The Green Smoothie Incident

Maya's legs burned as she rounded the track, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Running was supposed to be her escape—the one place where overthinking didn't exist. But today, even the rhythmic thud of her sneakers couldn't drown out the catastrophe that was seventh period lunch.

"Nice form, Torres!" Coach Miller yelled from the sidelines.

Maya pretended not to hear. She couldn't focus. Not after THE INCIDENT.

Freshman year was supposed to be her glow-up era. She'd joined track, finally figured out skincare, and even made the varsity team as a first year. But twenty minutes ago, she'd accidentally dumped an entire container of spinach all over Lucas—the cute sophomore who'd actually smiled at her in the hallway yesterday.

She'd been attempting to make a point about how healthy eating improved athletic performance. Because apparently her brain had decided today was the day to become an influencer. The spinach green smoothie she'd精心 prepared had exploded everywhere when that freshman Ethan knocked into her. Lucas had emerged wearing what looked like a green salad on his white Nike crewneck.

"Your victory lap," someone called out as she completed her final lap.

Maya slowed to a walk, hands on her knees. A storm was rolling in, purple clouds gathering like bruises on the sky. The first heavy drops began as she grabbed her bag.

Then she saw him.

Lucas was leaning against the fence near the exit, still wearing the stained sweatshirt. He wasn't mad. He was—laughing?

"Hey," he said, pushing off the fence as lightning split the sky behind him. "I came to return this." He held up her empty smoothie cup. "Also, you left your phone in the cafeteria."

Maya froze. The rain came harder now, warm summer drops that soaked through her practice jersey.

"I'm so sorry about your sweatshirt," she managed. "I'll pay to clean it. Or buy you a new one. Or—"

"Nah." Lucas grinned, and Maya felt something zip through her chest that had nothing to do with the electricity in the air. "My little sister thinks I'm a superhero now. Green Lantern vibes, you know?"

The thunder rumbled closer.

"Race you to the gym?" he challenged, already backing away.

Maya's legs didn't burn anymore. "You're going down."

She took off running, spinach-scented disaster and all, into the storm. And maybe, just maybe, freshman year wouldn't be so bad after all.