Spinach Smoothies and Stand Your Ground

Maya's mom had gone through a health phase. Again. This time: spinach smoothies every morning.

"It's packed with iron!" her mom chirped, sliding a sludgy green glass across the counter. "You'll thank me when you're making varsity."

Maya stared at it. The spinach swirled in a way that felt almost threatening. "Can't I just eat it like a normal person?"

"Normal is boring, Maya."

Normal was exactly what Maya wanted. Sixteen was hard enough without glowing green drinks.

At school, Jackson was in rare form. He'd been on Maya's case since seventh grade, and today he'd cornered her by her locker.

"What's that, May? Alien fuel?" He knocked her books out of her hand. Pages scattered everywhere.

Maya's face burned. People watched. Always watching. She dropped to her knees, gathering her things, cheeks hot, throat tight. Said nothing. Because that's what she always did.

That afternoon, she found her cat, Mochi, crouched under the front porch. His ear was torn, blood crusted in his gray fur.

"Oh no, no no no." Maya crawled under after him, coaxing him out with trembling hands. "What happened, buddy?"

Her dad came out, frowning. "Neighbor's bull got out again. Must've charged the fence. Mochi probably got too close."

A bull. Their suburban neighborhood somehow had a bull, and it had hurt her cat. Maya felt something sharp and hot in her chest—something that had been building all day, all year, all her life.

She cleaned Mochi's wound with gentle hands, whispering to him, letting him press his face against her palm. He'd stood his ground. Against a bull.

Her dad watched her work. "You okay?"

Maya's hands stopped moving. She thought about spinach smoothies she hated drinking. About Jackson's smirking face. About Mochi, bleeding but brave.

"No," she said. Her voice didn't shake. "I'm not okay."

She stood up. "Tomorrow, I'm telling Jackson to back off. And I'm done with the spinach."

Her dad's eyebrows lifted. Then he smiled. Really smiled. "About time."

Mochi purred from her arms, his ear bandaged, his chin up. Some things, Maya realized, were worth standing your ground for. Even if it meant getting a little banged up along the way.

"Spinach," she muttered, and grinned. "Seriously."