Undercover at the Party

Maya's palms were sweating so much she considered it a miracle her phone didn't slip right out of her hand and onto the pavement. This was it. Jordan's house party. The social event of the semester according to Snapchat, and she was actually, finally, invited.

"You got this," she whispered to herself, though her voice cracked. She adjusted her flannel—should she have worn something else? Was flannel too 2019? Ugh.

Inside, the bass thumped against her chest. Maya pressed against the wall near the staircase, feeling like total undercover material. Like a spy deep in enemy territory, gathering intel. That's what she'd tell herself, anyway.

"Hey!" Chloe appeared out of nowhere, holding a red cup. "You made it!"

"Yeah! Totally!" Maya's voice came out half an octave too high. Smooth.

"Oh my god, you have to try this." Chloe fished a gummy out of her pocket. "My mom got these collagen vitamins and they taste exactly like strawberry Starburst but apparently they're supposed to make your skin glow or something."

Maya took it. "Collagen? Really?"

"I know, I sound like such a tiktok wellness girl." Chloe laughed, and somehow that made everything less terrifying. "But honestly, whatever works. My skin's been freaking out since midterms started."

"Tell me about it," Maya said, and meant it.

They ended up on the back patio, Maya with actual soda this time, somehow just... talking. About classes, about how weird it was that they'd known each other since freshman year but never actually hung out, about Jordan's older brother who kept trying to impress everyone with his mediocre guitar skills.

Maya's phone buzzed in her pocket—her mom asking if she needed a ride. She almost said yes. Almost bailed, went back to her room, watched Netflix, existed safely.

Instead, she showed Chloe her palm. "My hands literally always do this when I'm nervous. It's so embarrassing."

Chloe turned Maya's hand over, examined it like it contained something profound. "Dude, same. Want me to read your future? Ten bucks says it involves more awkward parties and accidentally calling teachers 'mom'."

Maya laughed so hard she almost spilled her drink.

The spy mission was over. She wasn't undercover anymore. And maybe that wasn't so bad after all.