Sweaty Palms & Fake Numbers

My palms were literally dripping. Not cute-dewy-glisten dripping, but actual nervous-sweat dripping onto my favorite ripped jeans.

"You got this, Maya," I whispered to myself, staring at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. The iphone clutched in my hand kept lighting up with texts from Chloe — *u coming?? jake's here rn* — but I couldn't move my feet.

Outside, Jordan's house party was already bumping. I could hear the bass through the door, feel it in my chest. Everyone was out there living their best lives while I was in here, hyperventilating like I'd just seen a ghost.

My cat, Mochi, was probably at home sleeping peacefully, not caring about social hierarchy or whether Jake from AP Chem thought she was chill. I envied that cat so much.

"Maya?" Chloe's voice cut through my spiral. She burst in, phone in hand, looking perfect as always. "Girl, what are you doing in here? Jake asked where you were."

I felt my face heat up. "I'm... I'm just not feeling it tonight."

Chloe's expression softened. "Oh my god, you're nervous about Jake?"

"Maybe?"

"That's such bull!" She flopped onto the counter next to me. "He's just a guy. A guy who thinks your cat's name is literally the cutest thing ever, by the way."

I blinked. "He knows Mochi's name?"

"We were literally just talking about your Instagram post of her." Chloe pulled out her phone and showed me. "See?"

I stared at the comment — tiny hearts, something about Mochi being a mood — and suddenly the suffocating anxiety loosened its grip.

"Wait, really?"

"Yes, really! Now come on." Chloe hopped off the counter. "Unless you want to stay in here hiding while I go tell Jake you're too scared to say hi?"

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

I wiped my palms on my jeans (gross, but necessary) and took a breath. "Okay. Okay, I'm coming. But if it gets awkward, you're doing emergency extraction."

"Deal."

We walked out together, the thumping bass suddenly feeling exciting instead of terrifying. Jake spotted me across the room and waved. And okay, maybe my palms were still sweating. But for the first time all night, I was actually running toward something instead of away from it.

"Hey Maya," Jake said, grinning. "I was hoping you'd show. Mochi's post was hilarious, by the way."

And just like that, I stopped hiding.

"Right?" I said, my voice actually steady. "She's literally a chaos gremlin in cat form."