Lightning at Miller's Pond

The humidity hung thick as I stood at the edge of Miller's Pond, watching the popular kids splash around like they owned the water. Swimming had never been my thing—not since the incident in sixth grade when I'd done a belly flop in front of half the school. But here I was, sophomore year, trying to be brave.

"Caleb!" Maya yelled, waving me over. "Get in here!"

My phone buzzed. Mom: Your cat's acting weird again. Probably another phantom pregnancy.

Great. Now I had that to deal with.

I'd been spying on the popular group all year from my spot in AP Bio, watching Maya and her clique like some anthropologist documenting a foreign species. But when Maya had actually invited me to Jake's end-of-summer party, I'd said yes before my brain could process what a terrible idea it was.

The sky turned that weird purple-green color that means trouble.

"Everyone out!" Jake's dad hollered from the back porch. "Storm's coming!"

We scrambled for the pool house, twenty wet teenagers in various states of dress. Maya ended up squished next to me on the old couch, our shoulders touching, her coconut shampoo smell overwhelming everything else.

"So," she said, grinning. "Who were you texting?"

"My cat," I said before I could stop myself. "She's... dramatic."

Lightning cracked, the whole room went white, and Maya grabbed my arm.

"Drama queen cats are the best kind," she said like it was the most normal thing in the world. "My cat stole a whole rotisserie chicken from the counter last week. My mom was livid."

We talked through the thunder, about cats and school and how she'd failed her driving test three times. The spy thing I'd been doing all year—watching from afar, imagining this impenetrable social wall—dissolved with every flash of lightning outside.

When the storm passed, everyone drifted back toward the pond.

"You coming?" Maya asked.

"Maybe," I said. "If you promise not to watch me drown."

She laughed. "Deal."

The cat drama would still be there tomorrow. But tonight, I was done watching from the sidelines.