The Cable That Saved Friday Night

Leo's palms were sweating. Like, actually dripping, which was gross and definitely not the vibe you want when you're finally at Maya Chen's party after months of watching from across AP Bio.

"You good, man?" Jordan asked, grinning way too wide. "You look like you're about to throw up."

"I'm chill," Leo lied, wiping his hands on his jeans. "So chill."

He'd practiced his acoustic set for weeks. Three songs. That was it. Just three songs and maybe Maya would finally see him as something other than 'that quiet kid who sits by the window.' But then disaster struck—the HDMI cable to the sound system was dead. Dead dead. And the backup cable was missing because of course it was.

"We can just do acoustic," Leo said, though his voice cracked halfway through.

"Bro, nobody's gonna hear you over everyone talking," someone said. "Maybe next time."

Next time. There wouldn't be a next time. This was it—his shot, crumbling because of a stupid cable.

He retreated to the backyard, sinking onto the patio steps. That's when he felt it—a wet nose pressing against his hand. Maya's golden retriever, Buster, flopped down beside him like they'd been friends for years.

"Yeah, buddy," Leo whispered, scratching behind his ears. "I feel you."

His phone was at 4%. Stupid. Everything was stupid. He fished for his charging cable in his pocket, his palm brushing against something else—the little portable amp he'd brought just in case. The one that connected...

Leo sat up straight.

He could Bluetooth the audio from his phone to the portable amp, then plug the amp into... wait. No, that wouldn't work.

Unless.

"What are you doing out here?"

Leo jumped. Maya was standing in the doorway, framed in light from the kitchen. He opened his mouth but nothing came out.

"I—I," he started. Then he saw it. The old coaxial cable running along the wall, disconnected since her family upgraded their internet last month. "Actually, can I grab that cable?"

"The coax one? It's garbage, but... knock yourself out?"

Leo's brain was firing a mile a minute. He couldn't make it work. Not with that. Not with anything.

"You okay?" Maya asked, sitting beside him. Buster immediately migrated to her lap.

"I was supposed to play tonight," Leo admitted quietly. "But the HDMI's dead and I don't have what I need and this was really stupid anyway—"

"You play?" Maya's eyes lit up. "Since when?"

"Since forever. Just... never for anyone."

"Play something," she said.

"Here? Now? There's like—"

"Just one song. Please?"

So Leo played. Right there on the back steps, no amplification, just his voice and an acoustic guitar, palm sweating all over the fretboard, while Maya's dog rested his head on Leo's knee and the most popular girl in sophomore year listened like he was the only person in the world.

When he finished, Maya was quiet for a long time.

"You're amazing," she said. "Like, actually amazing."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Hey—" she smiled "—same time next Friday? You should play. Inside this time. I'll make sure we have a working cable."

Leo grinned. His palms had stopped sweating.

"It's a date."