Green on the Scene

Maya's palms were sweating. Like, actually sweating through her brand new thrifted blazer. She'd been *running* on pure adrenaline since fourth period when she accidentally flashed a piece of **spinach** from her braces while presenting her English project.

The entire freshman class had definitely seen it. The video was probably already circulating on TikTok.

"Maya, you good?" Kai asked, sliding onto the bench beside her. His messy curls fell over his forehead exactly how they did in the candid photo she'd been lowkey stalking on his Instagram since August.

"I'm declicious," Maya said, then cringed so hard she nearly folded in half. "I mean delicious. I mean—this lunch is."

Kai laughed, and it was this warm sound that made her chest feel weirdly tight.

"You're funny," he said. "I like that."

**Palm** trees swayed beyond the cafeteria windows because apparently Southern California highs had to be picturesque in every possible way. Maya's life felt like a glitchy simulation where she was the NPC with spinach in her teeth and zero rizz.

"So," Kai started, and Maya's heart did this chaotic little rhythm. "My aunt's birthday is Saturday. She has this totally ancient golden retriever who needs watching while everyone's at the restaurant. I was wondering if maybe..."

"A **dog**?" Maya practically shouted, then immediately wanted to dissolve into the floor tiles.

Kai blinked. "Yeah? Her name's Buster. He's kind of a chaos demon but also the sweetest thing ever."

"I love chaos demons," Maya said, with way too much intensity.

Kai's phone buzzed. He checked it and winced. "Yo, I gotta bounce. But let me know about Saturday?"

"Yeah," Maya managed, already overanalyzing every second of their two-minute conversation.

By her locker, Chloe appeared with her signature smirk. "Saw you with Kai. Also saw your little spinach moment earlier."

Maya's face burned.

"Honestly?" Chloe's expression softened. "He was smiling at you the entire time during presentations. Like, *the entire time*."

Maya froze. "Really?"

"Babe, you think I'd lie about this? Your rizz is clearly intact despite the vegetable incident."

Walking home, Maya caught her reflection in a shop window. The spinach was gone, but something else had replaced it—this tiny, terrified hope that maybe, just maybe, high school might not be completely terrible after all.