Sweaty Palms and Second Serves

Maya's palms were sweating so much she could practically fill a swimming pool. Which was ironic, considering she was standing right next to one.

The crew was all there—Jordan's infamous summer kickback, the one everyone at Northwood High talked about for weeks. Maya had been crushing on Jordan since seventh period English when they'd bonded over their mutual hatred of Steinbeck. Now here she was, wearing her supposedly cute bikini that suddenly felt way too revealing.

"Yo Maya, you gonna get in or what?" Jordan called from the **water**, splashing droplets that glistened in the July sun like liquid diamonds.

"Yeah, uh, just gotta grab something first," she stammered, booking it toward the snack table like her life depended on it.

The relief was short-lived. About twenty minutes later, after finally working up the courage to join the pool party, she caught Chloe whispering to Brianna while pointedly glancing at Maya. That same Chloe who had somehow managed to make varsity **baseball** as a sophomore, even though nobody could understand why she didn't stick to softball like normal people.

Maya's stomach dropped. She ducked into the bathroom and there it was—a bright green chunk of **spinach** wedged stubbornly between her front teeth. Because apparently the universe had decided her social life needed more embarrassment.

She spent the rest of the party avoiding Jordan, convinced her moment had passed. The universe, however, had other plans.

Monday brought the **padel** tournament—an obscure sport that Jordan's cousin had somehow gotten trendy at their school. Maya, whose hand-eye coordination peaked at playing Fruit Ninja, had somehow gotten roped into participating.

"You paired with Jordan," Chloe announced with way too much smugness. "Good luck with that."

But Jordan just grinned when they met at the court. "So, about Saturday..."

"Oh my god, the spinach," Maya groaned, face heating up.

"Honestly? Made you seem real." Jordan shrugged. "Unlike half the people here who never eat actual food. Anyway, ready to get destroyed?"

Maya laughed—genuinely laughed—and realized something. Her sweaty palms weren't from anxiety anymore. They were from excitement. And maybe, just maybe, that was exactly how summer was supposed to feel.