Storm Cloud Skinned Knees

Maya's palms were sweating so much she thought they might short-circuit her phone. Three minutes until the bell rang for lunch, and she still hadn't worked up the nerve to ask Kai to the spring dance. Again.

"You're spiraling," whispered Jazz, her best friend since seventh grade, when they'd bonded over both bringing unnecessarily elaborate bento boxes to cafeteria orientation. "Just ask him. He literally smiled at you when you helped him with that chem lab."

"That was politeness, Jazz. Not a invitation to risk social suicide."

Outside, the sky decided to mirror Maya's internal chaos. Lightning cracked across the clouds like something trying to escape its own atmosphere. The teacher, Mr. Harrison, sighed and opened the windows, letting in the smell of rain and impending doom.

Then Kai turned around.

Maya's brain performed what Jazz called The Thing — where she temporarily lost the ability to function like a normal human being. She managed what she hoped was a casual nod. It probably looked like she was having a small seizure.

Kai's eyes dropped to her desk. "You have some—" He gestured to his own teeth.

Spinach. From lunch. A massive, emerald-green piece of spinach, wedged between her front teeth like it was paying rent.

The universe didn't just want to humble her. It wanted to absolutely destroy her.

But then Kai laughed. Not mean-girl laughter, but actual amusement. And instead of turning away, he leaned closer.

"I had brownie in my braces for like three hours yesterday," he said. "My mom literally had to point it out with a mirror before I left for guitar practice."

Maya's palms stopped sweating.

"So I'm not the only one whose life is a constant series of small humiliations?"

"Dude, my existence is basically one long awkward moment." Kai grinned. "Hey, you wanna grab smoothies after school? There's this place downtown that actually puts real fruit in theirs, not just syrup."

Maya found herself smiling, spinach and all. The lightning outside was already fading, but something else was starting. Something that had nothing to do with storms and everything to do with the way her heart was doing this weird fluttery thing that definitely wasn't panic.

"Yeah," she said. "I'd like that."

The bell rang. Maya grabbed her bag, walked out the door, and didn't check her reflection in the locker mirror. Some firsts were worth the spinach.