Maybe After Summer

Cookies for a crush.

EASTWOOD ACADEMY

The sign stood tall and polished at the front gate. Gold letters against a dark stone.

The campus stretched wide behind it , two main brick buildings connected by covered walkways, tall glass windows reflecting the Texas sun. The lawn was perfectly trimmed. Flags lined the entrance. Everything looked… expensive.

Too expensive.

Gemma adjusted her backpack and walked through the gates.

The school was big , she would give it that.

But the hallways were empty.

Classes had already started.

Her footsteps echoed against the shiny tiled floors as she walked inside. Lockers lined both sides of the hallway, all closed. Bulletin boards filled with announcements, football posters, student council flyers.

She spotted a janitor mopping the floor near the staircase.

She walked over and tapped his shoulder lightly.

“Excuse me… where’s the principal’s office?”

He pointed down the hall. “Second door on the left.”

“Thank you.”

She followed the direction and stopped in front of a wooden door with a small gold plaque:

Principal M. Carter.

She knocked twice.

“Come in,” a feminine voice called.

Gemma stepped inside.

The office felt… warm.

Not strict and cold like she expected.

There were bookshelves filled with novels. A small plant by the window. Framed photos on the wall. Soft beige walls. A patterned rug on the floor.

Behind the desk sat a woman in her late forties, wearing thin-rimmed glasses and a neatly cropped haircut. She looked sharp but not unfriendly.

“You must be Gemma Hernandez,” she said.

“Yes, ma’am.”

After handing over the documents her mom sent and answering a few questions, Principal Carter smiled.

“We’ll get you settled right away.”

She called in a teacher to escort her.

**********************************************************************

The classroom door opened quietly.

Heads turned.

Gemma felt every single eye land on her.

“Class,” the teacher said, “this is Gemma. She’ll be joining us starting today.”

A few whispers.

She scanned the room......

And froze.

Diego.

He was sitting near the back, leaning back casually in his chair.

Their eyes met for half a second.

She smiled slightly.

He looked away.

Ignored her completely.

Her smile dropped.

Okay then.

She took the empty seat the teacher pointed to and tried to focus, but she could feel the awkwardness sitting in her chest.

After class ended, she gathered her things quickly and looked around.

Diego was gone.

“Probably already left,” she muttered.

She turned to the girl beside her. “Um… where’s everyone going now?”

“Cafeteria,” the girl replied. “Lunch.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

They walked together for a bit before parting ways at the entrance.

The cafeteria was loud.

Tables filled with groups. Laughter. Trays clanking. The smell of questionable food.

Gemma grabbed a tray and stared at the mashed potatoes suspiciously.

“I wouldn’t eat that if I were you.”

She spun around.

Diego stood behind her.

“You have got to stop sneaking up on me.”

He smirked. “It’s fun.”

He sat down across from her and pointed at her tray.

“Just so you know… those aren’t exactly potatoes.”

She immediately pushed the tray away. “That’s disgusting.”

He reached into his pocket and tossed a chocolate bar onto the table.

“Here.”

She narrowed her eyes. “It’s not poisoned, is it?”

“Ha ha. Very funny.”

She took it anyway and unwrapped it.

As they started talking, a group of boys suddenly rushed toward the table and pulled Diego up.

“Wassup, brosheph!”

“Wassup, Cap!”

Gemma blinked.

Cap?

They all turned toward her.

“Well, well,” one of them grinned. “Cap got himself a girlfriend.”

“Excuse me?” Gemma said immediately. “I am not his girlfriend.”

“Yeah,” Diego added. “She’s not.”

“Ohhh,” another one said. “Is this the Latina you told us about?”

Gemma straightened. “Excuse me. It’s Gemma.”

“Damn, bro,” one of them laughed. “She’s really pretty.”

“And feisty,” another added. “I like her.”

Diego’s tone changed instantly.

“She’s off limits, bro. That’s an order.”

The boys raised their hands in surrender.

“Alright, man. See you at the field.”

They left.

Gemma slowly turned to him.

“That’s an order?”

He leaned back in his chair.

“Yep. You’re looking at the captain of the football team.”

She burst out laughing.

“You? Captain?”

He frowned. “What’s so funny?”

“Sorry, I just… can’t imagine you leading anything.”

He clutched his chest dramatically. “We’ve only met twice and you’re already judging me? That hurts, Latina.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Tell you what,” he said, leaning forward slightly. “Come watch practice.”

“And why would I do that?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Just because.”

She didn’t move.

He bent down closer to her, lowering his voice.

“Collins will be there.”

She stood up instantly.

“Let’s go.”

Diego blinked.

Then laughed.

“Really?”

“Are we going or not?” she said, folding her arms.

He shook his head, amused.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

And she followed him.

He was good.

Gemma tried not to make it obvious, but her eyes kept following him across the field.

Diego wasn’t the only one playing well. The whole team moved in sync , shouting, sprinting, colliding as they drove the ball forward. Someone missed a pass. Another tripped. One guy completely lost his footing.

Diego didn’t.

He stayed steady.

Calling plays. Pointing. Anticipating.

It was like he knew where everyone would be before they even got there.

Gemma didn’t know the first thing about football, but she knew confidence when she saw it.

And Diego had it.

When practice ended, the field exploded with noise. Teammates laughed, groaned, slapped hands. A few dropped flat onto the grass dramatically.

Diego pulled his shirt over his head to wipe his face.

