Green Between the Teeth

Maya stood at the edge of the pool, clutching her towel like a security blanket. The chlorine stung her nose, but that wasn't why her stomach did backflips. This was Chloe's party—Chloe, who'd been her best friend since kindergarten, until three weeks ago when their friendship had imploded over a text message Maya never should've sent.

"You coming in or what?" Chloe called from the water, surrounded by the same girls who now sat at Maya's empty lunch table. Her wet hair slicked back like a seal, perfect and effortless.

Maya forced a smile. "Just warming up."

She'd spent forty-five minutes flat-ironing her hair this morning, only for humidity to frizz it into something resembling a poodle. She looked around nervously. Everyone seemed to be watching her, their eyes tracking her movements like she was some kind of spy they'd caught trespassing. Was it paranoia, or had someone actually told them about the Instagram DM she'd sent to Chloe's boyfriend—totally innocent, but the screenshot had made it look trashy?

Her stomach growled. The snacks table beckoned—spinach artichoke dip, chips, those little cocktail sausages. Maya grabbed a plate, piled it high, and practically inhaled everything. Social anxiety made her hungry, sue her.

"Maya, can we talk?"

She jumped. Chloe stood dripping beside her, arms crossed. "About what?"

"About why you've been ghosting me since I started dating Tyler. You think I don't know you've been spying on my Snapchat stories?" Chloe's voice cracked. "I miss you, idiot."

Maya stared. "You're dating Tyler? I thought—I thought you hated me for him."

"Hate you?" Chloe laughed. "I've been waiting for you to stop being weird so we could talk. Also, you have massive spinach in your teeth."

Maya's face burned. She scrubbed her teeth with her tongue.

"So we're good?" Chloe asked.

"We're good."

"Cool. Now get in the pool before I push you."

Maya dropped her towel. Some things—like real friendship—were worth swimming for.