Flash Point at Tyler's

Maya's palms were sweating as she stood outside Tyler's house. This was it — her first real high school party. Not some awkward middle school dance in the gym, but an actual Friday night blowout. Her iphone buzzed in her pocket with a text from Chloe: "where r u??? everyone's here!!"

She gripped her orange soda can like a lifeline as she walked in. The living room was already packed. Seniors had claimed the couch, forming their usual social pyramid that nobody else could climb. Tyler's little brother was in the corner stacking empty cans into his own pyramid, unbothered by the chaos. Maya felt small, invisible, exactly how she'd felt since freshman year started.

Then she saw him — Caleb, leaning against the wall by the sliding glass door. He was wearing that faded black hoodie, scrolling through his phone. Maya's stomach did that annoying flip-flop thing it did whenever he was within twenty feet.

"Hey," someone said beside her. She jumped, nearly spilling her orange soda.

It was Caleb.

"Hey," she managed back, sounding weirdly squeaky. Lightning crackled outside, sudden and bright, and the lights flickered for a second.

"Wild night," he said, gesturing at the storm. "I was about to head out to the porch to watch it. Want to come?"

The pyramid of seniors on the couch seemed very far away suddenly. Maya's heart was pounding so hard she was sure he could hear it. But she nodded, and they slipped out the sliding door together.

The porch was empty, rain just starting to spit down. They watched the sky light up, sheet lightning turning everything white and strange.

"I hate these things," Caleb said quietly. "Parties, I mean."

Maya blinked. "Really? You always look so... comfortable."

He laughed. "That's called acting. I spend the whole time wanting to bail."

A palm tree frond swayed above them in the wind, casting shadows that danced across his face.

"I thought I was the only one," Maya said, something loosening in her chest.

"Hardly." He showed her his phone screen — a meme about social anxiety that she'd actually sent Chloe two days ago. "I see your stories. You seem cool."

Maya's face heated up. "You watch my stories?"

"Yeah." He shrugged, like it was nothing. "You're funny."

They stood there as the storm rolled closer, neither one moving toward the door, orange soda forgotten on the railing. The pyramid inside didn't matter. The iphone in her pocket stayed silent. For the first time all night, Maya's palms were dry.

"So," Caleb said. "You want to get out of here? There's a lightning storm, and I know a spot with a way better view."

Maya smiled, feeling something bright and electric spark between them, way better than any party. "Absolutely."

Lightning struck again as they ran toward his car, and for once, she wasn't nervous at all.