Palm Readings & Goldfish Dreams

Maya's first real house party. The kind where someone's parents are actually out of town and the whole grade shows up. She stood in the corner of the kitchen, clutching a red solo cup like it was a lifeline, watching the golden retriever (the host's family's dog) weave through legs with practiced party-crasher skills. That dog had better social skills than she did.

"You look like you're contemplating murder."

Maya jumped. Chase, the guy she'd been lowkey obsessed with since algebra, was suddenly right there. His hair was that perfect messy that probably took twenty minutes.

"Just... observing," she managed. Her palms were sweating. Why were her palms always sweating at the worst times?

"Cool. Wanna do something more fun than observing?" He gestured toward the living room, where a crowd had gathered around Lisa, who was apparently doing palm readings now. "She thinks she's psychic or something. It's ridiculous but entertaining."

Maya followed him, heart doing that thing where it forgot how to beat normally. They sat on the floor across from each other while Lisa dramatically traced lines on people's hands and made up fortunes.

"Your turn," Chase said, extending his hand toward Maya. "Let me see."

She hesitated, then placed her palm in his. His fingers were warm, slightly calloused from lacrosse. She tried not to overthink the contact.

"Hmm," Chase said, squinting dramatically. "I see... you're going to have a very interesting summer."

"That's it?"

"Also, you're destined to save a goldfish from certain death."

Maya laughed. "What?"

He pointed toward the hallway. The family's pet goldfish sat on a side table, its bowl dangerously close to the edge. Every time someone walked past, the water sloshed.

"It's been stressing me out all night," Chase admitted. "Someone's gonna knock it over."

Without thinking, Maya stood and moved the bowl to a safer spot. When she turned back, Chase was watching her with this expression she couldn't read.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing." He grinned. "Just... you're actually the kind of person who would save a goldfish."

She sat back down, palm still tingling from where he'd touched it. Maybe this party wouldn't be so bad after all. Maybe some risks were worth taking.

The dog chose that moment to flop down between them, resting its head on Maya's knee. Chase laughed, and for the first time all night, Maya didn't feel like an imposter. She felt like someone who belonged.

"So," Chase said. "Since you saved the fish, you think you might want to hang out this summer? Like, intentionally?"

Maya smiled. The goldfish swam lazily in its bowl, completely unaware it had just become a wingman. "Yeah," she said. "I think I'd like that."