Spinach Between My Teeth
The pool party at Tyler's house was supposed to be my comeback moment. Freshman year had been basically invisible, but sophomore year? That was gonna be different.
I'd spent the morning chugging this green smoothie my mom made — spinach, banana, something about vitamins and growth. I was trying to be the kind of person who cared about that stuff now. The kind of person Jordan noticed.
Jordan was by the pool, laughing with her friends, palm trees swaying behind them like they were in a music video. My palms were sweating just thinking about talking to her.
"Hey!" Tyler's cat, a scruffy orange thing, brushed against my leg. I'd been sneaking it treats all summer when I hung out at his house. It was my only real friend here, honestly.
I grabbed a handful of chips, trying to look chill. Natural. Someone people would want to talk to.
The dip looked good. I went in.
Jordan walked over. My stomach did that thing where it forgets how to exist.
"Hey, you're Tyler's friend, right? The one who saved his math grade?"
"Yeah, that's —"
"You have something in your teeth," she said, wrinkling her nose. "It's... green."
Spinach. From the smoothie. Or the dip. Both? Who knew.
My face burned. I mumbled something and bolted to the bathroom, mentally planning my transfer to a school in another state.
When I came out, Jordan was waiting.
"I didn't mean to embarrass you," she said. "Last month? I had spinach in my teeth during my presentation. Huge green chunk. Whole class saw."
"No way."
"Way. I almost died. But then Danny told me he liked how I didn't even care. Which was a lie because I cared SO much, but..." She shrugged. "Anyway, you're good. The cat likes you. That's character evidence."
We ended up sitting on the pool edge, feet in the water, talking about nothing and everything until her mom picked her up.
"Same time next week?" she asked.
"Yeah. Same time."
My phone buzzed. A text from Tyler: Your cat broke into my room again.
I smiled. Maybe this year wouldn't be so invisible after all.