Static & Scales

Maya stared at her reflection, applying lip gloss for the third time. Tonight was it — the night she'd finally make her move on Tyler at Jordan's party. Her cat, Mochi, batted at her wrist with orange-pawed precision.

"Not helping, dude," she muttered, smoothing her skirt. Her phone buzzed — Alex, her ride.

"You ready?" Alex's text read. "This party's gonna be 🔥"

Maya grabbed her jacket and headed out, stomach doing that familiar pre-party flip-flop. Tyler would be there. Tyler, with his dumb perfect hair and the way he looked at her in chem lab like she was actually interesting.

At Jordan's, the bass vibrated through the floorboards. Maya spotted Tyler immediately — near the kitchen, laughing with his friends. Her heart did this stupid little skip thing.

She moved closer, planning to slide in naturally, maybe say something chill like "hey, what's up?" or "wild party, right?" Casual. Effortless.

Then Jordan's little brother sprinted past holding a bowl.

"Look at my new goldfish!" he shouted, triumphant.

Time seemed to slow. Maya tried to sidestep, but her Doc Martens betrayed her. The bowl connected with her elbow.

SPLASH.

Goldfish — two of them, actually — launched through the air in a glittery arc. One landed directly on Tyler's chest. The other found its way into the open pocket of Maya's jacket.

The whole room went silent. Tyler stared at the fish currently slapping against his shirt. Maya stared at the wriggling lump in her pocket.

"I... that was my brother's pet!" Jordan's brother wailed.

Maya's face burned. She needed to disappear. Like, actually needed to vanish from existence.

Then lightning flashed outside. The power died. Pitch black.

Maya grabbed the opportunity. She bolted for the back door, fish still in pocket, because apparently this was her life now.

Cold rain soaked her as she speed-walked toward Alex's car, tears mixing with rain. This was it. Her social life, over before it really began. She'd be "the goldfish girl" forever.

"Maya!"

She turned. Tyler stood there, soaked, holding something small and cupped in his hands.

"You forgot one," he said, breathless. And then, because the universe hadn't tortured her enough: "Also, that was kind of epic."

She blinked. "Epic?"

"Dude, you took out a fish with ninja reflexes." He grinned, and oh no, he was even cuter wet and miserable. "Want me to help you find them a bowl?"

Maya stared at him, then at the goldfish swimming in Tyler's cupped palms. Maybe she wasn't invisible. Maybe she was just memorable.

"Yeah," she said, feeling something warm beneath her embarrassment. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Outside, lightning flashed again. Bright, electric, impossible.

Perfect.