Green in the Teeth

The papaya sat on the snack table like some alien artifact nobody wanted to touch. Cameron adjusted his hair for the third time, catching his reflection in the sliding glass door. This pool party was supposed to be his chance—finally hang with the popular crowd, maybe even talk to Maya.

"Yo Cameron, you gonna swim or what?" Jason called out, doing a cannonball that sent water everywhere.

Cameron hesitated. His mom had made him pack a healthy lunch, and he'd been sneaking spinach wraps all afternoon. Now he felt like something was stuck in his teeth. He smiled awkwardly at Jason. "Yeah, just warming up."

He spotted Maya across the pool, looking absolutely perfect in her swimsuit, her wet hair slicked back. This was it. His moment. He started toward her, trying to look casual, attempting that cool walk that every guy thinks they can pull off but absolutely cannot.

"That's some bull," his best friend Rico whispered, appearing beside him. "She's been talking to Tyler for like twenty minutes."

"Whatever," Cameron said, but his stomach did that awful twisty thing. He brushed his teeth with his tongue, and—yup. There was definitely something green and embarrassing up there.

He could bail. Go home, chill, maybe play some COD. But then Maya looked over and actually smiled at him.

"Hey Cameron!" she called. "You coming in?"

"Yeah!" he shouted back, then immediately panicked. He needed to check his teeth NOW.

He made a beeline for the bathroom, locking himself inside and doing a full forensic investigation with his phone flashlight. A massive piece of spinach had wedged itself right in front. He scrubbed it out, practiced his coolest smile in the mirror, fixed his hair again, and walked back out like he owned the place.

"Everything good?" Rico asked, looking suspicious.

"Never better," Cameron said, and for once, he wasn't lying.

He dove into the pool, surfacing right next to Maya. The water felt perfect, the anxiety washed away, and yeah—Tyler was still there, but Maya turned her full attention to Cameron like she'd been waiting for him.

"Finally," she said. "I was hoping you'd come over."

Sometimes the universe gives you a break. Even if it does try to sabotage you with spinach first.