Spinach Teeth & Social Pyramids

Maya stared at her reflection in the cafeteria mirror, wondering why the universe had it out for her specifically today. Of all days to wear her favorite crop top, she'd chosen the one where a rogue piece of **spinach** from her salad had decided to camp out between her front teeth.

"You good, Maya?" Jordan asked, leaning against the lockers like they owned the place. Which, technically, they kinda did. Jordan sat at the top of the school's social **pyramid** — varsity jacket, perfect hair, the kind of effortless confidence Maya had been faking since seventh grade.

Maya's brain short-circuited. This was it. The moment she'd been low-key obsessing over for weeks. Jordan had actually noticed her existence, and she was about to respond with spinach teeth like some kind of walking salad commercial.

"Yeah, totally," Maya managed, keeping her lips pressed together in what she hoped passed for a mysterious smile rather than terror. "Just... thinking about the **baseball** game Friday. You pitching?"

Smooth. Save your life, Maya.

Jordan's face lit up. "You're coming?"

"Wouldn't miss it." The spinach situation was becoming dire.

"Awesome." Jordan checked their phone, then winced. "Gotta run — coach is being a total **bear** about practice today. But save me a seat?"

Maya nodded, still not daring to open her mouth fully. Jordan flashed a grin and walked away, leaving Maya to exhale dramatically and furiously dig the spinach out of her teeth with her tongue.

Her phone buzzed. A text from Jordan: "BTW you had spinach in ur teeth. It was actually kinda cute lol."

Maya stared at the screen, then started laughing. The universe didn't hate her. The universe was just chaotic as hell, and somehow, that was okay.