Palm Reader's Predicament

The iphone buzzed in my pocket like a nervous hornet. Third time from Jordan. Probably wanted his hoodie back—the one I'd "accidentally" kept since October. But tonight wasn't about returning borrowed clothes. Tonight was about surviving Emma's party without making a complete fool of myself.

"You gonna stand by the chips all night or actually talk to people?" Marcus appeared beside me, holding a red solo cup like it was a trophy.

I shrugged. "Working on my approach."

Marcus snorted. "You? The guy who accidentally told Mrs. Henderson her cat looked like it had "seen some stuff" during show-and-tell in fifth grade? You're not exactly known for smooth."

Thanks for reminding me. That cat had looked suspiciously judgmental for a sixth-grade pet, okay?

The front door opened and SHE walked in. Maya. Hair wild, wearing that jacket with the patches everywhere. My stomach did that thing where it forgets how to stomach. She looked like a bear who'd just woken up and decided to own whatever forest she walked into—powerful, slightly dangerous, completely magnetic.

"Dude, your palm is sweating," Marcus whispered.

"It's humid."

"Bro, we're in air conditioning."

Maya moved through the crowd like she had a personal forcefield. People parted. Someone's drink almost tipped. She caught it without breaking stride, handed it back, and kept walking toward us like this was all according to plan.

Then Jordan appeared out of nowhere. His face was doing that thing where you can tell someone's about to say something stupid, and you're powerless to stop it.

"Maya!" Jordan called out. "I bet you don't have the guts to palm-read Vanessa. She keeps bragging about how you're totally fake."

The whole room went quiet. Vanessa, who'd been hanging by the speakers with her friends, suddenly looked very interested in her fingernails.

Maya stopped. She didn't look at Jordan. She looked at me.

"What?" I managed, my voice cracking like I was still thirteen.

"You," she said. "Your hand."

"What about it?"

She grinned, and it was like sunshine breaking through storm clouds. "I'm reading it. Right now. Unless you're scared."

Jordan rolled his eyes. "You're picking the new guy? Seriously?"

"Yeah," Maya said, walking over and grabbing my hand. "Because he doesn't look like he's about to bull his way through everything like some people."

She traced a line on my palm with her thumb. My heart was hammering so hard I was pretty sure everyone could hear it.

"You're going to do something brave tonight," she said softly, just to me. "Trust me."

I looked at Jordan. At Vanessa, smirking by the speakers. At Marcus, giving me a tiny nod.

"Yeah," I said, my voice steady for the first time all night. "Yeah, I think I am."

And for the first time in my life, I didn't care what happened next. I was already busy beginning.