The Storm Between Us

Maya had been running from the truth all semester. Every time Jordan looked at her with those stupidly hopeful eyes across the lunch table, she'd find something urgent to do. Text someone. Check nonexistent notifications. Basically anything to avoid admitting that her feelings had shifted from friendship to something that made her hands shake.

Now they were stuck in her basement during the worst thunderstorm in recent memory, thanks to her mom's "quality bonding time" idea that backfired when cable internet decided to quit mid-movie. The TV screen showed exactly one frozen frame of Netflix's "Are you still watching?" like it was mocking her.

"This is fine," Jordan said, for the fifth time.

Outside, lightning flashed like someone taking pictures of her awkwardness.

"Totally fine." Maya stared at the router lights. They were supposed to be green. All of them were dead.

"So..." Jordan scooted closer on the couch. Closer than necessary. Maya's heart did that annoying flutter thing she'd been trying to ignore since October. "What do you wanna do until the cable comes back?"

Before Maya could panic-craft a reasonable response, Jordan's phone buzzed. He winced.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, my sister's just being weird." He pocketed it quickly. Too quickly.

And then—because the universe apparently hated her—Maya's phone lit up with a notification. From Jordan's sister. She'd typed the wrong group chat.

*spying session update: they're sitting approx 3 inches apart. still nothing. this is painful to watch even through text updates*

Maya stared at the screen. Then at Jordan. His face was approximately the color of their school's mascot during homecoming week.

"You're WHAT?"

"Okay so—" Jordan ran a hand through his hair, which was honestly unfair because it still looked good. "Your brother said you'd never make a move unless I forced the situation, and we all know you'd literally rather die—"

"I was NOT going to make a move because you were supposed to be my BEST FRIEND—"

"—and now you're mad, which is valid, but also, I've been waiting since homecoming, and I'm tired of waiting—"

"—and now I find out you've been SPYING on me with my FAMILY—"

"—and I like you, okay?" Jordan's voice cracked. "I really, really like you. And apparently everyone except you knew that."

Lightning flashed again, illuminating everything. The basement. Jordan's terrified expression. The absolute mess of feelings Maya had been running from for months.

She started laughing. She couldn't help it.

"What?" Jordan looked offended. "I'm pouring my heart out here—"

"Your sister is literally LIVE-TEXTING my brother about this right now, aren't she?"

"...yes."

Maya leaned in. "I like you too, you idiot. But we're never speaking to either of them again."

"Deal." Jordan grinned, and Maya thought: maybe running from things wasn't always the answer. Sometimes you had to stay put through the storm.