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Summer heat pressed down on the quiet neighborhood, pavement shimmering as cicadas buzzed. Taylor fanned herself with a dog-eared magazine, eyeing Jessica slumped across the porch swing. "Remember that mango slush with tapioca pearls?" Jessica groaned, miming a dramatic swoon. "It’s cruel. We’re the only block in the city without a boba shop." Across the yard, screen door slamming interrupted their lament. Mrs. Chen emerged with a bamboo steamer in one hand and her tablet glowing with a recipe titled *DIY Brown Sugar Bubble Tea*. "Enough moping," she announced, wiping flour from her apron. "We’re making our own. Taylor—find the black sugar. Jessica, check the pantry for tapioca starch. And someone dig out that giant pot we use for hot pot." The girls exchanged grins, already scrambling. Missing ingredients meant a dash to Mr. Kim’s corner store for emergency creamer. Overcooked pearls became sticky casualties, but the second batch? Perfectly chewy, swirled with caramelized syrup and icy milk. By sunset, three mismatched cups clinked on the picnic table, condensation dripping as they toasted to rebellion—and the sweet victory of homemade ambition.
