Electric Palms

Maya stood by the pool, clutching her vitamin water like a lifeline. Her palms were sweating — gross, literally dripping — because Lucas was finally looking at her.

"You look like a zombie," he said, but he was smiling. "Rough night?"

"TikTok rot," she managed, though her brain was short-circuiting. Lucas Matthews. The Lucas Matthews. Talking to her.

He laughed, and it was better than any sound she'd ever heard. "Been there. At least you're hydrating. Those vitamin things are basically magic."

Maya's friends were watching from the deep end, their eyes like "OMFG WHAT IS HAPPENING." She felt both dead and alive, zombie walking through the most important moment of her sixteen years.

"Yeah," she said, finding actual words. "My mom's on this health kick. Vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin whatever."

A drop of water fell from Lucas's hair onto her shoulder. He'd just gotten out of the pool, and his skin was still glistening. Maya wanted to die.

"You should come in," he said. "Water's perfect."

Before she could answer — before she could embarrass herself further — lightning cracked across the sky. Everyone screamed. The pool lights flickered.

"Storm's rolling in," someone yelled.

Lucas grabbed her hand. His palm was warm and slightly calloused from track practice, and her brain stopped processing everything except this touch, this electric current running between them.

"Race you to the porch!" he shouted.

They ran through the suddenly pouring rain, water plastering Maya's hair to her face, her flip-flops slapping the wet concrete. Her heart was hammering harder than the thunder.

They collapsed under the porch overhang, breathless and soaked. Lucas was still holding her hand.

"You're fast," he said, grinning like he'd just discovered something amazing.

"I'm not," Maya laughed, and it was real, genuine laughter because nothing mattered except this moment, this boy, this feeling.

"You are to me." His voice dropped. "Hey, Maya?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you came tonight."

The storm raged around them, lightning flashing in his eyes. Maya squeezed his hand back. For the first time in her life, she felt exactly, perfectly herself.