Summer of Missed Shots

The palm trees swayed like bored teenagers at the country club, their fronds catching the coastal breeze. I gripped my padel racquet until my knuckles turned white, trying to look like I belonged. My mom's new boyfriend's daughter, Chloe, had invited me. She was everything I wasn't: confident, tan, and actually good at sports.

"You're holding it wrong," Chloe said, flipping her perfectly messy hair. "Like, actually wrong."

My cheeks burned. The black dog padel courts stretched before me, intimidating as hell. I'd only played tennis once in gym class, and that was a disaster.

"Whatever," I mumbled, adjusting my grip. Chloe rolled her eyes and went back to her phone.

Then I saw him—Ryan from my English class, the one who'd made fun of my presentation last month. He was walking toward the next court over, and I panic-smiled like an idiot.

The ball came flying at my face. I swung wildly and somehow made contact. It sailed over the fence, bounced twice on the grass, and landed right next to—

"Princess!" Ryan called out. A fluffy white cat darted away from the ball, tail puffed.

My own dog, Buster, had been snoozing under a nearby bench. Now he bolted after the cat, barking his head off. Chaos erupted.

"Buster! No!" I shrieked, scrambling after him.

"Nice serve," Ryan called, laughing. But not mean-laughing. Actually laughing.

Chloe appeared beside me, handing me a Gatorade. "Okay, that was legendary. Your dog has zero chill."

"I'm so sorry," I said, breathless.

"Are you kidding?" She grinned. "That was the most interesting thing that's happened all summer. Also, Ryan's been watching you for, like, five minutes."

She held out her hand, palm up. "Truce? I'll teach you padel for real. You help me talk to Ryan without sounding like a loser."

I looked at my own sweaty palm, then at hers. Something about the gesture felt different this time—like maybe the summer wouldn't be so terrible after all.

"Deal."