Papaya Sunburn Summer

Chloe stood behind the concession stand at Lakeside Pool, praying her hyperhidrosis would take a day off. Just once. The summer air smelled like chlorine and coconut sunscreen, while popular kids draped over pool chairs like human jewelry. She adjusted her visor, willing herself invisible.

"What's in the fruit cup?" asked Lucas, the incoming junior who'd somehow made varsity lacrosse as a sophomore. He smiled, and Chloe's stomach did that annoying flutter thing.

"Uh, it's a papaya and mango blend," she said, her voice cracking mid-sentence. Smooth. "My mom's obsessed with papaya. Says it's basically a multivitamin in fruit form."

"Wait, you actually like that stuff?" Lucas leaned against the counter, and Chloe caught the faint scent of cedar deodorant. "My mom makes me take these horse pill vitamins every morning. I literally have to choke them down with chocolate milk."

"The struggle is real," Chloe said, immediately regretting her Gen-ness.

But Lucas laughed. "No but actually, I'd rather drink papaya juice than take another vitamin. That stuff's nast—"

"LUCAS!" Madison's voice cut through their conversation like a notification you can't swipe away. She materialized beside him in a bikini that cost more than Chloe's entire wardrobe. "We're doing TikToks in the shallow end. You coming?"

Chloe's heart sank. This was the natural order. Madison was main character energy; Chloe was background NPC.

"Actually," Lucas said, scratching the back of his neck, "I was gonna get that papaya cup. Support local business and all."

Madison rolled her eyes so hard Chloe almost felt the breeze. "Whatever. Your loss."

As she stalked away, Lucas exhaled. "She's... a lot."

"She seems nice," Chloe lied, because that's what you do when you're seventeen and don't know your place.

"Nah, she's just loud." Lucas handed her a five-dollar bill. "So, same time tomorrow?"

Chloe's face heated up, and not from the sun. "If you can handle the papaya energy."

"Born ready." He grabbed the fruit cup and flashed a grin that made her forget about her sweaty palms entirely.

Tomorrow, she decided. Tomorrow she wouldn't wish for invisibility. Maybe she'd even wear sunscreen without her mom reminding her. Baby steps.