Goldfish in the Palm of Your Hand

Maya's palms were sweating. Like, actually sweating. She wiped them on her shorts for the third time while standing in Tyler's backyard, clutching a red plastic cup of something that definitely wasn't soda.

"You look like you're about to puke," whispered Jenna, her best friend since sixth grade. Jenna always knew.

"I think I might," Maya whispered back. "Tyler's dog keeps staring at me."

It was true. Buster, Tyler's Golden Retriever, had been watching her with those big soulful eyes for twenty minutes. Maya took a tiny sip of her drink. Gross.

Then she saw it—a giant papaya sitting on the snack table like it owned the place. Who brought papaya to a high school party? Probably Tyler's weird health-obsessed mom. Maya reached for a chip instead.

"Hey."

She jumped. Tyler. Right there. His eyes were the color of storm clouds, the kind that crack with lightning without warning.

"Hey," Maya managed, her voice coming out weird. She thought she might actually die.

"You want to see something cool?" Tyler asked.

Before she could answer, he led her to the far side of the yard where a small pond glowed with string lights. He reached into the water and scooped up a goldfish—orange and shimmering, frantically flopping in his cupped hands.

"My sister won these at the fair last summer," Tyler said. "They keep reproducing. It's actually kind of chaotic."

Maya stared at the fish. It looked panicked. She felt panicked.

"Want to hold it?" Tyler asked.

He didn't wait for an answer. He moved her hands—palms up, fingers slightly curled—and transferred the goldfish into her hands. It was cold and slippery and surprisingly heavy.

For three seconds, Maya held this tiny living thing. Its gills fluttered against her skin. Its one good eye stared back at her.

"Make a wish," Tyler said softly.

Maya didn't believe in wishes. But in that moment, with goldfish scales in her palms and lightning bugs flickering around the pond and Tyler way too close, she made one anyway.

She wished she could stay seventeen forever.

"Now quick, before it dies," Tyler said, and she dropped the fish back. It vanished into the dark water like it had never existed.

Maya wiped her hands on her shorts. Her palms were still sweating, but maybe that was okay. Maybe everything was exactly as it should be.