Poolside Palm Prophecies

The humidity in Maya's backyard pool clung to my skin like second-day text message anxiety. I'd been staring at the patio tiles for twenty minutes while everyone else splashed around like they hadn't a care in the world.

"You're literally vibrating," said Jordan, dripping pool water onto my shoulder. "Just talk to him already."

"I can't. Every time I try, my brain goes offline like bad cable."

Jordan rolled their eyes. "Okay, new plan. I learned palm reading from YouTube. Come here."

They grabbed my hand, tracing lines across my palm with wet fingers. "This tiny one? That's your courage line. It's literally microscopic."

"Shut up." I laughed despite myself.

"But this" — Jordan tapped a longer crease — "this is your chaos line. And something huge is happening right now."

Across the pool, Lucas climbed out of the water, droplets sliding down his arms like he'd been dipped in starlight. Our eyes caught for half a second before my stomach did something unprofessional.

"See?" Jordan whispered. "Prophecy fulfilled."

"That's not how palm reading works."

"It's not how anything works. We're all just guessing."

The cable-knit sweater I'd brought over my swimsuit (because apparently I'm allergic to being normal) suddenly felt ridiculous. But Lucas was walking over, and Jordan was giving me that look that said this was happening whether I was ready or not.

"Hey." Lucas's voice sounded different up close. "Cool party."

"Yeah," I managed. "Maya's mom ordered way too much pizza."

"Smooth," Jordan muttered behind me.

Lucas laughed, and something in my chest unwound. "Wanna get some before it's gone?"

I looked at my palm, where invisible lines supposedly held my future. Then I looked at Lucas, who was already walking toward the house.

"Sure," I said, following.

Behind me, I heard Jordan say to someone, "I told you. I'm basically psychic now."

The pool water rippled behind me as I stepped away from the edge, and for the first time all night, I wasn't thinking about how to be cool. I was just walking toward pizza and possibility, and somehow that was enough.