Fox in the Flash

The summer storm had turned Jordan's backyard zombie-apocalypse movie marathon into something way more intense. Lightning kept cracking the sky open, making the shrieks on screen feel almost real.

"You're being such a fox about this," Maya teased, grabbing another handful of popcorn. Jordan's crush, Alex, was literally three feet away, and Jordan had been hovering near the snack table for twenty minutes like a zombie—dead inside, somehow still moving.

"I'm not being a fox, I'm being respectful of the cinematic experience," Jordan shot back, though they both knew the truth. Jordan had been lowkey obsessed with Alex since sophomore year, and now they were finally in the same room, and Jordan was fully frozen.

Another flash of lightning illuminated Alex's profile—sharp nose, messy dark hair, that slightly tired expression that made Jordan's chest do weird things. Alex laughed at something Jordan's best friend Sam said, and the sound cut through the thunder rumble outside.

"Bro, you're literally ghosting yourself right now," Maya whispered. "Just go over there. Be a fox. Channel that sly energy."

"What does that even mean?"

"It means stop being a zombie and make a move! The universe is literally sending you signals." Maya gestured at the storm. "Lightning? Drama? Atmosphere?"

Before Jordan could overthink it further—something they were excellent at—the power died. The TV went black. Someone screamed. And then everyone was pulling out phones, flashlights cutting through the darkness.

Alex's flashlight beam landed on Jordan. "Hey, you okay over there? You looked like you'd seen a ghost."

Jordan's brain short-circuited. "Yeah, just, you know. Processing the cinematic interruption. Very meta."

Alex laughed, moving closer. "You're funny. I like that."

The storm raged outside, but inside, Jordan felt something shift. Maybe Maya was right. Maybe sometimes you had to stop moving like a zombie through your own life and actually show up. Even if it was terrifying. Even if it meant risking everything.

"Want to help me find candles?" Alex asked.

"Yeah," Jordan said, their voice steady for the first time all night. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Outside, lightning struck again. But Jordan wasn't scared anymore.