Papara Ya Later, Zombie

I was pretty much operating on autopilot that week—finals will do that to you. Three days in, I'd fully embraced my inner zombie: shuffle to school, zone through classes, shuffle home. My best friend Mia kept texting, but I barely had the brain cells to respond, let alone hang out.

"You alive?" she asked at lunch on Thursday.

"Barely," I mumbled, staring at my tray like it held the secrets of the universe.

"Jayden posted that story about trying papaya for the first time," she said casually. "Did you see it?"

My zombie brain perked up. Jayden. The one person who could make me feel not dead inside. I'd been low-key stalking their socials all semester, which felt creepy but also... not creepy enough to stop?

"You're totally spying on their story too," Mia called me out immediately. "I saw your face."

"I'm not SPYING," I protested, probably too loudly. "I'm just... aware of their content."

"Same thing, bestie." She rolled her eyes. "So did you respond?"

"No? Why would I?"

"Um, because they literally mentioned trying papaya? That's your thing."

I stared at her blankly. "Since when is papaya my thing?"

Mia looked at me like I'd grown a second head. "Since your mom made you buy one last month and you wouldn't shut up about how expensive and unnecessary it was? You went on a whole rant about how it's basically a melon trying too hard."

Right. That rant. The one I'd definitely posted on my story, which Jayden had definitely seen.

"I'm not saying you have to slide into their DMs," Mia continued, "but you could literally just reply to the story. 'Papaya is overrated' or whatever. Start a conversation."

I felt my zombie heart actually beat a little faster. The idea was terrifying.

"What if they think I'm weird?"

"You ARE weird," Mia said with zero hesitation. "That's literally why we're friends. Also, newsflash: they're following you back. They already think you're interesting enough to keep up with."

I unlocked my phone. My thumb hovered over Jayden's story reply box. My zombie self wanted to chicken out, but something inside me was done with being asleep at the wheel of my own life.

"Papaya really is just drama melon," I typed, and hit send before I could overthink it.

Two minutes later, my phone buzzed. Jayden had replied: "OMG yes finally someone gets it"

Mia screamed at the table. People stared. I didn't even care.

"You're welcome," she said, looking way too pleased with herself. "Now will you please come to my house this weekend? My parents bought another papaya. We can document your reaction for your story."

"You want me to come over just to react to fruit on camera?"

"I want my friend back," she said simply. "The one who has actual opinions and does stuff. Also I miss you."

Something in my chest warmed up. The zombie thawed out a little more.

"Fine," I said. "But only if you promise never to use the word 'spying' again."

"No promises. Now tell me literally everything about the papaya drama with Jayden."

For the first time all week, I didn't feel dead inside. Being a teenager is exhausting, sure, but moments like this? Those are the ones that make it worth staying awake for.