The Three A.M. Route

Maya's iPhone lit up her room at 3:14 AM.

*u up?*

She stared at the message from Jordan — the Jordan who sat three rows behind her in AP Bio, who she'd been lowkey obsessing over since September. Her thumb hovered over the keyboard. This was it. The moment she'd been waiting for all semester.

*yeah what's up*

*wanna go running?*

Maya blinked. Running? At 3 AM? Her heart hammered in her chest. This wasn't exactly the late-night study session she'd imagined, but Jordan wanted to see HER. Maya threw on her hoodie and crept downstairs, past her parents' room. The front door clicked shut behind her.

Jordan was already outside, grinning in that way that made Maya's stomach flip.

"Hey," Jordan said. "Follow my lead."

They took off down the empty suburban streets. Maya wasn't a runner — she was the girl who got winded climbing stairs — but she pushed herself, her breath visible in the cold night air. Jordan moved effortlessly, like this was totally normal.

"So," Maya panted, "what's the emergency?"

Jordan slowed down. "Cat.

"What?"

"My cat. Bean. He got out when my mom got home from her night shift. I've been looking for two hours and I'm freaking out." Jordan's voice cracked. "He's never been outside before."

Maya's heart softened. Jordan wasn't some mysterious cool kid pulling her into an adventure. Jordan was just someone who loved their cat and needed help.

"Okay," Maya said. "Let's find Bean."

They checked behind bushes, under parked cars, called his name until their voices were hoarse. Maya's phone battery was at 4% when she finally spotted two glowing eyes beneath the Johnsons' front porch.

"Bean!" Jordan dropped to their knees, and the cat sauntered out like he hadn't just caused a mini-crisis.

They sat on the curb as Maya's iPhone died completely, her screen going black. Neither of them seemed to care.

"Thanks," Jordan said softly, Bean purring in their lap. "For real."

"Anytime," Maya said. And she meant it.

They walked back in comfortable silence, shoulders occasionally brushing. When they reached Maya's driveway, Jordan turned.

"Same time tomorrow?" Jordan asked. "For running, I mean."

Maya smiled. "You know it."

Her heart was still running a marathon, but for the first time, she didn't mind being out of breath.