Green in the Teeth, Gold in the Heart

The line for Madame Zora's palm-reading booth snaked past the basketball courts, cutting right through the middle of North High's spring carnival. Maya clutched her ticket so hard the edges started to curl.

"You seriously believe this stuff?" Chloe said, popping her gum. "It's probably just Mrs. Henderson from drama class behind that veil."

Maya's palms were definitely sweating. Like, a lot. She wiped them on her jeans—again. "It's five bucks, Chlo. What's the worst that could happen?"

"You could waste five bucks."

"Or I could find out if—" Maya lowered her voice "—if he likes me back."

Chloe groaned. "You're hopeless. But fine. I'll wait here and look judgmental."

The booth smelled like patchouli and desperation. Madame Zora—actually sophomore Kyle with way too much eyeliner—grabbed Maya's hand dramatically. "Your palm tells me... you recently ate something green."

Maya froze. Spinach. The stupid spinach wrap from lunch. The one she'd eaten right before talking to Ryan at his locker. The one she'd felt stuck in her teeth for three periods afterward.

"That's not really palm reading," Maya said weakly.

"Okay, okay, for real though." Kyle actually seemed to concentrate for a second. "Your life line shows... someone's gonna be really honest with you soon. Like, embarrassingly honest. And it'll be fine. Better than fine."

Maya left the booth feeling weirdly light, like something had shifted.

"So?" Chloe demanded. "Did she predict your future? Are you and Ryan gonna get married and have babies?"

"Shut up." But Maya was smiling. "She said someone's gonna be honest with me. And that it'll be good."

"Well," Chloe said, linking their arms together. "If it helps, Ryan was asking me where you went during third period."

Maya stopped walking. "What?"

"He wanted to know if you were avoiding him because of the..." Chloe gestured vaguely at her own teeth "...you know."

"The spinach?"

"The spinach. Apparently he tried to tell you but you walked away too fast."

Maya covered her face with her hands. "I'm the actual worst."

"You're not the worst." Chloe squeezed her arm. "You're just terrible at flirting. But for what it's worth? He thinks it's cute that you're awkward about it."

"Cute?"

"His exact word, babe. Now let's go find him before I lose my nerve as your wingwoman."