Poolside Lightning Strike

Maya's frizzy hair was doing that thing it always did when she stressed—puffing out like she'd stuck her finger in an electrical socket. Which was ironic, considering the actual lightning crackling across the sky beyond the sliding glass doors.

"Pool party's still on," Chloe said, eyes glued to her iPhone screen, thumbs flying. "Jordan just posted that the storm's supposed to miss us."

Maya swallowed hard. This was it—the first party of freshman year, and she'd been crushing on Jordan since seventh grade science when they'd paired up for that volcano project. His hair had been shorter then, falling in his eyes when he concentrated.

Now Jordan was out there swimming with half the grade, while Maya stood paralyzed inside clutching her towel like a lifeline. Her phone buzzed. Jordan had posted a new Instagram story—him doing a cannonball, captioned "someone come in!!1!"

Her heart did that annoying flutter thing. This was her moment. Either she got out there or spent the rest of high school as the girl who stood on the sidelines.

Outside, the air felt heavy and electric. Thunder rumbled closer. Someone squealed. Maya's flip-flops slapped against the concrete as she made her way to the pool's edge, every step feeling like running toward something she couldn't name.

Jordan surfaced, shaking water from his hair. "Maya! Finally!" He grinned, and her stomach did a backflip. "We were just about to play Sharks and Minnows. You're it."

"What?"

"You heard me." He splashed water at her. "Better start swimming."

A drop of rain hit her shoulder. Then another. Lightning flashed closer, illuminating Jordan's smile in that weird flash-freeze way that made everything look suspended in time.

Maya jumped in.

The water was perfect, the chaos of splashing bodies and laughter washing away her anxiety like it never existed. She was actually doing it—she was here, she was part of it, Jordan was laughing at something she said, and for the first time in forever, her hair was the last thing on her mind.

"Everyone out!" Chloe's mom called from the patio. "Storm's here!"

They scrambled out, grabbing towels and phones, everyone talking over everyone else. As Maya huddled under the patio umbrella waiting for her ride, Jordan squeezed onto the bench beside her.

"You're pretty good at Sharks and Minnows," he said, bumping her shoulder with his.

She smiled so hard her face hurt. "Beginner's luck."

His phone buzzed. "Hey, you want my number? In case we ever finish the game?"

Lightning streaked across the sky again, but Maya couldn't look away from Jordan's phone screen as he typed his number into her contacts. Some moments were worth getting struck for.