Palm Readings and Pool Parties

Maya's hand trembled as Chen examined her palm, squinting like he'd suddenly developed x-ray vision. The pool party was in full swing behind them—some juniors attempting a human pyramid by the shallow end, already wobbling dangerously on the third tier.

"Your lifeline's kinda short," Chen said, trying to sound mysterious but mostly sounding like he'd watched too many fortune-telling TikToks. "But like, in a cool way."

Maya rolled her eyes, but her stomach did that annoying flip it always did around him lately. "My lifeline is fine, Chen. You're literally just making this up."

"Am not." He traced a line on her palm with his index finger, and Maya's breath hitched. "This means you're gonna do something brave this summer. Something unexpected."

"Like what?"

He shrugged, his crooked grin making her knees weak. "Like finally jumping off the high dive even though you've been scared of it since seventh grade."

Before she could respond—before she could admit he was weirdly right—a commotion erupted by the pool. The human pyramid had collapsed, taking three seniors and an inflatable flamingo down with it. Someone screamed. Then laughed.

But that's when Maya saw it: a sleek gray cat perched on the backyard fence, watching the chaos with what looked distinctly like judgment. The cat locked eyes with her, tail twitching.

"Is that..." she started.

"Yeah, that's Mrs. Gable's cat," Chen said. "Name's Pyramid. Because it sits on fence posts like it's overseeing its kingdom."

The cat—Pyramid—suddenly bolted, leaping from the fence toward the pool deck.

"No!" Maya didn't think. She just moved, lunging forward to grab the cat before it could fall into the water. Her palm stung as she scraped it against the concrete, but she had the cat secure in her arms, its heart pounding against hers.

Chen was staring at her, wide-eyed. "You just—"

"Saved Pyramid," she finished, breathing hard. "Yeah."

"Told you," he said softly. "Something brave."

The pool lights flickered on as twilight settled. Someone put on music. Maya stood there with a judgmental cat in her arms, her palm stinging, Chen looking at her like she'd just hung the moon. And maybe this wasn't the summer she'd expected. But as Chen reached out to gently pet the cat, his shoulder brushing against hers, Maya thought it might be better.