Blending In

The green sludge in my cup looked like something from a sci-fi movie, which was fitting because my life had become exactly that.

"You seriously drink that every morning?" Marcus asked, leaning against my locker like he owned it. "What's even in it?"

"Spinach," I said, trying to sound casual instead of desperate. "And papaya. It's basically a multivitamin in a cup."

This was the new me. The evolved me. The me who wouldn't spend another year as background character #47 in the high school documentary. Summer had been transformation season – cleared my skin, read actual books, and developed this smoothie routine that was supposedly going to change everything.

Marcus, my oldest friend who'd somehow evolved into popular while I was busy reading fantasy novels, nodded like he actually approved. "That's actually kinda cool, Maya. You look... different."

"Better different?" I asked, trying to match his energy.

"Just different," he said, already looking past me at someone more interesting. "We should hang sometime. Like, actually hang."

I spent the rest of the day floating on that maybe-compliment, fantasizing about how I'd casually mention my new wellness routine at parties. How I'd be the girl with the green juice, the one who had it figured out. The vitamin story would be my origin story, my way into conversations that used to happen around me instead of with me.

Then fifth period happened.

Chloe, the human equivalent of an Instagram filter, caught me in the hallway. "Marcus said you're like, really into health stuff now? That's so cute."

Cute. Not cool. Not impressive. Cute. Like a toddler playing dress-up.

"Yeah, I guess," I managed, feeling the pit in my stomach grow faster than my doubts.

"You should totally make me one sometime," she said, already turning away. "I bet your friend Marcus would love it."

It hit me then – she wasn't interested in my smoothie or my supposed glow-up. She was interested in Marcus, and I was just collateral information.

I found myself in the bathroom during lunch, staring at my reflection. The spinach stains between my teeth looked less like health and more like evidence. Evidence that I was still just pretending.

"You good in there?" It was Jenna from my bio class, washing her hands like everything was normal.

"Fine," I said, but the word cracked in half.

She met my eyes in the mirror. "You know, I tried that papaya-spinach thing last week. Tasted like literal grass."

A laugh escaped before I could stop it. "It's awful, right?"

"So bad," she said, grinning. "I keep drinking it anyway because I read somewhere it's supposed to make your skin glow."

"Mine definitely isn't glowing."

"Mine either," she said. "Hey, you want to go to that new boba place after school? My treat. I promise not to judge whatever green disaster you're drinking."

For the first time all day, I didn't feel like performing. Jenna didn't want anything from me. She just saw me – spinach teeth and all.

"Yeah," I said, finally meaning it. "I'd like that."