The Summer Hierarchy

The country club's social pyramid loomed over Maya like a neon sign she couldn't unsee. Top tier: tennis girls with their perfect ponytails and Lacoste polos. Middle: swim team regulars. Bottom: everyone else. Maya? She was barely on the chart.

"You coming?" Jordan called from the padel court, sweat glistening on his arms. Maya's stomach did that annoying flip thing it always did when he looked at her.

"Yeah!" she called back, grabbing her racket. She'd been playing padel for three weeks, ever since Jordan mentioned he needed a fourth for doubles. Now she was living for Friday games, even though she still served into the net half the time.

Afterward, they collapsed onto the clubhouse patio. Jordan's sister, Chloe—unquestionable pyramid royalty—flopped down with her friends. Maya suddenly felt hyper-aware of her Target athletic wear and the fact that her hair was doing this weird frizz thing.

"Try this," Chloe said, sliding over a bowl. "Papaya, mint, lime. It's literally life-changing."

Maya took a bite. And immediately made a face like she'd licked a sidewalk.

"Is it... supposed to taste like soap?"

Jordan burst out laughing. "That's the papaya, genius. Some people love it. Some people think they're eating a candle."

Chloe's friends giggled. Maya felt her face burn. This was it. The moment she cemented herself at the very bottom of the food chain.

"But hey," Jordan said, grinning, "at least you didn't cry like last week when you got hit with that ball. That was a whole bear of a meltdown."

"Jordan!" Maya gasped, but she was laughing too. Because yeah, she'd full-on sobbed when that ball nailed her forearm, and somehow he'd made it this inside joke between them instead of something humiliating.

"Whatever," Chloe said, actually smiling. "You're not terrible at padel. And that papaya face was iconic."

As they walked to their bikes later, Jordan said, "Same time next Friday?" casual, like he didn't just make her entire week.

"Obviously," Maya replied, trying to play it cool, probably failing. The social pyramid could wait. She had a standing date with a boy who made her laugh until her sides hurt, and honestly? That was better than top-tier status anyway.