The Palm Reader's Secret

Maya's palms were sweating — literally dripping — as she clutched her iPhone 12 under the cafeteria table. This was it. The moment she'd been obsessing over since Tuesday. She was about to become a spy.

Okay, maybe not a REAL spy. But pretty close.

"You're actually gonna do it?" Zoe whispered, barely looking up from her own phone. "That's lowkey deranged."

"I need to know, Z." Maya's thumb hovered over Instagram. "If he's hanging with HER, I need to see it with my own eyes."

The HER in question was Brianna, who had somehow managed to sit next to Ethan in EVERY SINGLE CLASS since seventh grade. Maya had spent three years developing elaborate spy tactics: fake bathroom breaks, strategic locker visits, the classic 'forgot my textbook' maneuver. But creating a finsta just to follow Brianna's private account? This was next level.

Her cat, Luna, had watched her set it up last night from the bed, judging her with those unimpressed yellow eyes.

"You're embarrassing yourself," Luna seemed to say.

"Whatever, Luna. You eat your own vomit."

Now, in the cafeteria, Maya hit 'follow' on Brianna's private account. Her heart hammered against her ribs like it was trying to escape her chest. Thirty seconds later: accepted.

"Oh damn," Zoe actually looked up now. "That's creepy vibes."

"It's called information gathering."

Maya scrolled through Brianna's stories. There it was. Posted literally ten minutes ago: a photo of Ethan's hand — just his HAND — holding a boba drink, with the caption 'palm reading says we're destined lol.'

Maya's stomach dropped. She'd been reading articles online about palmistry all week, trying to work up the courage to ask Ethan if he wanted his palm read at Jayden's party on Friday. She'd even practiced on Luna (who, again, was not impressed).

Now Brianna was reading palms?

"He's gonna think I'm copying her," Maya groaned, dropping her forehead onto the cafeteria table.

"Or," Zoe said, "you could just... talk to him? Like a normal person?"

"Wow. Revolutionary concept, Zoe. Why didn't I think of that?" Maya lifted her head, tears actually stinging her eyes. "I can't compete with Brianna. She's got that whole effortless vibe thing. I'm over here planning spy missions and practicing palmistry on my CAT."

"Okay, first of all, your palm reading thing is kinda cute?" Zoe actually smiled. "And second, maybe that's the point. Maybe he likes weird girls who practice on their cats."

"Brianna's not weird."

"Exactly. She's basic. You're... memorable."

Maya looked at her phone again. The photo of Ethan's palm was still there. But something about it felt different now. Maybe Brianna HAD copied her. Maybe Maya had been the trendsetter this whole time without even knowing it.

Or maybe — just maybe — she should stop spying on people's Instagrams and start living her actual life.

"Fine," Maya said, deleting the finsta account. "I'll talk to him at the party. But if he rejects me, I'm moving to Antarctica."

"Deal. But first, you need to tell me what Luna's paw reading said about my future."