Palm Sweat and Sprint

Maya's palm was sweating so much she was practically leaving puddles on Jordan's kitchen counter. Which would've been fine, except her hand was currently resting maybe two inches from Kai's.

"So," Kai said, leaning against the island like he belonged in a music video. "You doing anything later?"

Maya's brain did that thing where it white-screened. Complete system failure. She'd been crushing on Kai since seventh grade, and now here he was, at Jordan's party, actually talking to her. Her throat felt like she'd swallowed sandpaper.

Across the room, her best friend Riley was doing that thing with her eyebrows—the "help me" face that meant she needed Maya to come rescue her from whatever rando was currently explaining his NFT collection. Riley could handle herself, but Maya knew the code. They'd developed it freshman year during a period when parties felt like social minefields instead of, like, normal Friday nights.

Kai was still waiting. Maya's heart was doing something genuinely concerning.

"I—"

"Maya!" Riley appeared behind Kai like a ghost, grabbing her arm. "Emergency. Outside. NOW."

The relief was so intense Maya almost blacked out. She let Riley drag her through the sliding glass door, past the pool, into the cool October air. They kept going until they reached the sidewalk, Riley practically power-walking, Maya stumbling behind her.

"Dude," Riley said finally, bending over like she'd just run a marathon. "That was excruciating."

"Kai was literally about to ask me out."

"He was NOT," Riley straightened up, grinning. "He was definitely about to ask you to help him find his vape. He lost it, like, ten minutes ago."

Maya stared at her. "Seriously?"

"I saved your LIFE. You owe me forever." Riley bumped her shoulder against Maya's. "Also, Tyler's out here and he's actually talking about anime instead of himself, which is basically a miracle."

They stood there for a moment, the party music thumping through Jordan's walls, palm fronds overhead swaying in the breeze. Maya's heart rate was finally slowing down.

"You're a really good friend," she said.

Riley snorted. "I'm a terrible friend. I live for drama. But I'm YOUR terrible friend."

Maya laughed so hard she had to wipe actual tears from her face. Her palm was still sweaty, but suddenly it didn't matter. Some things were better than potential romance. Like having someone who knew exactly when to rescue you from yourself.

"Race you back," Riley said, already taking off.

Maya groaned but started running anyway.