Electric Orange

Maya tugged at the straps of her neon orange bikini—like she needed to stand out MORE at this pool party. Being the new kid was basically a full-time job, one she was failing spectacularly. She'd been homeschooled until three weeks ago, which apparently made her an alien species at Northwood High.

The pool deck was basically teen social warfare territory. Groups of impossibly confident people clustered together, their laughter synced like they'd rehearsed it. Maya floated near the snack table, nursing a lukewarm bottle of water, feeling like a straight-up spy gathering intel on how normal humans existed.

"Yo, Fox!" someone yelled.

Maya turned. A guy with messy dark hair and a lopsided grin ducked as a beach ball sailed toward his head. Fox. Because obviously the most popular guy in sophomore year would have the most absurd nickname. He caught the ball mid-air and launched it back, his movements effortless, like everything was just easier for some people.

Thunder rumbled. The sky had been weirdly purple-gray all afternoon, the air heavy and electric. Nobody seemed to care until actual lightning cracked across the sky—a jagged spine of white light that made everyone gasp.

"Pool's closing," someone from the house shouted. "Everyone inside!"

The mass exodus was chaos. People grabbed towels and phones and scattered toward the back door. Maya moved slower, watching the horizon light up again. There was something mesmerizing about storms, how they just DID things without apology.

She noticed Fox hadn't moved either. He stood at the edge of the pool, watching the water ripple from the wind, looking weirdly thoughtful for someone who probably had perfect grades and a girlfriend and zero existential crises.

"Maya, right?"

She jumped. He'd somehow gotten closer without her noticing. "Yeah. Hi."

"I like your orange," he said. "Bold choice."

She laughed before she could stop herself. "My mom bought it. I think she was trying to help."

"Parents do that." Fox splashed his foot in the water. "I'm failing geometry, by the way. In case you thought I had it together."

"Wait, really?"

"Disastrously. My mom's threatening to take away my XBOX." He shrugged. "Being new sucks, doesn't it?"

"You're new?"

"Transferred last semester. Still feels like everyone else got a handbook I never received." Another lightning flash reflected in his eyes. "But storms are cool though."

"Yeah," Maya said, and something in her chest loosened. "They really are."