Neon Lightning

The party was already lit when Maya arrived, clutching her solo cup like it was some kind of shield. The kitchen thumped with bass that vibrated in her chest, and everywhere she looked, people were moving through the haze of colored lights like they'd been doing this forever — unlike her, who had to Google 'what do teenagers do at parties' before leaving her house.

She grabbed a seat at the island, next to a bowl of bright orange chips that looked radioactive under the blacklights. That's when she noticed him.

Bear — everyone called him that because he'd shown up to school freshman year in a hoodie with a bear on it and it just stuck — was standing in the corner, looking like he'd rather be literally anywhere else. Maya had had a crush on him since October, when they'd been partners in chemistry and he'd made her laugh so hard she'd almost spilled hydrochloric acid on their lab report.

'You look like you're conducting a covert operation,' she said, sliding over.

He jumped. 'Oh. Hey. Just... observing.' He gestured vaguely at the crowd. 'From a tactical vantage point.'

Maya laughed. 'So you're like, what? A party spy? Gathering intel on who's hooking up in the bathroom?'

'Maybe.' Bear's eyes crinkled. 'Current findings: Jordan and Taylor are definitely going to break up by midnight, and someone already puked in the laundry room sink.'

'So useful. Your spy skills are unmatched.'

They fell into conversation like they'd been talking for hours, and the noise of the party faded into the background. Bear made fun of her orange chip consumption ('you're going to turn into a Cheeto, Maya') and she roasted his 'covert operations' vibe. For the first time all night, she wasn't overthinking every breath, every movement, wondering if she was doing this whole social thing right.

Then lightning flashed through the sliding glass doors, followed instantly by thunder that shook the house. The music cut. Someone screamed. The power died, plunging them into darkness.

'Maya?' Bear's voice came from close by. 'You okay?'

Her heart was pounding, but not from the storm. 'Yeah. You?'

'Fine.' A pause. 'This is probably weird timing, but I was gonna ask if you wanted to hang out sometime. Outside of a party. Without the tactical surveillance.'

Even in the dark, she was smiling. 'I'd like that, Bear.'

The lights flickered back on. His hair was messy, his cheeks flushed. He looked perfect. 'Cool,' he said. 'Cool cool cool.'

Maya grabbed another orange chip. Maybe parties weren't so bad after all.