Thunder in My Hand

Maya's palm was sweating against the phone screen, her heart doing that weird flutter thing whenever Jake's name lit up her notifications. 'Party at my place. Parents gone. U coming?' Of course she was coming. She'd been crushing on Jake since seventh grade, when he'd defended her karaoke performance from some jerks in the back row.

The party was already chaos when she arrived—soda cans scattered everywhere, someone's terrible playlist blasting, people doing TikTok dances in the kitchen. Maya grabbed a soda and tried to look casual, like she hadn't practiced fourteen different conversation openers in her mirror.

Then she saw him. Jake. Leaning against the back door frame, looking unfairly good in that flannel that definitely wasn't school dress code. Their eyes caught, and something electric shot through her—like lightning, she thought, feeling ridiculous and twelve years old simultaneously.

But before she could approach, she noticed something weird. A sophomore kid she didn't recognize was watching Jake. Following him. Actually taking notes in a little notebook like some wannabe spy.

Maya's instincts kicked in. She shadowed the shadow, moving through the crowd like she'd learned from all those spy movies her dad insisted on watching every Friday. The kid led her to Jake's room, where he was... taking photos of Jake's desk? What even?

'Uh, what?' she confronted him.

The kid jumped. 'I'm not weird! I'm his—'

'His what? His personal detective? His stalker?'

'His little brother!' the kid burst out. 'I'm supposed to spy on Jake's parties and report back to our parents. They're totally suspicious about last time.' He gestured at the notebook. 'Check it. "Subject: Jake. Status: Having people over. Evidence: soda cans and terrible music choices."'

Maya stared at him, then burst out laughing. 'That's the worst spy work I've ever seen.'

'Tell me about it. Meanwhile, Jake's out there probably thinking he's so sneaky.' The kid grimaced. 'Hey, you got a brother?'

'Older sister. She's the reason I know how to blend.' Maya smiled. 'Tell you what. I'll help you. We'll give your parents something to work with.'

They staged the most incriminating photos ever—Jake 'looking suspicious' (really just checking his reflection), 'partying too hard' (dancing badly to Taylor Swift), 'reckless behavior' (eating three slices of pizza in under five minutes).

When Jake finally caught them, he face-palmed so hard Maya worried he'd hurt himself. 'You two are the worst spies ever.'

'Hey,' Maya said, her palm tingling when Jake laughed at her terrible joke, 'we're memorable.'

And maybe that was enough.