Green Between the Teeth

The pool party of the year. That's what Maya's Instagram story called it, and that's why Maya was currently hyperventilating in the bathroom stall, iphone clutched in a trembling hand.

Outside, the **water** of the infinity pool reflected the dying sunlight. Inside, Maya was replaying the last three hours on mental loop, each iteration more mortifying than the last.

"You good in there?" her best friend Jules called through the door. "Ethan's asking about you. Again."

"I'm never coming out," Maya groaned. "I had **spinach** in my teeth. For like, two hours. Two hours, Jules. While I was flirting with the cute guy from AP Bio. This isn't just embarrassing, it's career-ending."

Jules sighed. "Girl, nobody noticed. Also, it wasn't even that much. You're being dramatic."

"Dramatic?" Maya pulled up her front camera and pointed. "Look at this. This is my life now. I am Forever Spinach Girl."

The bathroom door swung open and another girl stumbled in – Chloe, the one whose house this was. The one who somehow managed to look perfect even after swimming for four hours straight. Her hair was wet but styled, her makeup somehow intact, and she was holding a tray of food that included, cruelly, a spinach dip.

"Have you guys seen the **fox**?" Chloe asked, setting the tray down. "There's literally a fox in the backyard. My mom's freaking out."

Maya and Jules exchanged glances. "A fox?" Maya repeated. "Like... a real one?"

"Yeah, it's been hanging out by the pool. Super chill though." Chloe checked her own phone. "Anyway, Ethan's looking for you, Maya. He's by the snack bar if you want to... you know."

She left, and Jules turned to Maya with raised eyebrows. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Are you gonna hide in the bathroom all night or are you going to talk to the guy who's been asking about you since seventh period?"

Maya hesitated. The spinach incident still felt fresh – she'd laughed at something Ethan said, wide and genuine, and only discovered the green aftermath when she'd excused herself to "freshen up" (translation: spiral into existential crisis). But then again, he was still asking about her. Either he hadn't noticed, or he didn't care. Or maybe, just maybe, he actually liked talking to her.

"Fine," Maya said, finally unlocking the bathroom door. "But if there's still food in my teeth, you're legally required to stop me."

"Deal." Jules grinned. "And hey – if it goes wrong, we can blame it on the fox."

They stepped out into the cooling evening air. The sky was darkening now, and in the distance, a storm was brewing. The first flash of **lightning** split the sky, illuminating everything – the pool, the scattered party cups, the edge of the woods where something small and reddish darted into view.

Maya's phone buzzed in her hand. A text from an unknown number: *This is Ethan btw. Jules gave me your number. The fox says hi.*

She laughed, really laughed this time, spinach or no spinach. Maybe tonight wasn't going to be so bad after all.