Papaya Summer

Maya's first summer job at Tropical Smoothie Heaven was supposed to be chill—just blend fruit, collect paycheck, repeat. But naturally, her anxiety had other plans.

"You're doing it again," Chloe whispered, leaning against the counter while Maya arranged the fake palm fronds for the third time. "Your palm is literally shaking against that cup."

Maya glared at her best friend/coworker. "The regional manager is coming. Everything needs to be aesthetic."

"Bro, it's a smoothie shop, not the Met Gala." Chloe checked her phone. "Also, that guy from your English class is literally walking in right now."

Maya's stomach did that awful flip thing. Ethan. The Ethan who sat behind her and drew anime characters in his notebook and smelled like sandalwood and bad decisions.

"What do I do?"

"Take his order like a normal person?" Chloe suggested unhelpfully.

Ethan approached the counter, all messy hair and worn converse. "Hey Maya, right?"

"Yeah! Hi!" Her voice came out an octave too high. Cool. Very chill.

"Can I get something with papaya?" He rubbed the back of his neck. "Never tried it before but feeling adventurous today."

Maya's brain short-circuited. Papaya. The forbidden fruit. The one her manager described as "acquired taste" and "returns citywide if blended wrong."

"Sure! Papaya. Coming right up." She turned to grab ingredients, her palm sweating against the cup.

Behind her, Chloe was vibrating with suppressed laughter.

Maya dumped papaya chunks, mango, and coconut water into the blender. She could feel Ethan watching. Was her apron crooked? Did she have smoothie on her face? Why did she agree to wear a Hawaiian shirt to work?

The blender roared to life, drowning out her spiraling thoughts. She poured the sunset-colored mixture into a cup, garnished it with a pineapple wedge (very aesthetic), and turned back around.

"One Tropical Papaya Blast."

Ethan took a sip. Maya held her breath.

"Whoa." His eyes widened. "This is actually fire?"

"Thanks!" She probably sounded too enthusiastic again. "It's the... secret recipe."

"Definitely ordering this again." He smiled, and Maya's heart did this embarrassing little flutter thing. "See you in English?"

"Yeah! See ya!"

As Ethan walked out, bell chiming, Maya exhaled. "I think I just forgot how to speak English for a full minute."

"You survived." Chloe slid her phone across the counter. "And he followed you on Instagram."

Maya peeked at the screen. A new follower notification. E_thompson_art.

"Oh my god."

"Papaya 1, Anxiety 0." Chloe high-fived her. "This summer's gonna be interesting."