Green Between the Teeth
Marcus had been stuck in the middle of Miller High's social pyramid since sixth grade—too cool for the basement-dwelling gamers, not nearly cool enough for the apex where varsity jackets and expensive sneakers reigned supreme. He existed in the layers, invisible and average, which was exactly how he liked it.
Until the spinach incident.
He was working his Friday shift at Luigi's, bussing tables and dreaming about getting off early enough to catch Sasha's Instagram live. Sasha, who sat two tables from the top of the pyramid. Sasha, who somehow managed to make AP Physics look effortless.
Marcus wiped down Table 7, caught his reflection in the window, and froze. A massive, vibrant piece of spinach was wedged between his front teeth, broadcasting its presence like a neon sign. He'd been smiling and chatting with customers for three hours.
THREE. HOURS.
His face burned hot enough to power the restaurant's entire kitchen. He'd served Sasha's table twenty minutes ago. She'd definitely seen it. She'd definitely told people. By Monday, he'd be the guy with the spinach smile, a permanent resident of the social pyramid's lowest level.
"Everything okay, Marc?" his uncle called from behind the counter.
Marcus grabbed his backpack. "Family emergency. Sorry."
He didn't stop moving until he hit the pavement, running past the closed storefronts and flickering streetlights. Running had always been his escape—just him and the rhythm of his sneakers against asphalt, drowning out the overthinking, the embarrassment, the constant mental math of where he fit in everyone's hierarchy.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. Sasha.
hey ur gonna think this is wild but i literally have spinach stuck in my teeth rn from that salad at luigi's
Marcus slowed to a walk, chest heaving, and typed back: "You too?"
we can be spinach twins lol
He stared at his screen, grinning, and caught his reflection again—still a piece of spinach, still awkward, still somewhere in the middle of everything. But somehow, the pyramid didn't seem so steep anymore. Some things, he realized, were way more important than climbing to the top.
Especially when you could find someone perfectly happy to meet you in the middle.