Palm Reads and Baseball Games

Maya's palm was sweating so much she could practically water plants with it. Which would've been cool, if she wasn't clutching a crumbling orange slice while hovering at the edge of the baseball diamond.

"You're literally spiraling," Jordan said, nudging her shoulder. "Just because you're going to talk to Skylar doesn't mean you need to short-circuit."

Easy for Jordan to say. Jordan was the type of friend who could waltz up to anyone and start a conversation like they'd known each other since kindergarten. Meanwhile, Maya's entire personality could be summed up as 'good at disappearing into the background.'

The baseball practice was winding down, players scattering like someone had dropped a water balloon on an anthill. Skylar — who Maya had been lowkey obsessed with since seventh grade homeroom — was grabbing their gear bag near the backstop.

"Okay, new plan," Jordan announced. "I read this palm reading tutorial on TikTok last night. Let me see your hand." Before Maya could protest, Jordan grabbed her damp hand and traced invisible lines across her palm. "See this life line? It says you're about to make a move. And this heart line? Definitely says something about being brave today."

"That's not even how that works," Maya protested, but her heart was doing that thing where it felt like it was trying to escape through her throat.

"Baseball fields are literally the perfect setting for rom-com moments," Jordan continued, gesturing expansively. "The sunset's all orange and pretty, there's that whole sports aesthetic happening, and you're finally going to talk to them instead of just staring from across the cafeteria like a normal person."

Maya took a breath so deep she practically inhaled the orange slice. "You're the worst."

"I'm the best. Now go before I have to push you."

So Maya went. And it wasn't some cinematic moment. She basically tripped over her own feet, Skylar laughed in a nice way, and somehow they ended up making plans to study for the bio test together. Not exactly movie material, but Maya's palm stopped sweating, and Jordan claimed full credit from the bleachers like the chaotic best friend they were.

Some things change. Some things — like Jordan making everything into A Thing and Maya's nervous energy — stay exactly the same. And that was kind of perfect, actually.