Storm Over The Padel Court

The papaya sat on the table like some exotic alien artifact, and honestly, I felt just as out of place.

"You gonna try it or just stare at it all day?" Marcus ribbed, nudging my shoulder. We were at his country club's summer bash, and I was definitely the scholarship kid crashing the rich kids' party.

"Maybe later," I mumbled, my gaze drifting across the pool deck to where Chloe dominated the padel court. She moved like she was chasing lightning, every swing explosive and precise. I'd been crushing on her since bio lab last semester, but she existed in a different tax bracket.

Literally.

Her Golden Retriever, Bear, lolled beneath a cabana, living his best life while I mentally rehearsed how to not sound like an idiot when I finally talked to her.

"Yo, Earth to Jayden," Marcus laughed, snapping his fingers. "I said you should get in on the next padel match. Chloe needs a partner for mixed doubles."

My stomach did this nervous little flip. "No way. I've never played. Plus she'd destroy me."

"That's the point, bro. She loves teaching people. Besides, her dad's watching her like a hawk today. Let the girl have some fun."

Before I could overthink it, summer monsoon clouds swallowed the sun. First drop of rain hit like a punctuation mark, then the sky opened up—real deal lightning forking across the horizon.

Everyone scattered for cover. I ended up squeezed under the gazebo next to Chloe, Bear pressing happily between us, shaking rainwater everywhere.

"Great," I muttered, trying to casually hide behind my phone. "Now I smell like wet dog all over my crush. Smooth."

Chloe laughed, and it wasn't fake polite. She smelled like coconut sunscreen and expensive shampoo, and she was looking at me like I was a person instead of a project.

"Bear's the best, though," she said, scratching his ears. "You play padel?"

"Never in my life."

"Perfect," she grinned, and the lightning flashed again, illuminating everything about this moment I'd been too scared to hope for. "Teach you after the storm?"

And just like that, the papaya on the table didn't seem so exotic anymore. Some things aren't as intimidating as they look.