Smoothie Disaster Summer

Maya stood in the kitchen, staring at the ingredients spread across the counter like evidence of a crime. The papaya sat there, all innocent-orange flesh, while the spinach mocked her from its bowl.

"You're really doing this?" Leo leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, that signature smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. "Green smoothies? Really?"

"Shut up, Leo." Maya rolled her eyes, but her cheeks burned. "It's for Tyler's party. He's all into that whole wellness vibe now."

"Right." Leo's voice dropped an octave. "Because we both know this has everything to do with wellness and nothing to do with the fact that Tyler is actually gonna notice you exist for once."

Maya's heart did that stupid flippy thing it always did when someone mentioned Tyler's name. "Whatever. Just help me or get lost."

The kitchen descended into chaos. Maya dumped way too much spinach into the blender — seriously, who puts spinach in a fruit smoothie? — while Leo made gagging noises that were definitely NOT helpful.

"Okay, papaya time," Maya announced, hacking at the fruit with way more aggression than necessary. "This is gonna save it. This is gonna make it... actually edible."

"RIP to everyone at that party," Leo said.

Then it happened. Mittens, their cat who'd been silently judging them from the windowsill, chose that exact moment to launch herself across the counter. In slow motion, Maya watched as the cat knocked the open papaya container sideways, sending sticky orange pulp flying everywhere. Including directly onto Leo's favorite band shirt.

"DUDE!" Leo jumped back, slippery papaya dripping down his front. "What the actual —"

Maya froze. And then she couldn't stop laughing. Like, actually couldn't breathe.

Leo stared at her, then at his shirt, then at the cat now grooming herself casually by the fridge. A grin tugged at his mouth. "Okay, that was kind of iconic."

"Iconic disaster," Maya wheezed, wiping tears from her eyes. "But you know what?" She looked at the mess, at the green smoothie base, at her brother covered in papaya. "Maybe I just bring chips instead."

"Revolutionary idea." Leo peeled off his shirt. "Maya?"

"What?"

"Tyler's lucky." He threw the shirt in the hamper. "Even if your smoothie game is tragic."