Electric Current

The pool party at Tyler's house was supposed to be the event of the summer, but Maya's **iphone** had died halfway through texting her crush from bio class. Typical. She stood by the edge of the **water**, watching everyone else splash around like they didn't have a care in the world. Not her. Maya had plenty of cares. Mostly about whether Jordan would notice her new swimsuit or if her hair looked okay wet.

"You coming in or what?" Chloe called out, doing an impressive backflip off the diving board. Chloe, who was effortlessly cool and had been **swimming** competitively since kindergarten. Chloe, whose Instagram stories always looked perfect.

Maya dipped a toe in. "Maybe. Just thinking."

"About Jordan?" Chloe swam over, dripping water everywhere. "He's literally staring at you right now."

Maya's heart did that annoying fluttery thing. "No way."

"Way. But also, you should know, the **cable** guy is still here, and Tyler's mom is freaking out about the storm coming in."

As if on cue, the sky darkened. A massive crack of **lightning** split the clouds, followed immediately by thunder that rattled the patio furniture.

"Everyone out of the pool NOW!" Tyler's mom shrieked from the back door. "The cable company said there's a downed line nearby!"

Chaos erupted. Everyone scrambled toward the house, towels and phones scattered everywhere. Maya moved automatically, grabbing Jordan's arm as he slipped on the wet concrete. He caught her hand, eyes wide.

"Thanks," he breathed, close enough that she could smell chlorine and his cedar shampoo.

They ended up huddled under the porch overhang together, watching the rain sheet down while the cable guy worked frantically on something in the yard. Jordan's phone was in his hand, screen cracked but still working.

"Crazy weather," he said, glancing at her. "Good thing you pulled me back there. I totally would've fallen."

Maya shrugged, trying to play it cool like Chloe would. "Just saving you from embarrassment."

Jordan laughed. "I owe you one. Maybe we could study for that bio test together? My place?"

The storm raged on, but Maya felt something warm and electric that had nothing to do with the weather. Sometimes the best moments happen when everything goes wrong.