Mission: Social Survival

Maya pressed herself against the lockers, heart doing that nervous flutter thing whenever HE walked past. Jason. The guy who sat three rows back in AP English and somehow made breathing look attractive. Being a complete and total spy wasn't in her Thursday plans, but here she was, observing from a tactical position behind a row of coats.

"Did you hear?" whispered Chloe, popping up beside her like she'd apparated. "Zombie apocalypse rumors are spreading AGAIN. Someone started a group chat saying they saw bite marks in the cafeteria."

Maya rolled her eyes. "Last week it was aliens. Before that, mermaids in the pool. People need hobbies."

The bell rang. Lunch. The ultimate social minefield.

Maya grabbed a tray, did her usual sweep-of-the-room assessment, and spotted an empty table near the windows. Perfect. She could eat her sad little lunch in peace. But then—disaster. Her nemesis, Jessica, was heading straight for her.

"Hey," Jessica said, sliding into the seat across from her. "You got something..." She gestured to her own teeth.

Maya's stomach dropped. "Please tell me it's not what I think it is."

"Yup. Spinach. Like, a whole forest of it."

MORTIFICATION. Level: MAXIMUM. She'd been walking around with spinach in her teeth ALL MORNING. Including when she'd accidentally made eye contact with Jason in the hallway. He'd probably thought she was some kind of spinach-mouthed monster.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?!" Maya hissed, covering her mouth. "I've been smiling at people ALL DAY!"

"We thought it was... a choice?" Chloe said, appearing with her tray. "Like, a bold fashion statement?"

"WHO would choose spinach as a fashion statement?!"

"I mean," Jessica considered, "Taylor Swift did pull off that whole greens-in-teeth thing last—"

"That's not a REAL thing," Maya groaned, burying her face in her hands. "This is it. This is my villain origin story. I'll become a social outcast, move to a remote island, and communicate only through carrier pigeons."

"Or," Chloe suggested, "you could just use a mirror next time."

From across the cafeteria, Jason waved. Maya froze. He was... waving? AT HER?

"He's definitely seen the spinach," she whispered. "He's making sure everyone knows."

"Or," said Jessica, "maybe he thinks you're cute AND he has terrible vision problems."

Maya watched in slow-motion horror as Jason started walking toward their table. This was it. The zombie apocalypse rumors were true, and she was about to be eaten alive. But Jason just stopped, leaned in close, and said:

"Hey, just so you know? You've got some—" He gestured to his own teeth, grinning. "Spinach. But honestly? It's kinda charming."

Then he walked away.

Maya sat there, stunned. "Did he just say... spinach is CHARMING?"

"Girl," Jessica said, "that man is legally blind OR he's into you. Either way, we're investigating."

And just like that, Maya went from social zombie to girl-with-a-mission. She checked her teeth in her phone camera—THANK YOU, NO SPINACH NOW—and grabbed her friends' arms.

"Operation: Figure Out If Jason Likes Me Or Just Needs Glasses begins NOW."

"Finally," Chloe sighed, standing up. "I was getting tired of the zombie thing anyway. Spying on crushes is WAY more fun."