Zombie Mode at Maya's Pool Party

I'd been running on zombie mode for three days straight — finals week will do that to you. My eyes burned, my brain felt like it had been put through a blender, and my social battery was hovering at approximately 2%. So when Maya texted me about her end-of-year pool party, I almost said no. Almost.

But then again, missing the party of the year wasn't exactly an option if I wanted to maintain any social relevance going into sophomore year.

"You coming or what?" my best friend Dani asked, facetiming me while I was still in my sweatpants. "Everyone's gonna be there. Including Josh."

"I'm literally a zombie right now," I groaned. "I can't be around people. I can't even be around myself."

"So go as a zombie. It's a look."

I showed up at Maya's house feeling like I'd been resurrected from the dead, iPhone clutched in my hand like a security blanket. The pool area was already packed — people swimming, laughing, taking approximately ten thousand stories for social media. I hung back by the snack table, scrolling through my phone and trying to look busy, trying to look like I wasn't completely terrified of actually talking to anyone.

That's when I saw him.

Josh was by the papaya. Like, actually eating it. Who eats papaya at a pool party? Who even likes papaya? But there he was, looking unfairly good even while eating weird orange fruit.

"You're just gonna stand there all night?" Dani appeared beside me, eyebrow raised. "Or are you actually going to talk to him?"

"I can't. What would I even say? 'Hey, nice papaya choice, very niche of you.'"

"Yes! That's exactly what you should say!"

Before I could protest, Dani literally pushed me toward him. I stumbled, caught myself, and suddenly there I was, face-to-face with Josh, my heart hammering like I was about to give a presentation instead of having a conversation.

"Uh, hi," I managed. "I like your... papaya?"

Josh laughed, and it was better than I'd imagined. "You know what? No one's ever said that to me before." He held out a piece. "Want to try? It's actually really good."

I took a bite, expecting to hate it. But it was sweet and musky and kind of perfect. "Okay, wow. This slaps."

"Right?!" Josh's face lit up. "Everyone thinks it's weird until they try it. Kind of like me, actually."

We talked for the rest of the party. About everything and nothing. About finals and zombie mode and summer plans and how papaya is seriously underrated. And for the first time all week, I didn't feel like a zombie anymore.

Later, when I finally checked my phone, I saw I had missed like fifty notifications from the group chat wondering where I'd disappeared to. But honestly? I didn't care.

Sometimes the best moments happen when you put down the phone and take a chance on something unexpected. Even if that something is papaya.