Papaya Summer Secrets

Maya's palms were literally sweating. Like, actual droplets. She wiped them on her denim shorts (sweat stains, so not the vibe) and stared at the padel court where Jake was already warming up with his stupid perfect backhand.

"You're playing?" Lena appeared beside her, chewing on a papaya slice like it was totally normal to eat exotic fruit at a pool party. "Against Jake? The guy who's basically padel royalty?"

"No," Maya lied, because admitting she'd been practicing her serve alone in her backyard for two weeks would be social suicide. "Just... watching."

"Mhm." Lena raised one perfectly waxed eyebrow. "That's why you brought your own racquet?"

Maya's face burned. She clutched the padel bag tighter, the handle digging into her palm. Jake waved from across the court, and her stomach did that thing where it felt like someone was tying it into knots.

"Hey!" he called, jogging over. His hair was damp from the pool, and he had that stupid cute smile that made everyone forget he was also kind of full of himself. "Wanna play? I promise not to crush you. Much."

"Maya's been practicing," Lena said, because she was the worst best friend in history.

Jake's eyes lit up. "For real? Let's see what you got."

They played. Maya actually got two good serves in before her brain short-circuited and she hit the ball directly into her own forehead. The silence that followed was the most humiliating moment of her life, and that included the time she'd thrown up in the middle school cafeteria.

Jake burst out laughing. Not mean laughing, but the kind where he doubled over, clutching his stomach. "That was... actually impressive?"

Maya wanted to dissolve. "I hate everything."

"No, seriously." He wiped his eyes, still grinning. "That takes talent. I've never seen anyone do that before." He stepped closer, suddenly not laughing anymore. "You're really good, though. Your serve is killer."

"You're just saying that."

"I'm not." His eyes were actually sincere. "Play again tomorrow? Same place?"

Lena appeared with another papaya slice, shoving it between them. "She'll be there. With actual sunscreen this time, since she's currently turning into a lobster."

Jake laughed, but he was still looking at Maya like she was someone worth noticing. "See you tomorrow, killer."

Maya touched her burning face—sunburn or embarrassment, she couldn't tell—and watched him walk away, the papaya sweetness lingering on her tongue like the beginning of something real.