The Cable Between Us

The internet went down again—third time this week. I stared at the coiled **cable** behind the router like it was a snake that had bitten me.

"You're staring at it like it's gonna fix itself," Maya said, leaning against my doorframe with that annoyingly perfect smile. She was wearing this oversized orange sweater that made her look like a cozy sunset.

"My rank," I groaned. "I was literally one game away from Diamond."

"That's such **bull**," she said, laughing. "You've been 'one game away' since September."

Maya was right. She was always right, which was exactly the problem. We'd been best friends since seventh grade, but somewhere between locker combinations and college applications, I'd started seeing her differently. And I couldn't tell her, because that would ruin everything. So instead I played video games and complained about my internet connection like a coward.

"Come with me," she said.

"Where?"

"The fair. My cousin's showing his steer."

"A **bull**? Seriously?"

"It's a steer, not a bull. And there's funnel cake."

Forty minutes later, I stood in a dusty arena watching a girl in boots lead a massive black animal around a ring while judges took notes. The animal—a steer named Biscuit—looked like it weighed more than my entire extended family.

"That's your cousin?" I whispered.

"No, that's his ex-girlfriend. My cousin's the one holding the orange ribbon like he's already won."

We sat on aluminum bleachers as the sun began to set, painting everything in shades of gold and, well, orange. Maya's hair caught the light, and I forgot how to breathe for a second.

"You know," she said, breaking the silence between us, "the internet being down might be the best thing that happened all week."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. We haven't hung out like this in forever." She bumped my shoulder with hers. "Without screens. Just us."

I looked at the frayed cable dangling from the utility pole across the parking lot, then back at Maya. She was right—sometimes the best connections aren't the ones you plug in.

"Tomorrow," I said, "let's don't game. Let's come back here."

"Deal," she smiled, and I swear it was brighter than any sunset.

My rank could wait. Some things were worth lagging for.