Gemma accidentally looked.

And then immediately wished she hadn’t.

His stomach was.......

Yeah.

Hot.

She turned her head so fast she nearly gave herself whiplash, suddenly very invested in a random patch of grass.

Diego noticed anyway.

Of course he did.

He walked over and casually threw an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side.

“Did you see that last play?”

Gemma wrinkled her nose and shoved him off. “You stink.”

“Ouch,” he said, clutching his chest. “That hurt.”

They walked a few steps together while the rest of the team filtered out.

“You’re so dramatic,” she muttered.

“And you love it.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sure.”

He bumped her shoulder lightly. “So. What are you doing now?”

“School’s over,” she shrugged. “I’m going home.”

“That’s boring.”

“Then don’t come,” she shot back.

He grinned. “Too late. I want to show you something.”

She hesitated. “Diego, we’re supposed to- "

“Relax,” he said, already tugging her along. “It’s close.”

He led her away from the noise of the field, down a quieter path behind the school until the sound of shouting faded.

They reached a small riverside tucked behind a row of trees.

The water moved slow and calm. A small fountain sprayed gently nearby. There was a single wooden bench facing the river , hidden enough that it didn’t feel like part of the school at all.

Like a secret.

They sat.

Diego leaned back on his hands, looking up at the sky.

“So,” he said casually. “How was your old place?”

Gemma shrugged. “It was fine.”

“Did you have friends there?”

“Some,” she answered. “They’re not really my friends anymore.”

He nodded once.

Didn’t push.

Didn’t joke.

Just let it sit there.

The quiet between them wasn’t awkward.

That surprised her.

Then he asked, almost too casually:

“What do you see in Collins?”

Gemma didn’t even think.

Her eyes softened instantly.

“Everything.”

Diego turned his head slowly.

“Everything?”

“He’s smart,” she said, staring at the water. “Focused. He knows what he wants. He doesn’t joke around all the time.”

She smiled faintly.

“He’s just… different.”

Diego looked down at the grass between his fingers.

“Do you even know what he likes?”

“Of course I do,” she said quickly.

“Like what?”

“Food,” she said confidently. “Snacks.”

Diego huffed a quiet laugh. “Oh yeah? What’s his favorite?”

She opened her mouth.

Paused.

Closed it again.

“…I don’t know. You tell me.”

He didn’t look at her when he answered.

“Cookies.”

Her face lit up immediately.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he said easily. “He loves them.”

And just like that, she was already planning.

Chocolate chip. Maybe sugar cookies too. Something homemade.

Something impressive.

Diego stood abruptly.

“I should go.”

The warmth from before faded slightly.

Gemma noticed the shift , the way his shoulders tensed, the way he avoided her eyes.

But she didn’t question it.

She was too busy thinking about Collins.

They walked back toward the main path together.

Side by side.

Not touching.

And somehow, the silence felt heavier than before

When Gemma got home, the first thing she noticed was the smell of food. Her sister was already at the dining table, halfway through lunch, scrolling on her phone with one hand and holding a fork with the other.

Gemma leaned over and tried to steal a bite.

Her sister slapped her hand away without even looking up.

“Are you mad?” she said. “Get your own.”

Gemma rolled her eyes. “Wow. Rude.”

She didn’t bother arguing. Instead, she headed upstairs, dropped her bag on the floor, and took a quick bath. The warm water helped her relax, but her mind kept drifting back to Collins. The way he smiled. The way he barely spoke but always listened. By the time she was done, she felt oddly nervous, like she had something important to do.

When she came back downstairs, her mom was now at the table too, eating and talking to her sister. Gemma waved at them and went straight into the kitchen.

She stood there for a moment, staring at the counter.

Cookies.

Diego had said Collins liked cookies. She smiled to herself and decided on chocolate chip. You couldn’t go wrong with chocolate chip.

She pulled out the ingredients and started mixing. As she worked, she kept thinking about Collins—how he’d react, whether he’d smile that small smile of his, whether he’d even eat them in front of her.

At some point, she added too much of something. The dough looked… wrong.

Her sister appeared in the doorway. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” Gemma said quickly.

Her mom leaned over too, raising an eyebrow. “Are you baking?”

Gemma shrugged. “Maybe.”

They exchanged looks.

Her sister walked in and looked at the bowl . “You still owe me, by the way.”

Gemma frowned. “Owe you what?”

Her sister smirked. “You said when we were moving in, if I helped you carry those heavy boxes, you’d bake me—”

“Okay, okay,” Gemma cut in quickly. “I heard you. I’ll bake yours soon. Relax.”

Her sister smiled like she’d won something. “Just saying.” she teased. “Who are the cookies for?”

“No one,” Gemma said, grabbing a spoon and fixing the dough. “Mind your business.”

Her mom laughed softly. “Sure.”

Gemma ignored them and focused on getting it right. When the dough finally looked the way it was supposed to, she felt a small sense of pride. She didn’t say anything, just kept working, already imagining handing the cookies to Collins.

And hoping they’d be worth it.

It looked right.

Soft. Thick. Perfect.

She allowed herself a small smile.

She didn’t say anything.

Didn’t admit anything.

But in her head, she was already picturing it:

Walking up to Collins.

Handing him the container.

Him smiling.

Him impressed.

Him saying her name.

She placed the cookies onto the tray carefully.

And for the first time since moving to Austin, she felt like she had a plan.

She just hoped,

They’d be worth it.