The Palm Reader's Prediction

Maya's palms were sweating so much she was surprised her phone didn't slip right out of her hand and crash onto the basement carpet. Jordan's house party was exactly the kind of social torture she'd been avoiding all freshman year, but her best friend Chloe had literally dragged her here, promising "it'll be chill, I swear."

"Dude, you okay? You look like you're about to puke," Chloe said, appearing beside her with a solo cup of suspiciously bright liquid.

"I'm fine. Just need some air," Maya lied, because admitting she was having an anxiety attack would make it real, and making it real would make it worse.

She pushed through the crowd toward the back door, accidentally bumping into someone's shoulder. "Sorry, my bad," she mumbled, not even looking up. The backyard was empty except for this girl Riley from her English class sitting cross-legged on the patio, a deck of tarot cards spread out on the concrete.

"Want me to read your palm?" Riley asked, like this was a completely normal thing to offer a virtual stranger. "I'm actually kinda good at it."

Maya hesitated, but something about Riley's calm energy made her sit down. "Sure, whatever."

Riley took her hand, tracing the lines with surprisingly gentle fingers. "You're gonna have a lightning moment soon. Like, something big's gonna hit you out of nowhere."

"Lightning? Like, electricity?" Maya asked, trying not to sound as skeptical as she felt.

"No, dummy. Like, a moment where everything changes. Fast." Riley looked up, and their eyes caught for a second longer than necessary. "Also, you've been bearing around this huge weight. Like, you think you have to be perfect all the time, and it's literally exhausting you."

Maya's throat went dry. "How did you—"

"It's written all over your face. And your palm." Riley smiled, and it was the kind of smile that made something in Maya's chest feel loose and terrified at the same time. "My prediction? You're about to stop carrying so much. Let yourself be messy for once."

The back door swung open. "Maya! There you are!" Chloe called out. "We're playing seven minutes in heaven, and you're literally not gonna believe who picked your—"

But Maya wasn't listening. She was looking at Riley, who was already looking back.

"Lightning fast," Riley whispered.

Maya's palms were still sweating. But for the first time all night, she didn't want to run away.