Green in My Teeth

The lunch bell couldn't ring fast enough. Maya's stomach had been growling through third period AP Bio, and she'd spent twenty minutes convincing herself that no one heard it over Mr. Henderson droning about mitochondria.

She grabbed her tray and bee-lined for her usual spot, but froze. There he was. Lucas, with that messy dark hair that fell in his eyes and the vintage band tee that definitely belonged to his older brother. He was sitting at HER table—the one by the windows that had perfect lighting for Instagram photos.

"Is this seat taken?" she asked, trying to sound casual instead of like she was mentally replaying their two-minute conversation at Friday's game.

Lucas looked up, half-smiling. "Nah, saved it for you."

Her brain short-circuited. Since when did Lucas save seats for her? Since when did Lucas even NOTICE her?

She sat down, tray trembling, and immediately realized her mistake. The cafeteria's "health option" today featured spinach—obviously wilted, definitely questionable, but it was green, and her mom had been on her "eat more vegetables" kick since Maya's orthodontist appointment.

"So," Lucas said, nodding at her tray, "you actually like that stuff?"

"What? The spinach?" Maya's face burned. "Yeah, it's... it's fine."

He raised an eyebrow. "You have a little..." He gestured to his own front teeth.

OH GOD.

She excused herself to the bathroom and practically sprinted. Three minutes later, she returned, spinach-free and ready to die of humiliation.

But Lucas was still there. And he was laughing, not at her, but with her.

"My dog gets spinach stuck in his teeth all the time," he said. "It's a whole production. He's this huge German shepherd, acts like he's a bear whenever I try to brush him."

"A bear?" she repeated.

"Yeah, he'll rear up and everything. It's ridiculous." Lucas's phone buzzed. He checked it, then sighed. "I have to go. My mom needs me to walk him before her shift."

"Wait," Maya said before she could overthink it. "You want me to come?"

Lucas paused, genuinely surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, if you want help. With your... bear dog."

His smile was worth the spinach incident. Worth the humiliation. Worth everything.

"I'd love that," he said.

Maya watched him walk away, already planning what she'd wear tomorrow. Because sometimes the most embarrassing moments led to the best ones. And maybe, just maybe, spinach wasn't so bad after all.