The Orange Juice Pyramid Scheme

Kai's summer wasn't supposed to be like this. They'd promised themself no more MLM drama after last year's essential oils disaster, but here they were, squeezing oranges at their cousin's booth while feeling like the walking dead. The zombie life was real — waking up at 6 AM, pulp under their fingernails, listening to their cousin Jordan's presentation about "financial freedom through citrus." The pyramid structure was obvious to everyone except Jordan's newest recruits, a group of freshmen who looked at Jordan like they'd invented Vitamin C.

The water park nearby was where everyone actually wanted to be. Kai could hear screams from the slides, see their friends' Instagram stories — pool parties and new crushes and first kisses. Meanwhile, they were stuck explaining to customers why their orange juice was "empowered by positive energy."

Then Riley walked up to the booth. Riley with their fox-like grin and backwards cap, the person Kai had been crushing on since middle school science when they'd partnered up for that volcano project.

"Supposed to be a water fight by the slides," Riley said, leaning against the booth. "You coming?"

Kai's stomach did that annoying flip thing. "Can't. Jordan's got a presentation in ten minutes."

"Sounds lame." Riley gestured toward the parking lot where a pyramid of empty orange crates was stacked. "Bet you could escape in under 30 seconds."

Kai looked at the crates, then at Jordan inside giving their speech, then back at Riley. The zombie fog lifted. Something shifted.

"Watch me."

They slipped out the back door, Riley laughing and grabbing their hand, and Kai didn't look back at the orange juice empire or the pyramid scheme or the person they used to be. The water from the water fight soaked them both within minutes, Riley's fox grin wider than ever, and for the first time all summer, Kai didn't feel dead at all. They felt electric.