The Palm Reader's Prophecy

The lunch table was basically a war zone, and Maya was caught in no man's land. Her former best friend Sarah sat three tables away, laughing with the popular crowd—the same crowd that had spent last semester making fun of Maya's hand-me-down clothes.

"She's not worth your energy," said Jace, sliding onto the bench across from her. He'd been Maya's friend since kindergarten, back when they'd bonded over sharing goldfish crackers and hiding from the teacher during nap time. Now he was the only person who still sat with her voluntarily.

Maya twisted her hands under the table. "I just don't get what I did wrong. One day we're planning our sweet sixteen sleepover, the next she's acting like I'm invisible."

The school talent show flyer on the table caught her eye. **Palm reading by Mystic Maya** it said in Sarah's familiar handwriting, complete with a little crystal ball drawing. Sarah had apparently reinvented herself as a fortune teller over summer break.

"She's doing palm readings at the carnival tomorrow," Jace said, following her gaze. "My little sister won't shut up about it. Says Sarah's, like, totally gifted or something."

Maya's stomach did that awful twisty thing. "Gifted? Sarah failed algebra three times."

"That's different." Jace shrugged. "Anyway, you should go. Let her read your **palm**. Maybe she'll predict you'll find a new best friend who doesn't ditch you the second someone cooler looks her way."

"You're hilarious."

"I'm serious. Or you could finally tell me what you're actually doing with that old tarot deck your grandma gave you. I know you've been practicing."

Maya froze. How did he know? She'd been hiding the cards in her closet, only taking them out when her parents were asleep.

"I saw them when I helped you move your desk last month," Jace said, reading her mind. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it's embarrassing. I'm sixteen, not six. And it's not like—I mean, it's just something I—"

"Show me."

"What?"

"Your cards. Show me what you can do. If Sarah can fake palm readings for clout, you can actually do something cool. Set up right next to her booth. I'll be your first customer. I'll even bring my **dog**—he's basically a charisma magnet."

Maya stared at him. "You're serious."

"Dead serious. Besides," Jace's grin turned wicked, "wouldn't it be hilarious if you actually were good at it? Like, what if the 'fake' mystic is Sarah and the real one has been sitting here the whole time?"

The next day, Maya's card table sat directly across from Sarah's palm reading booth. Within an hour, Maya had a line. Her readings were weirdly specific—she told the quarterback he'd fail his driving test three times before passing (he did), predicted the debate captain would dye her hair pink before homecoming (she did), and told Jace his dog would win ugliest pup at the county fair (he did, and Jace was weirdly proud).

By second period Monday, everyone knew Maya as the girl who actually could see the future. Sarah stopped her at her locker, looking smaller than she had in months.

"Hey," she said. "I was wondering if... maybe you could teach me? Like, how you do what you do?"

Maya looked past her to where Jace was waiting by their usual table, already cracking open his chocolate milk. He caught her eye and gave a tiny shrug, like *your call*.

"Sure," Maya said. "But you have to sit with us at lunch. That's the price."

Sarah actually smiled. "Deal."

Later, Jace slid the tarot deck across the table toward her. "So, oh mystical one, what do you see in my future?"

Maya flipped a card without looking. The Fool, beginning a new journey, stepping into the unknown with faith and zero preparation.

"I see," she said, "that you're about to buy me lunch. Again."

Jace groaned. "Some fortune teller you are. That's like, the most predictable prediction ever."

"Hey, I never said the future would be surprising. Just accurate."