Green Between the Teeth

The pool party was supposed to be Maya's chance to finally talk to Jake—the guy she'd been lowkey stalking on Instagram since September. She'd spent forty minutes perfecting her eyeliner and three hours deciding between the two swimsuits she bought specifically for this occasion.

Now she stood by the snack table, clutching a red solo cup like it was a lifeline, while Jake laughed at something Chelsea said three feet away. Chelsea, who somehow managed to look perfect even with wet hair. Chelsea, who probably didn't get nervous before talking to guys. Chelsea, whose teeth were definitely not currently housing an entire garden of organic spinach from the wrap she'd nervously inhaled twenty minutes ago.

Maya's iphone buzzed in her hand—her best friend Sasha demanding updates: "well??? did u talk to him yet???"

She typed back with shaking thumbs: "no. there is spinach in my teeth. my life is over."

The response came instantly: "omfg just get it out with your tongue or something u dramatic hoe"

Easy for Sasha to say. Sasha wasn't here. Sasha didn't have to navigate the treacherous social waters of junior year while essentially wearing a salad in her smile.

Maya made her way to the bathroom, moving through the crowd like she was on a covert mission. The bathroom mirror confirmed her worst fears—there it was, bright green and impossible to miss, nestled between her front teeth like it was paying rent.

She scrubbed it out with her finger, taking off half her mascara in the process. Perfect. Truly iconic.

When she finally emerged, Jake was standing by the bathroom door, looking at his phone.

"Hey," he said, looking up. "You're Maya, right? From AP Bio?"

Her brain short-circuited. "Yeah. That's me. Maya. AP Bio. I'm good at bio. I mean, I like bio. The subject. Not that I'm good at it, but I—"

Jake laughed. Not mean-laughed. Actually laughed.

"I was gonna ask if you wanted to play cornhole with me and some people," he said. "But if you hate bio, I guess you're out."

"I don't hate bio!" she practically shouted. Then, because her life was a comedy: "I actually really like spinach. In sandwiches. Not that I'm eating a sandwich right now. Obviously."

Jake's expression shifted from amused to something warmer. "You're weird, but I'm into it. Come on."

Maya followed him toward the backyard, her iphone already lighting up with Sasha's texts in her pocket. She wasn't sure what would happen next, but for the first time all day, she wasn't thinking about her teeth. She was just thinking about cornhole, and how Jake's eyes crinkled when he smiled, and how maybe, just maybe, being weirdly awkward wasn't the worst thing in the world.