Green Between the Teeth

The **pool** at Jordan's house glowed that perfect blue that only exists on Instagram, but real life came with way more awkward. Maya stood by the snack table, clutching a paper plate like it was a lifeline, while everyone else splashed and screamed like they'd been best friends forever.

'You gonna swim or just guard the spinach dip?' Jordan appeared beside her, dripping wet. He was annoying, but also annoyingly cute. 'People are starting to think you're weird.'

'Maybe I am weird,' Maya muttered, but she grabbed a chip anyway. The dip looked safe enough—mostly cream cheese with something green.

Her older sister's voice echoed in her head: *Put yourself out there, Maya. You're fifteen. Stop acting like you're still twelve.*

She took the chip. Put it in her mouth.

Then Mr. Hoffman—Jordan's dad, built like a literal **bull**, all shoulders and intensity—suddenly materialized in front of her. 'Maya, right? How's your mother doing? Haven't seen her since the neighborhood association meeting.'

Maya's throat went dry. 'She's good, Mr. Hoffman. Really good.'

He nodded like this was important information. 'Good, good. Tell her I said hello. And dive in sometime, will you? That **water** isn't gonna bite.' He clapped her shoulder so hard she almost dropped her plate and moved on to terrorize someone else.

Jordan was grinning. 'My dad loves you. That's rare.'

'Did I...' Maya panicked. 'Did I have something in my teeth?'

'Wait.' Jordan leaned closer, then started laughing. Not mean laughing, but actual laughing. 'Oh my god. Is that... is that **spinach**?'

The horror hit her like a truck. Everyone had seen. EVERYONE.

'You know what?' Maya set down her plate. 'Whatever.' She marched toward the pool, phone and all, and did a cannonball that was definitely not elegant but felt absolutely perfect.

When she came up sputtering, Jordan was already there, treading water. 'That was actually kind of awesome.'

'The cannonball or the spinach?'

'Both.'

She'd survived. And maybe—just maybe—being a little weird was exactly who she was supposed to be.