Palm Readings & Spinach Teeth

Maya discovered she could read palms during third period US History while Mr. Henderson droned on about the Industrial Revolution. By lunch, she'd given readings to half the sophomore class, charging three dollars each and promising eternal love or academic greatness depending on how much someone wanted to believe.

"Your life line is crazy long," she told Jake, the soccer captain, tracing the crease in his hand while trying not to notice how his eyes actually kind of sparkled when he laughed. "You're gonna live forever. Or at least until you're ninety."

"What about my love life?" He'd leaned in closer, and Maya's palms started sweating so bad she had to wipe them on her jeans under the table.

That's when Chloe appeared. "She's literally making this up, Jake. My cousin Maya's been spying on everyone's Instagrams for weeks. She told Sarah she'd meet someone tall because she saw Sarah liked that one guy's photo five times in a row."

Jake's face fell. He pulled his hand back. "For real?"

"No!" Maya lied. But her face gave her away—she definitely *had* been stalking Sarah's crush situations for material. Being the palm reader had made her popular for the first time in her life. She wasn't ready to lose it.

That Friday, Maya's mom made her take her little brother Leo to the new smoothie place downtown. "It has organic spinach," her mom said, like this explained why Maya had to be seen in public with a seventh grader.

Leo ordered something green that smelled like a lawn. While waiting, Maya spotted Jake through the window with Chloe. They were sharing a smoothie. Two straws. The universe was definitely not written in anyone's palms.

"Your teeth are green," Leo said.

Maya checked her phone camera. Spinach. From the sample she'd tried. Her front teeth looked like she'd been eating grass.

Chloe walked past their table and did a double-take. Then she actually smiled. "Jake broke up with me yesterday," she said, sliding into the booth across from Maya. "Said he couldn't stop thinking about how you called him out for skipping calc that one time. Said you actually pay attention."

Maya's palms didn't sweat this time. "Really?"

"Really. Also?" Chloe pointed at her own teeth. "I had spinach in my braces until tenth grade. You're good."