Zombie Farm Love

Maya's freshman year at Creekwood High had been a total zombie apocalypse of exhaustion. Between AP classes, debate club, and her parents' endless pressure about college applications, she'd been running on caffeine and three hours of sleep. But today was different. Today she'd agreed to help Jake—senior class president, soccer captain, and unfairly gorgeous—with his student film project.

"Cut!" Jake called, lowering his phone camera. "Maya, you're supposed to look undead, not constipated."

Her face burned. Six other crew members snickered. This was exactly why she'd avoided extracurriculars that required being seen.

"Sorry," Maya mumbled, adjusting her gray makeup.

"It's cool," Jake said, scratching his neck. "Maybe we should break for lunch. My mom packed spinach wraps from the farmers' market."

Maya's stomach growled. She hadn't eaten since yesterday's stress-purge.

"I'll pass," said Liam, the sophomore playing the zombie hunter. "I have to get home. My dad's making me help with the—he paused—"family business."

Maya noticed Liam's knuckles were bruised. Again.

The group scattered, leaving Maya and Jake alone behind the old barn. Jake offered her a wrap. They sat in the grass, knees barely touching, while Maya mentally freaked out.

"So," Jake said, "how's freshman year treating you?"

"Like I'm one of the walking dead," Maya joked, then immediately regretted it. That was so lame.

Jake laughed. "I get that. Sometimes I feel like I'm just going through the motions, you know? Like everyone expects me to be this perfect student-athlete guy, but I'm actually freaking out about college apps and—" Something crashed inside the barn.

They both jumped.

A massive bull stood in the doorway, staring at them with malevolent intent.

"Is that..." Maya whispered.

"Yeah. My dad's breeding bull. He's supposed to be in the other pasture." Jake stood slowly. "Don't make sudden movements."

The bull snorted, pawing the ground.

Maya's heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird. This was it. She was going to die in zombie makeup, eaten by a bull, before she'd even had her first kiss.

Jake grabbed her hand. "Run. NOW."

They bolted toward the fence, Maya's flip-flops flopping wildly. Behind them, the bull charged, its hooves thundering like approaching doom. They scrambled through the wooden rails just as the bull slammed into the fence, splintering the bottom boards.

Breathless, Maya pressed her hand to her chest. Jake still gripped her other hand.

"You okay?" he asked, grinning.

She nodded, unable to speak. Jake noticed something and frowned. "You've got—" He gestured at his own teeth. "Spinach."

Mortification flooded her. She wiped her frantically.

"No, it's—I got it." Jake reached out, gently brushing a piece from her lip. His fingers lingered. "You know, you're pretty cool for a freshman."

Maya's skin tingled where he'd touched her. "You're not so bad yourself."

"Maybe," Jake said softly, "we could hang out sometime? Without the bull and zombie makeup?"

A smile spread across Maya's face, genuine and unforced. Maybe freshman year wouldn't be a zombie apocalypse after all.