Papaya on the Menu

The first day of sophomore year, I walked into Central High feeling like a straight-up **zombie**. Thanks to my 3 AM spiral about whether high school would actually matter in twenty years, my brain was running on zero percent battery. My hair looked like it had been through a natural disaster, and I was wearing my lucky orange hoodie—the only good decision I'd made all morning.

Then I locked eyes with him: Tyler, aka "**The Bull**." Six-foot-two, varsity jacket, sitting at his designated throne in the cafeteria like he owned the entire school district. Last year, he'd made my cousin's life miserable for sport. I did what any rational person would do—I immediately pivoted toward the lunch line to avoid eye contact.

Bad move. The lunch lady, Ms. Rodriguez, was feeling generous that day.

"You look like you need some sunshine, mijo," she announced, plopping something neon yellow and alien-looking onto my tray. "Fresh **papaya**! Good for your brain!"

Every head turned. Because apparently in suburban Michigan, papaya was as rare as a chill TikTok comment section. Tyler's crew started cracking up. Someone snorted, "What is that, a radioactive egg?"

I could feel my face burning hotter than that hoodie. But then this girl with electric blue streaks in her hair appeared beside me. "That's papaya, genius," she called out, deadpan. "It's a tropical fruit. Try it sometime, expand your worldview beyond pizza."

The table went dead silent. Tyler scowled. Blue Streaks turned to me, winked, and whispered, "I'm Riley, by the way. That thing actually slaps if you're brave enough to try it."

So I took a bite. And okay—maybe it was the adrenaline of making a total fool out of myself on day one, but that weird neon fruit tasted like freedom. Like being the new kid didn't have to mean hiding in the background, shrinking away from every shadow, waiting to become someone worth noticing.

"Actually kind of fire," I said, loud enough for the whole cafeteria to hear.

Riley grinned. Tyler's face went full **orange** with annoyance. And just like that, the zombie woke up.