Papaya Moon Mission

Maya crouched behind the **palm** tree, her heart doing gymnastics. This was it. Operation Crush Reconnaissance, Phase Two. Her golden retriever, Buster, sat beside her, looking entirely too pleased with himself for a **dog** who was supposed to be covert.

"Shh," she whispered, but Buster just thumped his tail against the sand.

Fifty yards away, Kai and his friends sat around a beach bonfire. Maya had spent three weeks perfecting the art of casual accidental encounters, and tonight was supposed to be her masterpiece. She'd even worn her favorite vintage tee and spent twenty minutes on her eyeliner.

Then she'd seen it—Kai laughing with Sophia, the new girl. Laughing like, actually laughing, head thrown back, everything.

Now she was crouched behind a **palm** tree like a certified creep, **spy** mission gone wrong, while her dog acted like this was exactly where he wanted to be.

"This is pathetic," Maya muttered.

Buster licked her knee.

Suddenly, Kai stood up and started walking toward the **palm** tree. Maya's brain short-circuited. Should she run? Pretend she was just, like, casually existing behind this tree?

Her feet decided for her. She took off **running**, Buster barking happily beside her like they were playing the best game ever. Sand kicked up behind her, the ocean breeze in her ears, embarrassment burning her cheeks.

She didn't stop until she reached the boardwalk, chest heaving, leaning against the railing while Buster panted at her feet.

"Nice form," said a voice.

Maya jumped. It was Kai, holding something out to her. A sliced **papaya**, from the beach vendor.

"Buster stole this earlier," he said, grinning. "Thought you might want it back."

Maya stared at him, then at her dog, who looked extremely proud of himself.

"You were **running** pretty fast," Kai added. "Everything good?"

"Everything's good," Maya said, and somehow, it wasn't a lie. "Just... needed to stretch my legs."

"Cool." Kai nodded at the **papaya**. "Want to share? I can't finish it alone."

Buster sat between them, clearly expecting his cut. Maya smiled, maybe for the first time all night.

"Only if Buster gets some," she said.

"Deal."