Dead Battery, Living Moment

Maya's iphone was at 4% when she spotted him across the gym—Jake, her crush since September, standing near the bleachers like he owned Westbridge High. Her heart did gymnastics.

Then she saw who Jake was talking to: Brock Miller, senior linebacker, built like a literal **bull**, gesturing wildly about something making Jake laugh. Maya felt like a zombie—she'd stayed up until 3am scrolling through Jake's ancient Instagram posts and now existed in a fog of exhaustion and nervous energy.

She should walk over. Say something normal and chill. Instead she stood rooted to the spot, clutching her dying phone like it was a lifeline.

"Maya!" Chloe bounced over with terrifying solar-powered energy. "You good? You look like you haven't had coffee in seven years."

"My phone's dying," Maya said. "Also, pep rallies require more energy than I currently possess."

Chloe followed her gaze, spotted Jake and Brock, and her eyebrows communicated six emotions at once. "Ohh. So we're making moves today?"

"I am admiring from a respectful distance. Like a wildlife photographer."

"Bull," Chloe said. "You've been staring at him for three weeks. Just go talk to him."

"I can't. My phone's at 3%. What if he asks for my number and it dies? What if—"

"You're overthinking this." Chloe raised her voice. "Hey Jake! My friend thinks your vintage band tee is sick!"

Maya wanted to dissolve into atmospheric ether. Jake looked over and—against all probability—he smiled.

"Brought this back from Colorado," Jake said, jogging over. His hair was stupidly perfect. "What bands are you into?"

Maya's phone chose that exact moment to flash its final 1% warning and go completely dead.

But Jake laughed. "Honestly? I'm kind of glad you're not on your phone. Everyone at this school is so zombie-fied all the time, you know?"

"I know," Maya said, and her voice actually worked. "Sometimes I feel like I'm just scrolling through other people's lives instead of living my own."

"That's deep," Jake said, but not like he was making fun of her. "Wanna get out of here? This rally's a bust. There's a food truck outside."

Maya looked at Chloe, who vibrated with suppressed excitement.

"Yeah," Maya said. "Yeah, I'd like that."

As they walked out together, Maya didn't even miss her phone. She was too busy actually living.