Three Seconds of Lightning

The pool party was exactly where I didn't want to be. Miller's backyard smelled like chlorine and sunscreen, and everyone was acting like this was *literally* the most important night of our lives.

I sat on the edge of the diving board, feet dangling in the water, feeling like a total fraud. My sister says I have the memory span of a **goldfish**—three seconds, then *poof*, whatever happened is gone. But somehow, I couldn't forget how Maya had looked at me in third period today, then immediately turned away to laugh at something Jordan said.

**Swimming** through this social nonsense was exhausting. The water reflected the sky, which had turned this violent **orange** color—like someone had set the clouds on fire. A storm was definitely coming.

Then I saw her. Maya. Standing by the snack table, her hair that perfect shade that matched the sunset. She looked miserable too. That was surprising.

"Hey," I said, before I could talk myself out of it. "Weather's getting kinda intense."

She glanced up, and for the first time all week, she actually looked at me. Really looked. "Yeah. My mom's been texting me every five minutes to come home before the storm hits."

"You could always... I don't know, hide out here?" I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "I've been claiming this spot on the diving board. It's surprisingly defensible."

Maya laughed. An actual laugh, not the performative one she gave Jordan. "You're weird, Nate."

"Weirder than Jordan?" I raised an eyebrow. "Guy uses *literally* five times per sentence. That's got to be some kind of medical condition."

She smiled, and something in my chest did this stupid little flip. The first flash of **lightning** cracked across the sky—white-hot, instantaneous, illuminating everything for one perfect second.

In that flash, I saw everything. Maya standing there, orange hair glowing, half-smile on her face. Jordan and his crew acting like they owned the place. Me, on this diving board, actually talking to the girl I'd been crushing on since September.

The storm broke. Rain came down in sheets. Everyone screamed and ran for the covered patio.

But Maya didn't move. She just stood there, getting soaked, grinning at me like this was exactly where she wanted to be.

"Well," she said. "You coming?"

I jumped off the diving board and swam toward her through the rain. And for the first time in forever, I didn't feel like I was drowning. I felt like I was finally, actually, swimming.