Sweaty Palms & Dead Battery

Maya's palms were sweating so bad she could practically water plants with them. Which was ridiculous, honestly, because it was just Jordan's pool party. The same Jordan she'd known since seventh grade. The same Jordan who'd somehow transformed from a gangly kid into... well, whatever Jordan was now.

"You good?" Marcus asked, plopping beside her on the lounge chair. "You look like you're about to puke."

"I'm fine," Maya lied, wiping her palms on her shorts. "Just... nervous."

"About Jordan?" Marcus grinned. "Bro, everyone knows you like them. Just talk to them like a normal person."

Easy for him to say. Marcus wasn't the one who'd spent three hours straightening his hair and picking an outfit that said 'effortlessly cool' instead of 'I tried way too hard.'

Then her phone buzzed. One percent. The universe had a terrible sense of timing.

"You have to be kidding me." Maya frantically patted her pockets. "I forgot my charging cable at home."

"Borrow someone's?"

"Yeah, because asking to borrow a charger is totally normal and not awkward at all." Maya groaned. "This is fine. Everything is fine."

Jordan's family's golden retriever, Buster, chose that exact moment to shake his wet fur directly onto Maya's towel. Because of course he did.

"Buster, no!" Jordan rushed over, looking unfairly good in their swim trunks. "Sorry, he's... enthusiastic."

"It's cool," Maya said, her voice coming out weird. Smooth. Real smooth.

"Hey, your phone died?" Jordan fished in their beach bag. "I have a spare cable if you need it. My mom makes me carry everything – first aid kit, sunscreen, vitamin D gummies because apparently I 'don't get enough sun' even though I'm literally at the pool every day..." Jordan rolled their eyes, smiling.

Maya's heart did something embarrassing. "That would be amazing, actually."

"Cool." Jordan sat beside her, close enough that Maya could smell their coconut sunscreen. "So, Marcus told me you're trying out for the fall play?"

"Yeah. Musical. I'm terrified of auditions."

"You'll kill it," Jordan said simply. Like they actually believed it.

Buster settled between them, resting his head on Maya's leg. Jordan's hand brushed hers when reaching to pet him. Neither pulled away.

"Hey," Jordan said softly. "After you charge your phone... want to go get ice cream? Just us?"

Maya's palms stopped sweating. "Yeah. I'd like that."

The universe wasn't so terrible after all.