The Vitamin Crush Protocol

My hair looked like a squirrel had nested in it. Third day in a row of trying to look effortless for Jason, and I was still very much effort-full.

"You need this." Tasha shoved a gummy into my hand during third period. "Vitamin D for your vibe, girl. You're glowing like a dim lightbulb."

I sighed, checking my reflection in my phone camera. The new layers were supposed to be beachy. Instead they were just...

beached.

Jason played padel every Friday at the rec center. That was the intel. And this Friday, Tasha had decided, was the Friday I would finally attend.

"But I don't even KNOW how to play," I'd protested.

"Neither does half the people there. They're there for the same reason you are." She'd smirked. "To watch Jason and his stupid perfect hair."

Friday came. My palms were sweating so much I had to keep wiping them on my jeans. I was about to commit social suicide in front of my crush, and Tasha was casually applying lip gloss like this wasn't the most momentous day of my sixteen years.

The rec center smelled like rubber and desperation. There he was—Jason, in those stupid shorts that were somehow attractive on him and tragic on everyone else, laughing at something his friend said.

I was going to throw up. I was literally going to—

"You're up." Tasha shoved a racket toward me. "Go. I believe in you or whatever."

I stepped onto the court. My heart was hammering. Jason looked over.

"Hey." He smiled.

My brain short-circuited. "Hey. I. Um. Padel."

Smooth. So smooth. I was going to be remembered as the girl who spoke in nouns.

But then—lightning. A flash of clarity. He wasn't looking at me like I was weird. He was looking at me like he was waiting for me to say something actual.

"Want to be on my team?" he asked. "My partner bailed."

I stared at him. Then at Tasha, who was literally vibrating with suppressed excitement.

"Yeah," I heard myself say. "Yeah, I'd love that."

Later, walking home with Tasha, my palm was still warm where Jason had high-fived me after we absolutely dominated.

"So," Tasha grinned. "Vitamin D, my ass. That was straight-up serotonin."

I touched my hair. It was still a mess. But somehow, it didn't matter anymore.