Three Seconds of Lightning

Maya stood against the wall at Jordan's party, clutching her red solo cup like it was a lifeline. The stupid fedora she'd bought to hide her disaster haircut felt like it was screaming "I'm trying too hard!" Every time someone laughed, she flinched, convinced they were laughing at her.

"Nice hat," a voice said.

Maya turned to see Leo, the cute skater from her English class, leaning against the doorframe. "Yeah, well. Bad hair week," she mumbled, immediately wanting to die. Why did she say that?

He laughed, but not like he was making fun of her. "I feel you. Last month I got this" — he gestured at his chin — "and looked like a pubescent otter for three weeks."

Maya cracked a smile despite herself. They talked for what felt like three seconds but was probably twenty minutes, about everything and nothing. The party noise faded into background static.

Then Jordan's mom came in with "healthy snacks" — actual **spinach** dip with vegetables. Leo immediately grabbed a carrot, his eyes twinkling. "Wanna bet how long before someone accidentally drops their phone in this?"

"My money's on Tyler," Maya said. "He's already had three..." She paused, counting. "Four too many."

They ended up on the back porch, watching a summer storm roll in. **Lightning** fractured the sky, purple-white veins illuminating the clouds. Maya held out her **palm**, feeling the humidity, the electricity in the air.

"You know," Leo said quietly, "my sister won a **goldfish** at a carnival once. Named it Lightning. It lived for three days."

Maya laughed. "That's literally the most depressing story ever."

"But she loved those three days," he said, looking at her in that way that made her stomach flip. "Sometimes short things hit harder than long ones."

The moment stretched, electric and terrifying and perfect. Maya reached up and took off her **hat**, shaking out her uneven bangs. Whatever. She didn't care anymore.

Leo grinned. "See? Still cool."

When Maya got home, her phone buzzed. Leo had sent a photo of the spinach dip, now with a phone submerged in it. Tylers phone. The caption: called it.

She fell asleep smiling, the fedora on her floor, three seconds of lightning still buzzing in her veins.