Spinach Smile

Maya's palms were sweating so much she thought they might actually drip on Taylor's linoleum floor. First real party. First time wearing the crop top she'd spent three weeks deciding was actually her style. First time talking to him.

"You gonna get something to eat?" Fox asked, appearing beside her like the social chameleon everyone knew him as. His orange hair earned him the nickname sophomore year, and he'd leaned into it hard. "Taylor's mom made those mini spinach puffs."

Spinach. The word made Maya's stomach do a full gymnastics routine. She'd been rocking a spinach-in-teeth situation since lunch, and nobody—literally nobody—had told her. Her best friend Kasia had failed her spectacularly.

"Maybe later," Maya managed, her voice doing that weird crackly thing when she was nervous. "I'm good."

Fox studied her face, those sharp eyes missing nothing. "You got something in your—"

"I KNOW," Maya wanted to scream, but instead she just mumbled, "Yeah, I know. Thanks."

She bolted for the bathroom, shoving past people she'd known since middle school who suddenly felt like strangers. Locked the door. Stared at herself in the mirror.

There it was. A bright green fleck right between her two front teeth. She'd spent forty-five minutes talking to Daniel—Daniel, who she'd been crushing on since seventh grade—with spinach in her teeth like some kind of middle school disaster.

Her phone buzzed. Kasia: u ok???

Maya typed back: FINE. Just needed air.

When she finally emerged, washed-faced and spinach-free, Fox was waiting outside the bathroom door.

"You good?" he asked, actually looking concerned instead of amused.

"Yeah," Maya said, realizing her palms had stopped sweating. "Just embarrassed myself in front of Daniel. Again."

Fox shrugged. "Daniel once walked around with his fly down for an entire chemistry period. Nobody remembers. Everyone's too busy worrying about themselves."

Maya actually laughed. "Really?"

"Cross my heart." Fox held up his hand, palm flat. "And besides, the spinach thing? Kinda made you seem human. Daniel's been perfect since sixth grade. It's weirding people out."

"You think I should talk to him again?"

"I think," Fox said, "you should come get some of those spinach puffs before they're gone. And maybe stop trying so hard. People like the real you better anyway."

Maya looked at this boy she'd barely spoken to before tonight, realizing sometimes the people you least expect are the ones who actually see you.

"Okay," she said. "But you're coming with me."

Fox grinned. "Deal."