Static in My Palm

Maya's hand wouldn't stop shaking.

She stood outside Jordan's house at 11:47 PM, phone clutched so tight her **palm** sweated through her case. The house lights were dark except for a faint blue glow from the basement window — Jordan's room. Maya had practiced this moment approximately seven thousand times in her mirror, but now that she was actually here, every rehearsed line felt like ancient garbage.

"You got this," she whispered. "You're Maya Chen, you literally carried academic team to regionals, you can tell one boy you like him."

Her phone buzzed. Heart attack immediately.

BECKY: u coming??? chloe already posted her and jason kissing on her story

MAYA: i'm literally outside rn i think i'm gonna throw up

BECKY: GIRL. you've had a crush on him since 7th grade. this is FINALS. do NOT fold

Maya took a breath. Another. The summer air pressed against her skin, heavy and still. Then she saw it — a flash of **lightning** splitting the sky, purple and electric, illuminating everything for one split second. Like the universe was giving her a sign.

Or maybe just telling her to gtfo before the storm hit.

Something moved near the bushes. A scream died in her throat.

It was a **cat**. This calico monstrosity that Maya recognized immediately as Mrs. Henderson's infamous escape artist, Pancake. The cat stared at her with judgment in its eyes, like *girl, you are being SO weird right now.*

"You're right," Maya told the cat. "This is ridiculous. I'm being dramatic. This is —"

The basement door swung open. Jordan stood there in basketball shorts and that stupid sweatshirt he always wore, looking at Maya like she'd grown three heads.

"Maya?" He grinned, and her stomach performed a full gymnastics routine. "Is that... Pancake?"

The cat bolted between Jordan's legs and into his house.

"DUDE." Maya's brain短-circuited. "I mean — hey. Sorry, I was just... your cat... Mrs. Henderson's cat... I was returning..."

"You drove here at midnight to return my neighbor's cat?" Jordan was laughing now, leaning against the doorframe. Everything about this was a disaster.

"I have to go." Maya turned to flee.

"Wait." Jordan's voice softened. "You wanna come in? I was just about to rewatch Demon Slayer. Becky said you might stop by."

Maya froze. Becky. That traitor.

"She what now"

"She texted me like an hour ago." Jordan's face went kind of red. "Said someone had been crushing on me forever but was too scared to say anything. I was hoping it was you."

The **lightning** flashed again. This time, Maya didn't look away.