Static Cling

Maya's first day at Juice & Java wasn't supposed to be a complete disaster, but there she was—wearing the company apron backwards while her trainer Kai watched with what she hoped wasn't amusement.

"No worries," Kai said, already fluent in customer service voice. "Everyone struggles at first."

He showed her how to pack the spinach into the blender without jamming it. "The secret is tamping it down," he said, demonstrating with what Maya noticed were really nice hands. She felt her own palms get sweaty, which was ridiculous because she was here to work, not to notice her trainer's hands or the way his hair curled slightly at the ends.

"Each smoothie has a different vitamin booster," Kai continued, like this was normal information that normal people memorized. "A for energy, C for immunity, D for—"

"Wait," Maya interrupted. "Since when did I sign up to be a nutritionist?"

Kai actually laughed. "Point taken. But customers WILL ask you what's good for their skin or whatever. My first week, I told someone wheatgrass could cure their breakup."

Maya grinned. "Did they come back?"

"Every day for a month." Kai checked his phone. "Crap. My charging cable is dead. Can I borrow yours for a sec?"

"Yeah, sure." Maya fished through her backpack, her fingers brushing against old gum wrappers and homework she'd somehow forgotten to turn in. When she finally produced the cable, their hands touched for approximately one millisecond—barely anything at all, really—but Maya felt something like static electricity everywhere.

Outside, the sky chose that exact moment to crack open. Lightning flashed across the ceiling of the shop, illuminating everything in harsh white light.

"Whoa," someone said from the line of customers. "Mother Nature's having a moment."

The power flickered. Died. The blender stopped mid-spin, leaving Maya's spinach smoothie half-blended and looking regrettable.

"Well," Kai said into the sudden quiet. "This is awkward."

Maya looked at the disaster of a drink, then at the darkened shop, then at Kai, who was somehow still smiling like this was all part of the plan. Something in her chest loosened—the tight knot of anxiety she'd been carrying around since she moved here, since her parents split, since she became the new girl again and again and again.

"Actually," she said, surprised by her own voice, "this kind of rocks."

"Yeah?" Kai's smile widened. "You think being trapped in a dark smoothie shop with a stranger rocks?"

"I don't think you're a stranger anymore," Maya said, and then immediately wanted to evaporate. That was too much. Too real. Too soon.

But Kai just nodded, thoughtful. "Fair. And for what it's worth? You're going to be good at this."

Outside, rain poured down like it was trying to wash away the awkwardness. Inside, Maya's phone finally died, its black screen reflecting her own surprised expression back at her.

"Okay then," she said. "What now?"

Kai reached into his pocket and pulled out a deck of cards. "I know card tricks. Prepare to be mildly impressed."

Maya laughed, and something settled into place—the feeling that maybe, just maybe, she'd actually found a place where she belonged, spinach disasters and all.