When Lightning Called the Bull

Maya's ponytail whipped around as she smashed the padel ball against the glass wall, the *thwack* echoing through the indoor court. Her phone buzzed in her bag — probably another one of Tyler's texts full of *bull* about how he'd definitely watched her match last week when she knew for a fact he'd been at Jake's party posting stories the entire time.

"You're playing aggressive today," said Chloe, stepping onto the court. They'd been best friends since seventh grade, before the friend group fractured into awkward triangles and unspoken rivalries.

"Maybe I'm just done letting people slide with their fake energy." Maya adjusted her grip on the racquet. "Tyler told everyone he taught me that backhand slice. Like I haven't been playing since I was twelve."

Chloe laughed. "Classic Tyler behavior. He's still mad you beat him at singles last month."

Outside, the sky darkened to bruised-purple, rain streaking the skylights. Then *crack* — lightning illuminated everything in stark white, the shadows of the court's fencing dancing like skeletal fingers.

"Dude, did you see that?" Chloe pointed. "That was actually sick."

Maya's phone lit up on the bench. Tyler: *storm coming hard, stay safe xx* — the same boy who'd been ghosting her for three weeks straight suddenly playing concerned boyfriend.

"You know what?" Maya grabbed her phone, typed *save the performative concern*, and shoved it back in her bag. "I think I'm done with his whole aesthetic."

"Finally." Chloe grinned, racquet on her shoulder. "Wanna finish this set before the power cuts?"

"Try to keep up."

Another lightning flash, closer this time. They played harder, laughter mixing with the rhythmic *thwack-thwack-thwack* of padel against walls, the storm outside matching the energy building inside — that specific teenage feeling of something shifting, of choosing yourself over performance, of realizing you didn't have to accept anyone's bull just to keep the peace.

When they finally gathered their gear, breathless and satisfied, Maya's screen showed another text from Tyler: *why aren't you answering?*

She deleted it. Some storms you just let break.