Lightning in a Water Bottle

Leo's hands shook as he stood in front of the bathroom mirror, clutching the emergency **vitamin** C packet he'd swiped from his mom's purse. His first real house party. The one where Jasmine would actually be there. The one that mattered.

"You good in there?" Marcus called through the door. "You've been forever."

"Coming!" Leo choked down the supplement, willing confidence to manifest. It was just a **friend** thing, Marcus had said. Just hanging. But Leo's chest felt like it contained a thunderstorm.

The party hit him like **lightning** — flashing lights, bass vibrating through the floor, bodies everywhere. Jasmine by the snacks, looking effortless in that way that made his tongue tangle. He started toward her, but then he saw Tyler.

Tyler was everything Leo wasn't: loud, confident, completely full of **bull**. And Tyler was talking to Jasmine, leaning in too close, hand touching her arm like he had rights.

Leo's stomach twisted. He should say something. Do something. Instead, he grabbed a mysterious bottle from the counter and chugged it, desperate liquid courage.

"Dude," Marcus appeared beside him. "That was pure grain alcohol. You okay?"

The room started spinning. Not spinning — streaking. Everything had edges now, sharp and brilliant. He could hear individual conversations, see dust motes dancing in the strobe lights, feel the music in his teeth. His shyness evaporated like water on hot pavement.

Leo marched over to Jasmine and Tyler."

"Tyler's just telling me about his football scholarship," Jasmine said, eyes bright with amusement.

"Cool," Leo heard himself say. "Did he mention he quit the team last week?"

Silence. Tyler's face fell. Jasmine's eyes widened, then she laughed — this genuine sound that made Leo's chest expand.

"You're impossible," she said, and they talked for twenty minutes straight while Tyler stewed.

Later, Marcus found him on the porch. "What did they give you?"

Leo looked at his empty hand. "Think I accidentally took something else."

"Bro, that wasn't vitamins."

"Yeah," Leo watched Jasmine through the window. "But I don't think I needed them anyway."