Smash Point

Jordan stared at the glowing orange pill bottle on the kitchen counter. Vitamin D3 Enhanced — 5000 IU. His mom's latest obsession, right after the meditation app and the omega-3 phase. 'It'll help your energy, sweetie,' she'd said, like energy was something you could buy at Whole Foods.

He downed the vitamin with lukewarm tap water and grabbed his padel racket from the garage. Padel was the new thing at Northwood High. Suddenly everyone who'd never touched a racket in their lives was posting padel content, dropping slang like 'wash' and 'porras' like they'd been born on a Spanish court.

Jordan's plan was simple: Learn padel. Get good. Maybe finally get Maya to notice him at lunch instead of just being 'that quiet kid who sits by the window.'

His backyard court was pathetic — chipped paint on the walls, a net that sagged like it'd given up on life. But it was enough.

'You're gonna need more than that vitamin,' said Chloe, appearing at the fence between their yards. She was wearing athletic clothes that looked like she actually worked out, not like Jordan's stuff from last year's soccer phase that barely fit.

'I'm getting there.' Jordan swung the racket experimentally.

Chloe climbed over the fence like it was nothing. 'Let me see your serve.'

Twenty minutes later, Jordan was sweating through his shirt and his ego. Chloe was destroying him, calling out shots she'd learned from 'watching matches online' while Jordan tripped over his own feet.

'This is humiliating,' he groaned, retrieving a ball from under the patio chair.

'No, this is practice.' Chloe leaned against the fence, where Mr. Whiskers — Chloe's overweight orange tabby — was watching them with judgment in his yellow eyes. 'Even Mr. Whiskers had to learn how to cat. He didn't start out knowing how to be a jerk.'

The cat blinked slowly, like he knew exactly what she was saying.

'Maya invited me to play with her group this weekend,' Jordan admitted quietly. 'I panicked and said yes.'

Chloe's eyes widened. 'Seriously? That's huge!'

'I'm gonna embarrass myself.'

'Then we train.' Chloe checked her phone. 'I've got time. We can do this every day after school.'

'Why would you help me?'

Chloe shrugged. 'Because padel's actually fun once you stop overthinking it. And because maybe you can help me with AP Chem?'

Mr. Whiskers chose that moment to sneeze dramatically, like he approved of this alliance.

'Deal,' Jordan said, feeling something shift in his chest — not from the vitamin, but something real.

As Chloe set up another drill, Jordan realized his plan hadn't changed. He still wanted to learn padel, still wanted Maya to notice him. But maybe the crush thing wasn't the point anymore. Maybe the point was finding people who didn't make you feel like you needed to be someone else.

'Stop daydreaming and hit the ball!' Chloe called out.

Jordan grinned. This time, when he swung, the ball actually went where he aimed.