The Lightning Game

Maya's palms were sweating — again. Classic. Every time Jake walked past her locker, her hands turned into waterfalls. So she'd started carrying around this orange **vitamin** gummy bottle, pretending she was just being healthy when really she needed the sugar to stop from passing out.

"Yo, you trying out for the **padel** team?" Jake asked, leaning against the lockers like he owned them.

Padel. Of course. The sport that everyone and their mom was suddenly obsessed with. Maya had never even held a racquet, but Jake was the team captain, and somehow she found herself nodding like an idiot.

"Yeah. Totally. Tryouts are Friday, right?"

"Cool." He grinned. "I'll save you a spot."

Wednesday found her **running** laps around the park at 6 PM because she'd read somewhere that exercise helped with nerves. Her phone buzzed — group chat blowing up about Jordan's party Friday, the same time as tryouts. The FOMO was real, but Jake had said he'd save her a spot, and honestly? That was worth missing one party.

Friday afternoon arrived, and Maya showed up to the courts with zero experience and maximum anxiety. Her hands were literally dripping. Someone snorted behind her.

"You play?" It was Chloe, whose entire personality was being good at sports.

"We'll see," Maya said, trying to channel main character energy.

Then the sky went dark. Like, full apocalyptic thunderstorm dark. Coach blew the whistle — everyone scattering toward the covered area. Except Maya stood there, staring as the first crack of **lightning** split the sky, electric and terrifying and beautiful all at once.

"You coming?" Jake's voice behind her. He wasn't running. He was watching it too.

"It's kind of amazing," she said. Her heart was pounding, but not from nerves this time.

"Yeah." He looked at her, really looked at her. "Hey, you don't have to try out if you don't want to. But I was hoping you would."

The words hit her like actual electricity. He'd noticed her. He'd wanted her there.

"I want to," she said, and realized it was true.

By the time the storm passed and everyone came back out, Maya didn't care if she made the team or not. She was too busy holding Jake's phone while he helped Coach move equipment, too busy laughing with the other girls who'd spent the storm taking the most chaotic TikTok ever, too busy feeling like herself for the first time in months.

She made the team. But honestly? The real win was realizing she didn't need the vitamin gummies. She just needed to stop hiding and start showing up.