The Night We Woke Up

Maya's phone buzzed in her palm as she leaned against the palm tree, watching Theo across the bonfire. He was laughing at something college-guy said, his silhouette flickering against the dark Pacific sky.

"You look like a total zombie," Kayla said, appearing beside her with two red cups. "AP exams got you living that undead life?"

"Pretty much," Maya admitted, taking the cup. "My brain is officially mush. I haven't slept properly in like, two weeks."

"Same. But we're FREE now." Kayla punched her shoulder. "So stop lurking by this palm tree like a creeper and actually talk to him."

Maya's stomach did that thing where it tried to exit her body. She'd been crushing on Theo since sophomore year, and tonight was supposedly it—finals were over, summer was beginning, and if ever there was a moment... but what if she messed it up? What if she read the signals wrong and made things weird for their friend group?

"I can't just walk over there and—"

CRACK.

Lightning split the sky overhead, so bright it turned everything grayscale for a heartbeat. Then came the thunder, shaking the sand beneath their flip-flops. The bonfire flared wild, and suddenly everyone was scattering, grabbing phones and towels as the first fat drops started falling.

"Where's Theo?" Maya shouted over the rain.

"He went to grab his hoodie from his car!" someone yelled back.

Maya found herself running toward the parking lot, the rain plastering her hair to her face. She spotted him at his car, fumbling with keys.

"Theo!"

He turned, and before she could lose her nerve, she grabbed his hand. "My place is closer. My parents aren't home."

He stared at her, water dripping from his eyelashes. Then he smiled—that real one that made everything else fade. "Yeah. Okay."

They sprinted through the downpour, breathless and soaked, and when they collapsed on her front porch laughing, she realized she wasn't tired anymore. The zombie feeling had vanished, replaced by lightning in her veins, the warmth of his hand still in her palm.

"So," he said, wiping rain from his face. "You gonna invite me in, or...?"

Maya grinned. Maybe summer wasn't the only thing beginning tonight.