Sweaty Palms & Papaya Kiss

Maya's palms were sweating. Like, actually sweating through her favorite thrifted cargo pants as she stood across the room from him—Jayden with the stupid perfect hair and the way he leaned against doorframes like he owned the place.

This was supposed to be just another lame tropical-themed house party. Someone's parents were out of town, obviously, and now Maya was pressed against a kitchen island covered in fruit punch that was definitely not just fruit punch, surrounded by plastic palm trees that kept falling over.

"You look like you're about to throw up," said Chloe, sliding up beside her with two red plastic cups. "Here."

Maya took the cup, grateful for the distraction. The liquid was bright orange and smelled like Fanta and bad decisions. "I'm not gonna throw up. I'm just... existing. Awkwardly."

"Same." Chloe nodded toward Jayden. "He's looking over here, by the way. Third time since we walked in."

Maya's heart did that stupid fluttery thing she hated. "You're lying."

"Am I?" Chloe raised her eyebrows. "Go talk to him before I do it for you. I'm NOT above being your hype woman right now."

The kitchen was getting crowded. Someone had put papaya on a fruit platter, which seemed like a crime against fruit platters everywhere. Who even ate papaya at a high school party?

Maya took a breath (and another sip of the orange mystery drink) and made herself move across the room. Each step felt like walking through Jell-O. Jayden pushed off the doorframe when he saw her coming, and his smile was all crooked and perfect and annoying.

"Hey," she said, and her voice didn't crack. Win.

"Hey." He gestured at the papaya behind her. "You try that yet? It's disgusting."

Maya laughed, actually relaxed for the first time all night. "No way. I'm not brave enough for questionable tropical fruit."

"Smart." His eyes were warm in the kitchen's overhead light. "Want to get out of here? There's this taco truck down the street..."

Maya's palms had stopped sweating. "Yeah," she said, smiling like she meant it. "Yeah, I do."