Palm Reader's Friday Night

The cafeteria noise hit like a physical wave. Maya gripped her tray, palms sweating, scanning for somewhere to sit. Anywhere.

"Hey, palm reader!" shouted Ryan from the jock table. He grabbed her hand, turning it over dramatically. "Ooh, I see... loneliness in your future!"

Everyone laughed. Maya yanked her hand back, face burning. She'd made the mistake of reading tarot at lunch once. Now she was the resident fortune-telling freak.

She escaped outside, sitting behind the gym near the old oak tree. That's when she saw it — a scrawny calico cat, ribs showing, eyeing her with suspicion.

"Hey," Maya whispered, pulling a half-eaten tuna sandwich from her bag. "You look like you're having a worse day than me."

The cat inched closer, wary but hungry. Maya extended her hand, palm up. The cat sniffed, then — miracle — nudged her palm with a rough tongue. A weird ache hit her chest. This cat trusted her more than any person at this school.

"Maya?"

She jumped. A girl from her English class stood there — Jordan, the quiet one who sat in back. Jordan was watching the cat with soft eyes.

"Is that... is that the stray from the neighborhood?" Jordan asked. "I've been trying to catch him for weeks. He's super skittish."

"He likes tuna," Maya said. "And he let me pet him."

Jordan sat down, careful not to spook the cat. "That's actually kind of amazing. He won't go near anyone."

They sat in comfortable silence, watching the cat devour the sandwich. Maya noticed Jordan's chipped nail polish, the way she picked at her sleeves — nervous habits, like hers.

"You do tarot, right?" Jordan asked suddenly. "Can I ask you something?"

Maya waited for the mockery. Instead, Jordan held out her hand, palm up.

"I keep having this dream about falling," Jordan said. "Does that mean something?"

Maya looked at the palm extended to her — trust offered. She thought about what to say, then decided to be honest.

"I don't actually know how to read palms," she admitted. "I just like the aesthetic."

Jordan blinked, then laughed. "Oh my god, SAME. I just want something to believe in, you know?"

The cat finished eating and curled into Jordan's lap like he belonged there.

"He chose you," Maya said, smiling despite herself.

"We should both come back tomorrow," Jordan said. "With more tuna. And maybe... we could sit together at lunch on Monday? If you want."

The bell rang. They stood up, and for the first time since moving here, Maya didn't dread walking back inside.

"It's a date," she said.

Behind them, the cat closed his eyes, perfectly at home.