Salt Water and Second Chances

The basketball court baked in the Florida sun as Lucas adjusted his Padres cap, already missing the familiar crack of a **baseball** bat hitting leather. Three weeks into summer and his dad had already signed him up for **padel** lessons, insisting it was "the sport of the future"—whatever that meant when you were fifteen and your entire social life had just relocated across the country.

"Your serve, Lucas," called Maya from the opposite side of the court, her dark hair somehow staying perfect despite the humidity. She was the kind of effortlessly cool girl who'd already assigned him a nickname ("Rookie") and seemed genuinely amused by his constant failures to keep the ball inside the glass walls.

Lucas wiped his sweaty **palm** against his shorts, grateful his cousin Leo wasn't there to witness this latest embarrassment. Back in San Diego, Lucas had been the starting pitcher. Here, he couldn't even manage a proper serve without the ball ricocheting off his own racket frame.

"After this," Maya said, catching his expression, "we're hitting my pool. My mom's obsessed with these new vitamin D supplements, but I'm pretty sure actual sunshine works better. Plus, you need to work on your **swimming** form if you're gonna survive next week's beach bash."

Lucas perked up. "Beach bash?"

"Every summer. Bonfire, music, the whole deal." She sent a perfect shot sailing past his outstretched racket. "Assuming you survive my training first."

The ball thudded softly against the scorching court. Lucas watched Maya tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, already calculating how he could possibly show up to some party knowing zero people and even less about surfing.

"My **vitamin** gummies," he blurted out randomly, "they're supposed to help with energy."

Maya paused, racket mid-swing, and grinned. "Rookie, you're overthinking it. Just show up. Worst case, you meet someone who sucks even more at water sports than you do."

Something in her easy smile made Lucas think maybe—just maybe—Florida wouldn't be so terrible after all.