Poolside Papaya Apocalypse

The Fourth of July pool party at Emily's house was supposed to be legendary. Everyone who was anyone would be there, including Tyler, who I'd been crushing on since seventh grade health class when we had to practice CPR on those creepy dummies together.

I spent three hours that morning straightening my hair, which naturally frizzed the moment I stepped outside. The cable company had disconnected our TV that morning, so I couldn't even distract myself with binge-watching zombie movies like I usually did when I was nervous.

"You okay?" Maya asked, handing me a drink. "You look like you've seen a zombie."

"I'm fine," I lied, taking a sip of whatever punch she'd given me. "Just... tired."

I hadn't slept properly in days. Finals had destroyed me, and I'd been swimming in anxiety all summer about what I was going to do after graduation. College applications. SAT scores. The future looming like a storm cloud.

Tyler was in the pool, splashing around with his friends, laughing at something stupid. I stood by the edge, clutching my red plastic cup like it was a life preserver.

Then I saw it. On the snack table, next to the chips and salsa, someone had brought a papaya. A whole papaya, sliced open like some exotic alien artifact. Who brings a papaya to a pool party?

"Weird, right?" Tyler suddenly appeared beside me, dripping wet. "My mom's obsessed with them. Says they're superfoods or something."

"Yeah, weird," I managed, my heart doing that fluttery thing it always did around him.

"You want to try some?" he asked, picking up a piece. "I dare you."

"I'm not falling for that."

"Come on, live a little. Unless you're scared of papaya now too?"

"I'm not scared of anything."

"Then prove it."

So I ate the papaya. It was sweet and musky and weird, nothing like I expected. Tyler laughed, and for the first time all summer, I didn't feel like a zombie going through the motions. I felt alive.

"See?" he said. "Not so bad."

"No," I admitted. "Not bad at all."

We spent the rest of the afternoon avoiding the pool, eating papaya, and talking about everything and nothing. The cable could stay disconnected. The zombie apocalypse could wait. This summer might not be so bad after all.