Green in the Teeth

Maya stood at the edge of the pool, clutching her tote bag like it contained state secrets. The backyard of Jessica Hamilton's house shimmered with heat and popularity—kids she'd known since middle school now transformed by summer into strangers with better skin and more confidence.

"You coming in or what?" Liam yelled, splashing water toward her. Her best friend since third grade, currently treading water beside Tyler, who Maya had been lowkey obsessed with since April.

"Just... gotta eat first," Maya mumbled, reaching into her bag. Her mom had packed papaya slices because "exotic fruit shows sophistication," which was exactly the kind of thing her Ethiopian mom would say while everyone else's parents were sending chips and pizza.

She bit into the papaya. Someone laughed.

Maya froze. She felt something green and stringy between her front teeth—spinach, obviously. From the spinach salad she'd forced herself to eat before coming because "a bikini body starts with discipline." Now she looked like she'd been eating a lawn.

"Nice smile," Jessica called from her pool float. The whole group laughed.

Maya's face burned. She turned to rush inside, escape to the bathroom, maybe text Liam she was sick—

But then she saw her phone on the lounge chair, screen glowing. A text from an unknown number: "Spinach happens. FYI, Tyler has it too."

Maya blinked. Who was...?

She scanned the party. Her eyes landed on Chloe, the quiet girl from AP Bio who sat behind her in class, currently sipping a smoothie and watching the scene unfold. Chloe caught Maya's eye and gave the tiniest, almost imperceptible nod before turning back to her phone.

A spy. At Jessica Hamilton's pool party, someone had actually looked out for her instead of at her.

Tyler chose that moment to climb out of the pool, grinning with obvious green stuff stuck in his braces. Nobody laughed.

"Whatever," Maya said, loud enough for people to hear. She wiped her teeth with her finger, then took another bite of papaya. "This stuff's actually fire. Y'all are missing out."

Liam swam over to the edge. "Save me a piece?"

"Get your own," Maya said, but she was smiling. She caught Chloe's eye again, and this time, she didn't look away.