Tropical Punch and Sweaty Palms

Maya's palms were literally sweating. Like, actually dripping. She wiped them on her new skirt—which she'd spent forty-five minutes ironing—and stared at Jayden's front door. Music thudded from inside, bass rattling the porch light.

"You got this," chirped Priya, her best friend since sixth grade, already reaching for the doorbell. "Just... don't mention the papaya incident."

Maya groaned. "That was ONE TIME. In seventh grade. I brought papaya chunks for snack break because they're healthy, and everyone acted like I'd served them literal garbage."

"You're the one who called it 'nature's candy,'" Priya deadpanned. "But seriously, tonight's your chance. Jayden's been looking at you in bio lately. Just be chill."

Inside, the house was packed. Someone's crappy playlist blasted, and the air smelled like cheap body spray and something burning in the kitchen. Maya hovered awkwardly near the doorway until Priya ditched her for some seniors from debate team.

Great. Just great.

She made her way to the kitchen, where a solo cup tower had already collapsed. Grabbing some bright orange punch that looked radioactive, she spotted Jayden by the back slider, laughing with his friends. Her stomach did that flippy thing it always did when he wore that gray hoodie—the one that made his eyes look stupidly golden.

Then he saw her. Actually saw her.

"Hey!" Jayden pushed through the crowd, and Maya's brain short-circuited. "You came. I wasn't sure if you would."

"Uh, yeah." She swallowed. "Why wouldn't I?"

He shrugged, looking weirdly nervous. "I don't know. You always seem like you have better things to do than hang out with us regular people. You're always reading that thick book during lunch."

Maya blinked. He'd noticed?

"That's just... I mean, I'm not—that's not—" She took a desperate gulp of orange punch and nearly choked.

Jayden laughed, but it was nice laughter. Not making fun of her. "I'm messing with you. Actually, I wanted to ask you something. There's this tropical smoothie place downtown? They make this stuff with papaya and coconut, and I keep meaning to try it, but going alone is kinda lame. Wanna go tomorrow?"

Maya stared. Was this happening? Was Jayden—actual Jayden, who'd sat behind her in bio since September—asking her out? For smoothies?

She managed to nod. "Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that."

"Cool." His smile was everything. "I'll text you."

Later, when Priya found her grinning like an idiot in the bathroom mirror, she just raised her eyebrows. "Well?"

"We're getting smoothies tomorrow," Maya whispered. "Papaya ones."

Priya squealed. "See? Sometimes the weird fruit moments come full circle."