Sphinx Boy and the Green Smile

My mom packed my lunch with a spinach wrap again, because apparently being fifteen means you're automatically a health nut. I shoved it in my backpack and headed to school, already stressing about third period English - Mr. Henderson was assigning partners for our mythology project, and I'd been crushing on Leo since he'd moved here in October and started sitting behind me in homeroom.

"You're with Maya," Mr. Henderson announced, reading off his clipboard. My stomach dropped. Maya, who had somehow perfected the art of looking effortless while I still fumbled with combination locks. But then - "Leo, you're with Jordan."

At least I wouldn't have to stutter through sentences with my actual crush.

Fast forward to Friday, and we're all at the museum for our research trip. I'm standing in front of this massive limestone sphinx, trying to look intellectual instead of like I'd rather be literally anywhere else, when my phone buzzes in my pocket. Probably just my mom asking if I ate the spinach wrap (nope, still in my backpack, turning into a spinach burrito).

I sneak a peek at my iPhone under the pretense of checking the time. It's Leo.

'maya ditched me 2 hang w/ her friends. u wanna get food?'

My heart did this embarrassing little flutter thing. But then I caught my reflection in the dark glass display case and noticed something that made me want to die right there between Ancient Egypt and the gift shop - a massive piece of spinach wedged between my front teeth, like I'd been photographed mid-bite for a "before" dental hygiene poster.

I'd been walking around with green teeth ALL MORNING.

I was frantically trying to dislodge it with my tongue while pretending to deeply contemplate the sphinx's missing nose when Leo walked up. The universe hated me.

"Cool, right?" he said, nodding at the statue. "The sphinx supposedly asked riddles. If you got them wrong, it ate you."

"Haha, yeah," I said, still working on the spinach situation with my tongue. "Riddles. Scary stuff."

Leo squinted at me. Then he did this tiny exhale that was almost a laugh. "You have something in your teeth."

I wanted the sphinx to eat me. Actual digestion.

But Leo just smiled - not the pitying smile I expected, but something genuine. "Don't worry. I once walked around all day with my shirt inside out. On picture day."

I finally got the spinach out with my tongue. "Why are you telling me this?"

Leo shrugged, looking suddenly more nervous than I'd ever seen him. "Because I asked Maya to switch partners with me. She said no. But I figured... maybe we could still study together?"

Behind us, a docent's dog - a golden retriever they brought for therapy hours - trotted over and nudged my hand with a wet nose.

"I think that's a yes," Leo said, grinning.

And just like that, the sphinx wasn't so mysterious anymore.