Papaya Summer

Maya's hair had a mind of its own, and today it was definitely not cooperating. The humidity made her curls puff up like she'd stuck her finger in an electrical socket, which was exactly what she didn't need when Jason—the cute varsity baseball player—was literally five feet away from her at this beach party.

"Yo Maya, you gonna try this or what?" Her best friend Dani shoved a slice of papaya in her face. "It's literally fire, trust."

Maya wrinkled her nose. The orange-fleshed fruit looked suspicious. "I don't know, looks like what would happen if a mango and a melon had a weird baby."

"Just try it! Jason's watching," Dani whispered, not so subtly.

Maya's palms started sweating. Great. Now she was going to be the girl who choked on exotic fruit in front of her crush. She took the tiniest bite possible—and actually, it was kind of amazing. Sweet and tropical, like actual sunshine in her mouth.

"Okay, that's actually valid," Maya admitted, reaching for another slice.

Jason ambled over, baseball cap backwards and that easy grin that made her stomach do backflips. "Hey, you trying the papaya? Fresh from my aunt's tree."

"It's surprisingly good," Maya said, then immediately wanted to die. Surprisingly good? Who says that?

"Yeah?" He leaned against the palm tree behind them, all casual confidence. "You play?" He pointed at the baseball mitt sticking out of her bag.

"Used to," Maya said. "Haven't played since... I don't know, middle school maybe."

"We need a pitcher for our pickup games on Tuesdays," Jason said. "You should come. Bring that curveball I bet you still got."

Maya felt something shift inside her. For months, she'd been the quiet new girl with the frizzy hair who sat in the back of class. But Jason saw something else—a ballplayer. Someone worth noticing.

"Yeah," Maya said, a genuine smile spreading across her face. "Yeah, I think I will."

The wind picked up, whipping her hair everywhere, but for the first time all summer, Maya didn't care. She was too busy feeling like she might actually belong here.