Spinach Teeth & the Sphinx Statue

Jordan's heart hammered against their ribs like a trapped bird. The spring fling was in full swing, and somewhere in this gym-turned-dance-floor, Riley was probably wondering why Jordan wasn't dancing. Or maybe Riley wasn't wondering at all. That was the problem.

Jordan had spent forty minutes on their hair. Had spent actual money on this outfit from Urban. Had practiced cool, casual phrases in the mirror like "sick beat" and "this slaps." But now they were just standing by the punch bowl, holding a red Solo cup like it was a lifeline.

"Yo, Jordan!" Marcus appeared, grinning. "You gonna dance or just vibe over here all night?"

"Just taking a beat," Jordan lied smoothly. But then Marcus's eyes flickered to Jordan's mouth and back. Oh no. The universal code for: you have something in your teeth.

Jordan excused themselves and bolted for the bathroom, pushing through couples who were definitely violating the three-inch rule. The fluorescent mirror revealed it: a tiny piece of spinach, bright green and devastating, right in front. From the cafeteria's "healthy" lunch options. Cool. Cool cool cool.

They cleaned it up and leaned against the cold sink, breathing. This was fine. They could go back out there. They could—

But what if Riley saw? What if Riley *already* saw and now Jordan was Spinach Teeth forever?

Jordan slipped out the side door instead. The school courtyard had that old concrete **sphinx** statue from like, the eighties, when the school mascot was mysteriously Egyptian-themed for three years before someone realized that made zero sense. Kids called it the Riddler because the administration was always moving it around like a chess piece they'd forgotten the rules to.

Jordan sat on the base of it and pulled out their phone. Eleven texts from their group chat: "where r u," "u good," "RILEY IS ASKING ABOUT U."

Jordan's stomach did that fluttery thing that was either hope or anxiety. Probably both.

A scruffy golden retriever mix—the groundskeeper's **dog**, Barnaby—wandered over and nudged Jordan's knee. Barnaby wasn't supposed to be on school grounds but everyone pretended not to know.

"Hey buddy," Jordan whispered, scratching behind his ears. "You ever feel like everyone speaks a language you're just barely faking?"

Barnaby licked their hand. Jordan's phone lit up again: another message. "Riley went looking 4 u outside."

Jordan stood up, heart suddenly racing again. But differently this time.

The sphinx statue's stone face seemed to smirk. Maybe riddles weren't about having the right answers. Maybe they were about being brave enough to ask.

Jordan walked back toward the gym, Barnaby trotting happily beside them like a four-legged good luck charm. The spinach was gone. The night wasn't over. And for the first time all evening, Jordan thought: maybe I've got this.