Electric in the Deep End

I felt like a total zombie at Maya's pool party. Seriously, I'd been staring at the same dip bowl for twenty minutes while everyone else played seven minutes in heaven. My social battery was at 1%.

Then Jordan—actual Jordan, with the flawless curls and been-here-since-sixth-grade swagger—floated over to where I sat at the pool's edge. "You good? You look deadass tired."

"I'm chill," I lied, fidgeting with my phone. "Just vibing."

"Bet." Jordan slipped into the water, sending tiny waves lapping against the concrete. "Wanna race?"

Before I could even process what was happening—me, racing Jordan—the sky cracked open. Literally. Lightning split the sky like someone took a photo with flash way too bright. Everyone screamed.

"Pool party's over!" Maya's mom shouted from the back door. "Everyone inside NOW!"

We scrambled. I grabbed my towel but my sandals were nowhere. Jordan didn't run, though. They stood there in the downpour, completely drenched, looking up at the sky like it was the coolest thing they'd ever seen.

"You coming?" I called over the thunder.

Jordan turned, water streaming down their face, and smiled. It wasn't their usual perfect smile either—it was real. "Nah. This is way better." They held out a hand. "You?"

I looked at the house, where everyone was packed inside watching TikToks and pretending to care about each other's lives. Then I looked at Jordan, standing in the rain like being soaked and wild was the most natural thing in the world.

I took Jordan's hand and stepped back into the pool.

The lightning flashed again, illuminating everything—Jordan's genuine smile, the ripples spreading across the water, the fact that for the first time all night, I didn't feel like a zombie at all. I felt electric. Alive. And honestly? That was way better than any seven minutes in heaven.