Crystal's heart was still racing when she looked down at the figure on the ground. A girl, around her age, had fallen awkwardly but seemed mostly unhurt.
"I—I'm so sorry!" Crystal stammered, dropping the trash bag. "I didn't mean to… I thought—"
The girl shook her head, brushing herself off with a small laugh. "It's fine. Really. You hit harder than I expected, though."
Crystal blinked. "You… live here?"
The girl grinned. "Yeah, I'm Maya Thompson. I've lived a few houses down for a while. You must be the new girl everyone's been talking about."
Crystal hesitated, then extended her hand. "Crystal Jones. Nice to meet you… well, not like this."
Maya laughed and shook her hand. "Trust me, this isn't the worst way to meet a neighbor. Hey, come on over—I'm having a small party at my place. You should come, celebrate the new arrival properly."
Crystal's eyes widened. "A party? Here?"
"Yeah! Just a few friends, snacks, some music. Nothing crazy. You need a break after your first day here, right?" Maya winked.
Crystal hesitated, then shrugged. "Sure… why not?"
A few minutes later, Crystal followed Maya into her house. Inside, the living room buzzed with laughter, music, and the smell of pizza. Crystal felt a little out of place at first, but Maya quickly introduced her around.
"This is my brother, Jason," Maya said.
Crystal looked up and noticed a tall, lean guy leaning casually against the wall. He had dark hair that slightly fell over his eyes and a calm, easygoing expression. Unlike the others, he wasn't shouting or joking, but he wasn't unfriendly—just quiet and composed.
Crystal immediately noticed the way all of Maya's friends glanced at him whenever he moved. Lila, who had been teasing Max over a board game, kept sneaking looks. Two other girls near the snack table whispered and giggled, and even one of the guys gave a subtle nod of admiration. It was clear: Jason had a certain charm that everyone found impossible to ignore, though he didn't seek their attention.
Jason gave Crystal a small, polite nod when Maya introduced her, then returned to observing the room. He didn't speak much, but the effect he had on the group was impossible to miss.
Crystal felt a little awkward under the attention he got, but Maya's friends quickly pulled her into their circle, making her feel welcome.
"You've got to try the snacks," Maya said, nudging her toward the kitchen. "Pizza, chips, soda… basically everything you need to survive your first party here."
Crystal smiled and picked a slice of pizza. "Thanks. I… don't know anyone here, though."
"You know me now," Maya said. "And trust me, that's half the battle."
The night flew by. Crystal laughed at jokes, joined a silly dance-off, and even tried her hand at the guitar, though her playing was terrible. Maya's friends were lively, welcoming, and genuinely fun to be around. Crystal realized she hadn't felt this carefree in a long time.
Every so often, her eyes drifted to Jason. He was still mostly quiet, but he laughed politely at a joke Maya told, and he occasionally helped organize something when the group got too rowdy. There was something calming about the way he moved—like he could handle anything without needing to show off—and Crystal found herself watching him more than she expected.
Hours later, the party began winding down. Maya's friends were leaving one by one, some stumbling sleepily to their cars, others waving goodbye at the door. Crystal glanced at her watch and realized how late it had gotten.
"I should probably head home," she said.
"You're welcome anytime," Maya said, giving her a friendly hug. "See you around, Crystal."
Jason gave her a small nod from across the room, a hint of a smile on his face, and then went back to helping Maya clean up. Crystal couldn't help but think he was nice, calm, and—based on the way everyone else looked at him—pretty much the crush of the group.
When Crystal finally arrived home, the house was quiet, but the kitchen lights were still on.
"Crystal! It's almost midnight! Where have you been?" Jenna's voice cut through the silence.
Crystal rolled her eyes. "I went out. Maya invited me over. It was… fun."
"Fun?" Jenna's tone was sharp. "You just moved here, and you're already wandering off with strangers? Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
Crystal's patience snapped. "I'm not a kid, Mom! I can handle myself!"
"Not a kid?" Jenna fired back. "You ran off today, ignored me, and came home late without so much as a text!"
Crystal clenched her fists. "I needed a break! A break from… everything today! From leaving my old life behind, from Steve… from all of it!"
Jenna's expression softened slightly, but she still shook her head. "That doesn't mean you can be reckless, Crystal."
Crystal muttered under her breath as she stormed to her room, slamming the door. "Reckless? Maybe I just needed to breathe."
By the time she sat on her bed, Crystal's anger and guilt mingled. Maybe Mom's right… but I also needed tonight. I needed to feel like I belong somewhere.
She glanced out her window at the sleepy town lights and thought about Maya's party—and Jason, quiet and calm, drawing the admiration of everyone in the room without even trying. Crystal realized she might finally have a chance to meet people she could actually connect with—and maybe, just maybe, she was starting to find a place where she fit in.