The Psychic Bear Hat Incident

Maya shouldn't have agreed to the dare. Now she was trapped at Emma's house party wearing her little brother's ridiculous bear-eared beanie, sweat making her palms slick as she clutched her solo cup like a lifeline. The fuzzy brown ears bobbed when she nodded, and somehow this was better than admitting she'd only come because she was lowkey spying on Tyler.

"Oh my GOD, are you doing palm readings?" Some sophomore she didn't know was suddenly in her face, grabbing her hand. "Tyler said you're practically psychic."

Tyler. The same Tyler who'd ghosted her three months ago when things got weird. The same Tyler currently laughing with Skylar across the room like nothing had ever happened.

"Uh, sure?" Maya heard herself say, because apparently this was her life now. "Let me see your hand."

She was making everything up. "This line means you'll probably pass bio. This one says you're gonna text your crush at 2 AM and regret it." People actually believed her. A small crowd formed. She felt ridiculous but also kind of powerful, like she'd accidentally stumbled into being someone interesting instead of just Maya who sat in the back of AP Chem.

Then lightning flashed so bright the whole room went white, and thunder cracked like the sky had split open. Someone screamed. The power died. Pitch darkness swallowed everything.

In the chaos, a hand found hers in the dark. Warm fingers interlaced with her palm.

"Hey," said Tyler's voice, right beside her ear. "I told everyone you were good."

"You're literally the worst," she whispered back.

"I missed you, though."

Another flash of lightning illuminated his face — he was grinning, but also nervous, like maybe this wasn't just a joke to him anymore. The bear ears on her head felt suddenly perfect instead of humiliating. Some things, apparently, could survive being struck by lightning.