Green in the Teeth

Maya stood at the edge of the pool, clutching her red solo cup like it was a life raft. The water glittered temptingly, but jumping in meant exposing her thighs—the ones she'd been stress-chilling in the bathroom mirror for twenty minutes before leaving the house. Across the pool, Taylor laughed at something Jordan said, head thrown back, hair perfect. Why was being sixteen basically one long performance review?

She'd spent all afternoon babysitting, inhaling leftover spinach dip while the kids watched cartoons for the third time. Classic Maya move—forget to check herself in the mirror before arriving at THE party of the summer.

"Hey!" A voice behind her. Lucas, the boy she'd had a crush on since seventh grade, when he still wore braces and beatboxed in math class. "You gonna swim or what?"

Maya's stomach did that thing it always did around him. "Yeah, just... you know. Warming up."

"Cool." He splashed water at her. "Come in!"

She was about to make some excuse when the sky chose that exact moment to open up. Lightning cracked across the horizon like something out of a movie, followed immediately by thunder that shook the porch.

"Everyone out!" Taylor's mom shouted from the back door. "Storm's coming!"

The pool area transformed into chaos. Wet teenagers grabbing towels, phones, half-empty cups. Maya found herself huddled under the porch overhang with Lucas, pressed together in the crowd as rain pelted down around them.

"So," Lucas said, wiping water from his face. "You come here often?"

Maya laughed before she could stop herself. "Wow. That was terrible."

"I know, right?" He grinned, then his expression shifted. "Hey, you have a little..." He gestured to his own teeth.

Maya's heart sank. She swiped her tongue across her front teeth. Green. Spinach. From three hours ago.

"Oh my GOD," she whispered, wanting to dissolve into the puddles forming around them.

"Honestly?" Lucas shrugged. "I've had a piece of watermelon stuck in my braces since second period."

Maya looked at him. Really looked at him. And there it was—bright pink wedged in his metal braces.

"You're kidding."

"Dead serious. My orthodontist is going to murder me."

Something inside Maya loosened. Maybe high school wasn't about being perfect. Maybe it was just about finding the other people with food in their teeth and laughing about it together.

"I'm Maya," she said.

"Lucas," he replied, like they hadn't gone to school together for three years. "Want to get some actual food that doesn't require dental work afterward?"

As the rain poured down around them, Maya realized this might be the best party she'd never actually attended.