Strike First, Think Never

Jax's heart was doing that **lightning** thing again—fast strikes against her ribs, random and electric. She smoothed her vintage band tee for the third time, checked her reflection in the darkened window of the 7-Eleven. This was it. Her first house party. Her chance to finally exist outside the margins.

"You got this," Kai said, reading her mind. They'd been best friends since sixth grade, when Kai had moved here from Tokyo and Jax had been the only one to actually learn how to pronounce their name correctly. "You're not gonna die. You might want to, but you won't literally die."

"Thanks, that's so comforting," Jax deadpanned, but she was already grinning. That was Kai—always knowing exactly what terrible thing to say to make everything feel slightly less terrible.

Inside, the bass hit her chest like physical force. Someone's older brother's house, apparently. The air smelled like cheap body spray and something sweet, maybe spilled juice. Jax gripped her red Solo cup like it was a lifeline.

"Oh my GOD, did you see Maya's post?" someone squealed near the kitchen. "Total **bull**. There's no way she's actually dating him."

Jax exchanged a look with Kai. Social warfare, episode 472.

Then she saw them. Harper. Leaning against the doorframe to the backyard, all effortless cool in that oversized jacket that made Jax's stomach do something complicated and embarrassing. Harper was like—**fox** energy, you know? Clever and gorgeous and slightly unattainable, like they knew something everyone else didn't.

"Go talk to them," Kai whispered, shoving her forward.

"I can't just—"

"Yes you can. I believe in you. Also if you don't, I'm telling everyone you cried watching that sad cat video yesterday."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

Jax's **palm**s were sweating. This was fine. Everything was fine. She made her way across the room, dodging a couple making out against the wall and someone who looked like they might throw up.

"Hey," Harper said, before Jax could even open her mouth. Their eyes were that amber color, like **orange** soda in sunlight. "You're in my English class, right?"

Jax's brain short-circuited. "Uh. Yeah. I sit by the window."

"I know," Harper said, and they were smiling now, actually smiling, not just being polite. "I see you reading during Mr. Henderson's lectures. What was that book today? The one with the blue cover?"

And just like that, they were talking. Not just talking—actually talking. About books, about how they both hated that the school had blocked Spotify, about Harper's weird obsession with vintage typewriters. Jax's heart was still doing the lightning thing, but now it felt different. Less like panic, more like possibility.

"You should come over sometime," Harper said, like it was nothing. "I have this typewriter collection. My mom thinks I'm hoarding, but whatever."

"I'd like that," Jax said, and she realized she was smiling so hard her face hurt.

Outside, actual lightning split the sky, followed immediately by thunder that shook the house.

"We should probably move away from the door," Harper said, but they were still smiling at Jax like she was something worth noticing.

Jax pulled out her phone later, hands still shaking a little as she typed her number into Harper's contacts. Kai materialized beside her, looking like they'd just won the lottery.

"So..." Kai raised their eyebrows. "How was it?"

Jax looked across the room, where Harper was already watching her, grinning. "Actually kind of perfect."