Thunder Strike Friendship

Maya's ancient TV flickered like it was having an existential crisis, the coaxial cable frayed from three years of dorm-room abuse. She smashed the side panel—her time-honored technical solution—just as lightning cracked the sky outside her third-floor window.

"Dude, your TV is literally dying," said Jordan, flopping onto her bed and accidentally squashing Mr. Whiskers, her childhood stuffed bear that had seen better decades. The bear's one remaining eye judgmentally stared at Jordan's flip-flops.

"It's fine, it's fine," Maya lied, though they both knew graduation was two weeks away and nothing about this room was fine. The cat—that wasn't hers, technically, but had adopted their floor—streaked past, knocking over Jordan's iced coffee.

"Bro!" Jordan lunged for the cup, saving it with ninja reflexes. "That cat is sabotaging my life."

"She's just vibing," Maya said, though her heart wasn't in it. Everything felt off-balance lately, like she was waiting for something to happen but nothing would. Jordan was her person, her ride-or-die since freshman year, but suddenly they were both leaving and Maya couldn't say the scared part out loud.

The TV sputtered to life—sort of. Static snowed across the screen in hypnotic waves.

"See? Fixed it," Maya said, attempting a confident grin that felt fake even to her.

Jordan studied her for a long moment, then reached over and squeezed Maya's shoulder. "You good? Like, actually good?"

The question hit like lightning—bright, sudden, impossible to ignore. Maya's throat tightened.

"I'm terrified," she whispered. "What if we're not—"

"Still friends?" Jordan finished, then pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. The stuffed bear watched approvingly. The cat returned to curl dramatically on Jordan's laptop. The TV finally gave up, plunging them into peaceful darkness.

"We're so gonna be friends," Jordan said into Maya's hair. "I'll literally Venmo you every day if I have to."

Maya laughed, wet and real. "That's weird, don't do that."

"But I would."

"I know you would."

Outside, thunder rumbled like the universe's applause.