The Palm Reader's Prophecy

Maya's frizzy **hair** defied the humidity-resistant gel she'd spent twenty minutes applying, which was just proof that the universe wanted her to be awkward at Jordan's party. She tugged a strand behind her ear for the fiftieth time, seriously reconsidering her life choices.

"You're next," said Chloe, who'd set up a makeshift fortune-telling station behind the couch, complete with a purple velvet scarf and fake crystal ball. "Give me your **palm**."

Maya hesitated. The last time someone read her palm at a party, they'd predicted she'd marry a guy named Steve. She didn't even know any Steves.

"Fine," Maya sighed, extending her hand. "But if you see any Steves in my future, keep it to yourself."

Chloe studied her palm like it contained the secrets to passing AP Calculus. "Hmm. Interesting. You're going to have to make a big choice soon. Like, potentially life-altering."

Maya's stomach did that flip thing it did when she thought about the text she'd been meaning to send—the one asking if Jordan actually liked her, or if she was just misreading every single interaction for the past three months.

"That's so vague," Jordan said from behind her, and Maya practically jumped out of her skin. He was holding his phone charger, which someone had unplugged. "Anyone want to trade for the outlet near the snacks? My phone died and I'm stuck with this cable literally going nowhere."

The moment stretched. Maya's palm still rested in Chloe's hand, Jordan was standing way too close, and somewhere inside her pocket, her phone buzzed with a notification she couldn't check without making it obvious.

"Actually," Maya said, pulling her hand back and standing up, "I need to make a choice."

She grabbed Jordan's phone cord from his hand, plugged it into the outlet she'd been guarding, and before she could overthink it into oblivion: "You can use mine. I charged to 100% earlier."

Jordan blinked, then grinned. "Thanks. You're a lifesaver."

Maya's hair was still frizzy. Chloe's prophecy was still ridiculous. But when Jordan sat next to her while his phone charged, their elbows accidentally touching, she figured maybe the universe wasn't making her awkward after all—just giving her opportunities to stop overthinking and start being brave.