Summer Storm and Serve

The orange glow of sunset painted the resort clubhouse as I slumped against the fence, my racquet dangling like a dead weight. Third day of padel camp and I was still terrible — still the kid everyone avoided pairing with.

"Yo, Maya!" Chase called out, gesturing to the empty spot beside him. "You up for mixed doubles?"

My stomach did that familiar lightning-fast flip. Was he being nice or did he lose a bet? I'd been crushing on him since orientation, when he'd laughed at my jokes and actually seemed interested in my photography obsession. But I'd also overheard him telling his friends he'd "rather partner with a literal sphinx" than me — whatever that meant. Probably that I was mysterious and unapproachable, or just awkward.

"Sure," I said, trying to sound chill instead of like I was internally screaming.

We played like a chaotic pyramid team — all foundation, no grace. Chase kept calling me "Queen of the Net" when I missed balls, but he was smiling about it, not mean-girl laughing. By the third game, we'd actually found a rhythm, his aggressive serves complementing my defensive returns.

Then the sky opened up.

"Run!" Chase grabbed my wrist and we bolted toward the covered court area, laughing as the rain soaked our shirts translucent. Thunder cracked overhead, closer than I'd ever heard it. Lightning struck somewhere nearby, illuminating the whole resort in this wild flash that made everything look like a negative photograph.

We collapsed under the shelter, dripping wet, chests heaving. Chase looked at me, really looked at me, hair plastered to his forehead like a wet orange rind.

"You're actually pretty good," he said. "I was wrong about you."

"You talked about me?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe." He grinned, and something in my chest unlocked. "Hey, my friends and I are going into town tonight for gelato. You should come."

"I'll think about it," I said, but I was already planning my outfit.

The storm passed as quickly as it had arrived, leaving everything glistening and new. I realized I wasn't the same person who'd dreaded coming here three days ago. Sometimes you just need to get caught in the rain to see clearly.