Palm Reads and Zombie Games

Maya dragged her feet through the crowded hallway, feeling like a total zombie after staying up till 3 AM grinding for that Bio exam. Her phone buzzed — group chat blowing up about tonight's party at Tyler's place. "You coming?" asked Jaz, complete with the skull emoji.

"Literally can't," Maya typed back. "Mom's got me on lock." The truth? She wasn't feeling it. The social battery was at 1%.

At lunch, Sasha slid into the seat across from her, dropping a tiny bottle onto Maya's tray. "Vitamin D drops," she said, lowering her voice. "My brother says they're supposed to help with energy. But honestly? I think they're just placebos."

Maya twisted the cap open and downed one. "Thanks. I'm literally running on fumes."

"You know what else helps?" Sasha wiggled her eyebrows. "Sarah's doing palm readings at the carnival Saturday. Supposedly she predicted Kelsey's breakup before it happened."

Maya snorted. "Yeah, right."

"I'm serious! She read my palm last week and told me I'd meet someone important. And then?" Sasha paused dramatically. "I literally ran into Mr. Harrison in the hall and he's letting me redo my History essay."

"Okay, that's actually kind ofcredible," Maya admitted.

"So come! It'll be fun. Plus, maybe she'll see something about you-know-who." Sasha nodded toward where Lucas sat with his friends, laughing at something on his phone.

Maya's palms started sweating. Lucas. The guy she'd been lowkey obsessed with since September. The one she'd literally never spoken to besides "excuse me" in the hallway last week.

"Fine," Maya said. "But I swear if she tells me I'm gonna die alone, I'm blaming you."

The carnival lights flickered against the dark sky Saturday. Maya and Sasha pushed through the crowd toward the fortune teller booth, where Sarah sat with a crystal ball that was definitely from Target.

"Next!" Sarah called out, her eyes lighting up when she saw them. "Ooh, guests!"

Maya sat down and extended her hand, heart pounding.

Sarah traced the lines on Maya's palm with surprising gentleness. "You've been carrying a lot lately," she said softly. "School pressure, expectations... you're tired. Like, soul tired."

Maya blinked. How did she know?

"But." Sarah's finger tapped the center of Maya's palm. "See this line? It's not straight. It curves toward your creativity. There's something you're meant to do that you haven't found yet. Something that'll make you feel alive again."

She looked up, meeting Maya's eyes. "Also? Someone's watching you right now. Someone who's been waiting for the right moment."

Maya followed Sarah's gaze and saw Lucas standing near the popcorn stand, looking in their direction. He raised his hand slightly.

The vitamin D drops might've been placebos. The palm reading might've been nonsense. But for the first time in months, Maya didn't feel like a zombie anymore.

She stood up. "I'll be right back," she told Sasha, and started walking toward Lucas.

Sometimes, she thought, the universe gives you exactly what you need — even if it comes in the weirdest packages.