Palm Court Panic

The palm trees swayed like they were mocking me. Seriously, even the landscape was judging my awkwardness.

"You coming?" Marcus called from the padel court, sweat already staining his tank top. His hair somehow looked better wet. How was that fair?

I stood frozen near the snack bar, clutching my overpriced bottle of water like it was a lifeline. This was supposed to be the summer I leveled up socially — the summer I stopped being the quiet friend who just watched from the sidelines. But watching Marcus and the popular kids laugh at inside jokes I didn't understand made my chest tight.

"I, uh..." I stuttered. My brain had officially left the chat.

"It's just padel, bro. Not rocket science." Marcus waved his racket, grinning. "Unless you're scared you'll embarrass yourself?"

The challenge. Classic move. He knew exactly which buttons to push.

I glanced at the group of girls by the pool — Chloe and her friends, the ones who somehow managed to make sitting in plastic lounge chairs look aesthetic. My stomach did that thing where it felt like I'd swallowed a swarm of nervous bees. This was it. The moment to prove I wasn't just the background character in everyone else's movie.

"I'm in," I said, surprised my voice didn't crack.

The court was hot. Like, actual face-melting hot. Marcus served, and I swung with way too much desperation, sending the ball flying into the perfectly manicured palm grove.

"Fore!" someone yelled, and everyone laughed. But not in a mean way. At least, I didn't think so.

"Your form's all wrong," Chloe said from behind me. When did she get there? "You're gripping the racket like it owes you money."

She stepped onto the court, adjusted my grip with hands that smelled like coconut sunscreen. "Relax. It's not that deep."

Her fingers brushed my palm. My face burned hotter than the court surface.

"Like this?" I managed, trying to sound chill and failing.

"Better." She smiled. "Wanna play mixed doubles? Marcus needs to be taken down a notch."

Maybe this summer wouldn't be so bad after all. Even if I was still terrible at padel.