Thunder Court

Jordan checked his phone for the third time. No text back from Maya since yesterday's awkward encounter at lunch. The three dots had been mocking him for twenty-four hours.

"Dude, you gonna serve or stare at your phone all day?" Tyrell called from across the padel court, laughing with his squad. "Your crush isn't gonna respond if you keep checking every five seconds. That's, like, desperate energy."

Jordan's face burned. He shoved his phone deep in his pocket and gripped his padel racket tighter. The humid air pressed against his skin, heavy with the coming storm. Perfect. Just what he needed—a practice session where he'd probably embarrass himself in front of the popular kids, AND Maya would see him getting wrecked when she inevitably showed up for her lesson.

A crack of thunder shook the metal rafters. Coach Martinez blew his whistle. "Alright everyone, clear the courts! Storm's moving in fast."

But it was too late. Lightning struck somewhere nearby—FLASH, and the entire facility went dark. Someone screamed. Jordan's heart slammed against his ribs.

"Everyone stay calm!" Coach's voice cut through the darkness. "Emergency lights should kick in any second."

They didn't.

"I think the lightning hit the transformer," Jordan said, his voice surprisingly steady. "My dad's an electrician, he showed me this stuff once. The surge probably fried the main cable."

Tyrell's friend snorted. "Great. So we're stuck here in the dark? What if the lights never come back on? My parents are gonna kill me if I'm late for dinner."

Jordan's phone buzzed. Maya: *Hey, sorry didn't reply earlier! You okay? Heard there's a storm.*

Another buzz. *Stuck at home, no cable OR internet. So bored. Wish I was at padel practice lol.*

Jordan stared at his screen in the darkness. Maya. Was. Thinking. About. Him. At. Practice.

"Actually," Jordan said, something clicking in his brain like the last puzzle piece falling into place, "I think I know where the emergency panel is. My dad showed me when he helped fix the courts last summer."

He moved through the darkness, guided by memory and the faint blue glow of his phone. Found the panel behind the equipment closet. Flipped the breaker he'd watched his dad reset a dozen times.

The emergency lights flickered on. Everyone cheered.

Tyrell stared at him like he'd grown a second head. "Bro... when did you get all competent?"

Jordan shrugged, grinning in the half-light. Maybe being the quiet kid who paid attention wasn't so bad after all. His phone buzzed again.

Maya: *Still alive?*

Jordan: *Barely. Just saved everyone from total darkness. No big.*

Maya: *lol sure whatever. Maybe I'll let you teach me that serve sometime.*

Outside, the rain started hammering against the metal roof. But inside, Jordan was already planning his next move.