Lightning in a Vitamin Bottle

Maya's iPhone buzzed in her pocket like an angry hornet, but she ignored it. The sophomore party was already giving her anxiety, and checking her phone would only remind her that she'd rather be literally anywhere else.

"You gonna drink that or what?" Tyler leaned against the kitchen counter, red solo cup in hand, his signature smirk firmly in place.

Maya looked at the suspicious-looking punch. "That's bull, Tyler. I saw you pour Everclear into it like five minutes ago."

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes. "You're so basic sometimes. Just live a little."

Before she could respond, the back door flew open and Jordan burst in, rain-soaked and grinning like she'd just won the lottery. "Y'all, the storm is INSANE!"

A crash of thunder shook the house, and Maya felt something shift in her chest. Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was Tyler's attitude, or maybe it was just that she was tired of pretending to be someone she wasn't.

She pulled her iPhone from her pocket and opened the family group chat. Her mom's last message was from noon: "Don't forget your vitamin D supplement, sweetie!"

Maya stared at it for a second. Then she typed: "Can you pick me up? Like, now?"

"What are you doing?" Tyler asked, watching her.

"Living my life," Maya said, grabbing her jacket from the couch. "Which apparently doesn't include drinking your nasty punch or pretending your BS is cool."

Lightning flashed through the window, illuminating Jordan's shocked expression and Tyler's dropped jaw. For the first time all night, Maya felt powerful.

"You're leaving?" Tyler called after her. "Because of a vitamin text?"

"No," Maya said, stepping out into the rain-soaked night. "Because I'm done pretending. And my mom's minivan is way cooler than this party anyway."

She walked toward the street, headlamps cutting through the storm, and smiled. Some nights you drink the punch. Some nights you call out the bull. And some nights, you choose yourself.