Lightning in Palm Springs

Maya's palms were sweating literally dripping as she stood at the edge of the pool party. The whole swim team was there being loud and perfect and she wasn't even on the team yet just trying out next week because she'd moved to this desert town exactly three weeks ago and still felt like a fraud.

"Yo Maya come in the water's actually decent for once" yelled Leo the swim captain who was somehow managing to look hot while dog paddling. Maya clutched her towel tighter. She'd barely spoken two words to him beyond "thanks" when he'd held the door open that one time. Now her brain was playing that moment on loop.

The patio lights flickered. A storm was rolling in off the mountains weird for Palm Springs but the humidity had been building all day.

"Someone call the weather man" joked Sophia from the deep end "we've got actual lightning approaching"

Maya's phone buzzed. Her best friend Jordan from back home: "u got this queen. just remember u swam varsity last year ur not losing ur touch just cuz new school"

She stared at the text. Jordan was right but wrong. Back home she'd been the swim girl. Here she was just the new girl.

"Hey" Leo had pulled himself up onto the deck next to her. Dripping. Now she was staring at his shoulders stop it Maya. "You're Maya right the new transfer I'm Leo"

"Yeah hi" she managed. Her palms were somehow sweating more.

"Coach says you're fast we need that" Leo said it like it was nothing. Like her identity wasn't currently hanging by a thread. "You swimming in the invitational next weekend"

"I think so if I make the roster"

"You will" he said with zero hesitation. "Want a preview of the competition"

He pointed toward the pool where Marcus the obnoxious junior was doing laps but loudly.

"That's Marcus" Leo rolled his eyes. "Total bull when it comes to relay picks talks big but never delivers. You'll smoke him"

Lightning cracked somewhere close and the pool lights went fully dark.

"Everyone out" yelled someone and suddenly it was chaos splashing and laughing in the dark.

Maya felt a hand on her arm. Leo's.

"Storm's passing through" he said standing close in the sudden dark. "We're doing a beach day tomorrow you should come proper team bonding"

The lightning flashed again illuminating his face. He was smiling like he actually meant it.

"Yeah" Maya said and for the first time in three weeks she wasn't faking it. "Yeah I'll be there"

Her phone buzzed again. Jordan: "well??"

Maya typed back grinning: "i think i'm gonna be ok here"