court entrance.

"Yeah!" she yelled, but something made her drift toward the equipment shed instead. The door was cracked open. Inside, she found Liam—her Liam—huddled over a phone. HER phone. The one she'd lost last week.

"What are you—"

Liam jumped. "Maya! I was just... I found this after practice and was going to return it, but then I saw your notes app and—"

Her face burned. Her notes were basically her diary. Every embarrassing thought about Lucas, every insecure moment, every **vitamin**-induced health kick rant.

"You were reading them?"

"No! Well, yes, but—"

"And that text?"

"Okay, that was me being weird. I wanted to get your attention, and your notes said you liked mystery stuff, so I thought..." Liam trailed off. "I'm an idiot."

Maya stared at him. This was the guy she'd spent months crushing on? The guy she'd played her best **padel** games trying to impress? Standing in a shed, admitting he'd catfished her to get attention?

But then her eyes landed on the final note he'd been reading: "I wish someone would just notice me for real."

Another **lightning** strike flashed, illuminating everything.

"You're an idiot," Maya agreed, "but maybe we both are."

She grabbed her phone back and walked toward the gym, but stopped. "Tomorrow's tournament. You're watching, right?"

Liam grinned. "Wouldn't miss it."

Some secrets were worth keeping. Others were meant to be shared.