Stormy Palms and Saturday Nights

My palms were sweating like I'd just run a marathon, but really I was just standing in Jordan's kitchen holding a red Solo cup I had no intention of drinking from. This was it — my first actual high school house party, and I was approximately 47 seconds away from bailing.

"You good, Maya?" Jordan appeared beside me, looking annoyingly comfortable in his own element. "You look like you're about to puke."

"I'm solid," I lied, wiping my palms on my jeans. "Totally chill. Just vibing."

Outside, the sky cracked open. Literally. Lightning flashed across the windows like someone had taken a picture of my anxiety.

"Whoa," Jordan said. "That was close."

And then chaos erupted. Jordan's cat, a judgmental orange tabby named Cheeto who'd been watching us from atop the refrigerator, decided that was his moment. He leaped down, bolted through someone's legs, and sent a plate of nachos flying across the room.

"CHEETO!" Jordan yelled.

The cat scrambled up the curtains, clawing his way to the top while half the party tried to help and the other half filmed it for their stories. I found myself moving without thinking, grabbing a chair and climbing up to reach him.

"Hey buddy," I said softly, holding out my hand. Cheeto hissed, then — and I swear this happened in slow motion — lightning struck so close that the whole house shook. The cat practically launched himself into my arms.

I climbed down, Cheeto clinging to my shirt like a koala, to find like thirty people staring at me.

"Did you seriously just rescue my cat during a thunderstorm?" Jordan asked, grinning.

"I mean," I said, suddenly hyper-aware that everyone was watching me, "someone had to."

"Maya," Jordan said, throwing an arm around my shoulders, "you are absolutely not boring."

Someone started clapping. Then someone else. By the end of the night, I'd made three new friends, gotten invited to another party, and learned that sometimes the stuff that makes you want to bail becomes the exact reason you stay.

Also, Cheeto apparently decided I was his person now. He slept on my chest all night like I was his personal mattress. I'd take it.