Lightning in Our Palms

Maya's palms were sweating so bad she could practically water plants with them. She clutched her phone like a lifeline, leaning against the wall at Jessica's house party while everyone else seemed to effortlessly exist in groups of four or five.

"You look like you're expecting a text from the president," said Ryan, sliding up next to her with a red cup. He had that annoying cute thing going on where he was hot but knew it.

"Ha, yeah right." Maya wiped her hands on her jeans. "Just... waiting for my friend to respond. We were supposed to FaceTime."

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Long distance situation?"

"Something like that." Maya gestured vaguely at the ceiling. "The cable's been weird since the storm started. Everything's lagging."

Outside, lightning cracked across the sky, illuminating Ryan's surprised face through the sliding glass doors. Everyone oohed dramatically like they hadn't seen thunderstorms literally every summer in Florida.

"So," Ryan said, leaning closer, "who's this friend that's got you hiding in the corner at a raging party?"

Maya's phone buzzed. Not a text—the actual vibration felt like electricity shooting up her arm. Her heart did that stupid fluttery thing that definitely meant nothing except that she was statistically doomed.

"Nobody," she said, but her thumb was already unlocking the screen.

The message was simple: *come outside.*

Maya slipped out the back door into the humid night air, palms tingling with something that wasn't anxiety anymore. Lightning flashed again, and there—standing under a swaying palm tree like she'd manifested from Maya's overthinking—was Chloe.

"You came out," Chloe said, grinning. "I thought you'd chicken out."

"Me too." Maya laughed, breathless. "But when you know, you know."

Chloe reached out, and their palms met like static electricity finally grounding—fierce, impossible, and absolutely terrifying.

"So," Chloe whispered as another lightning bolt split the sky. "Wanna get out of here?"

Maya didn't even look back at the house. "Yeah. Let's bounce."