Green Between My Teeth

The pool party was already in full swing when Jordan arrived, chlorine-heavy **water** splashing everywhere as Tyler's crew dominated the deep end. Jordan stood at the edge, towel wrapped tight, heart hammering against their ribs. This was it—the social event of the summer, and they were already regretting everything.

"Yo Jordan! You gonna stand there all day or actually cannonball?" Tyler called out. Of course Tyler would notice. Tyler, the massive **bull** of a linebacker who'd somehow made varsity as a freshman and never let anyone forget it. Jordan forced a smile, about to retreat to the snack bar for refuge, when THEY walked in.

Riley. The absolute **fox** who'd transferred from Lincoln High last month, currently rocking a vintage swimsuit that looked straight out of a Tumblr aesthetic board. Riley scanned the crowd and locked eyes with Jordan, and suddenly the poolside temperature cranked up about ten degrees.

"Hey," Riley said, sliding into the space beside Jordan. "You look like you're about to throw up. You good?"

"I'm—yeah, totally good," Jordan lied, reaching for the nearest appetizer tray to seem casual. "Just hungry." They grabbed what looked like a fancy spinach wrap and took an aggressive, confident bite—just as Riley asked, "So what's your deal? You seem cool."

Jordan froze. Something green and leafy was definitely wedged between their front teeth. Spinach. The ultimate social suicide move. They could feel it there, mocking them, broadcasting their awkwardness to Riley's perfect smile.

"My deal?" Jordan mumbled through a closed-mouth smile, backing toward the pool. "My deal is—I gotta—" They gestured vaguely at the **water**, then just let gravity happen.

The shock of cold water was perfect. Jordan surfaced, teeth officially spinach-free after the aggressive cannonball, to find Riley laughing at the edge.

"Smooth," Riley said, extending a hand. "I'm Riley, by the way. And that was the most dramatic way I've ever seen someone avoid answering a question."

"Jordan. And that wasn't avoidance," Jordan said, paddling over. "That was... strategic."

"Sure it was," Riley grinned, and maybe it was the chlorine or maybe Jordan was hallucinating, but they could've sworn Riley looked actually interested. "Get out of there, weirdo. Let me teach you how to actually dive."

Jordan climbed out, water dripping, heart still pounding but for a completely different reason now. Sometimes the most embarrassing moments weren't the end of the world. Sometimes, they were just the beginning.