Spinach Teeth & Broken Cables

Marcus stood in front of the bathroom mirror, carefully picking every piece of **spinach** from his braces with his tongue. His sister's quinceañera was in ten minutes, and he'd already survived three abuelitas asking when *he* was going to find a nice novia.

"Fix the **cable**, mijo," his dad yelled from the living room. "The tías need their novela NOW."

Marcus sighed. Being the family's unofficial IT guy was exhausting. He knelt behind the TV, squinting at the tangled mess of wires while relatives swirled around him with platters of food and loud opinions about his college choices.

"You should see Brian," his cousin Jasmine whispered, suddenly appearing beside him. She held an **orange** soda like it was a prop. "He's in the kitchen, looking cute as ever. Go say hi."

Marcus's face burned. Jasmine knew about his crush—well, the whole family probably knew. They lived in a small town where gossip traveled faster than their actual internet connection.

"I can't just... I'm fixing the cable," he mumbled.

"That's total **bull**," Jasmine rolled her eyes. "You're scared he won't remember you from summer camp."

She wasn't wrong. But what if Brian acted like he didn't know him? What if everyone watched?

The TV sputtered to life just as his abuelo marched over. "Ay, Marcos, always on the phone. Come dance!"

"It's not a phone, Abuelo..."

But his grandfather was already dragging him toward the dance floor, where Marcus spotted Brian near the punch bowl, laughing with Jasmine. Their eyes met, and Brian actually waved. Like, genuinely.

Marcus's heart did that stupid flutter thing. He'd spent weeks overthinking this moment, crafting smooth opening lines that sounded cringe even in his head. Now here he was, spinach-free but definitely sweaty, being twirled by his 78-year-old grandfather while bachata blasted through speakers.

Sometimes you just had to let go of the cable and dance with the awkwardness.

"Hey!" Brian called over the music, grinning. "Saved me a dance?"

Marcus stopped fighting his grandfather's spinning and smiled back. "Yeah. Yeah, I think I can do that."