Spinach Between Worlds

Maya's palms were so sweaty she could practically water plants with them. She gripped the catering tray like a lifeline, heart doing somersaults as she surveyed the gym-turned-wonderland. Winter Formal. The event she'd spent three weeks overthinking.

"Nice hat," someone called out.

Maya's hand flew to her head. Right. The stupid catering uniform hat—basically a fabric pyramid that said I'm Working While You're Living Your Best Life. She'd already seen half her algebra class getting their photos taken under the glittery archway, while she circulated with spinach puffs that kept threatening to tumble off the tray.

Speaking of spinach.

She caught her reflection in the gymnasium window and froze. A vibrant green leaf was wedged between her front teeth, broadcasting itself like a neon sign. After all those mental pep talks about being confident and talking to Lucas—the cute guy from AP Bio who'd actually asked her to study with him next week—this was her reality. Food in her teeth. While serving food to people who were actually dancing.

Maya scanned the room, searching for an escape route, and instead spotted Lucas himself. He wasn't dancing either—leaned against the bleachers, scrolling through his phone, looking almost as out of place as she felt. And then their eyes met.

He wove through the crowd toward her. Maya's brain short-circuited. She could excuse herself, run to the bathroom, fix the spinach situation, and—

"Hey," Lucas said. "I, um, I wasn't sure you'd be here."

"Working," Maya managed, tray tipping dangerously. "Catering."

"Cool." He gestured toward the snack table. "I was gonna get some food, but honestly? The spinach puffs look terrifying."

Maya laughed. "They are. I'm basically guarding people from bad decisions."

"You're like..." Lucas grinned, "a snack spy. Professional puff patrol."

It was objectively the worst pun she'd ever heard. And Maya found herself grinning back, spinach be damned. "Exactly. My duties include preventing puff-related casualties."

"Well, Agent Maya." Lucas leaned in, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "You have something in your teeth. Just so you know."

He didn't say it mockingly. Just... matter-of-factly. Like she was a normal person who could have normal things in her teeth, who could stand here talking to a cute boy while wearing a ridiculous pyramid hat and holding a tray of spinach puffs, and it didn't have to be a whole thing.

Maya reached up, finger found the spinach, flicked it away. "Thanks."

"Anytime." Lucas checked his phone, then back at her. "So, after your shift... you want to get food? Actual good food?"

"Only if it doesn't involve anything green," she said.

"Deal."

As Lucas walked back toward the bleachers, Maya adjusted her pyramid hat with newfound confidence. palms still sweaty, heart still racing, but maybe—just maybe—she didn't have to be on the outside looking in anymore.