The Green Between My Teeth

Jordan stared at the text on their phone, heart doing backflips. POOL PARTY AT TYLER'S - the social event of the summer. The pyramid of popularity at Ridgewood High had Tyler at the apex, Jordan somewhere in the basement, and this was their invitation to climb.

"You're going?" Maya asked, flopping onto Jordan's bed. She'd been Jordan's best friend since seventh grade, back when they'd both had matching braces and zero social currency.

"Obviously." Jordan applied lip gloss for the third time. "But my swimsuit is basic. Everyone else will have those aesthetic one-piece things."

"Wear what you want," Maya said, always the sensible one. "If they don't like it, they're not worth it."

The party was exactly as terrifying as Jordan had imagined. The pool shimmered like a gemstone, surrounded by beautiful people in beautiful swimsuits. Tyler waved from the deep end, droplets cascading down his sculpted arms. Jordan stood by the snack table, clutching a plastic cup.

Then they saw it: a bowl of fresh papaya chunks. Exotic. Sophisticated. Exactly the kind of thing cool people ate. Jordan speared a piece, popped it into their mouth, and prepared to blend in.

"Hey!" Tyler swam over, grinning. "You made it!"

This was it. The moment Jordan would ascend the pyramid.

"Yeah!" Jordan said, flashing a confident smile.

Tyler's expression flickered. Confusion? Amusement?

"You have..." He gestured at his own teeth.

Jordan's stomach dropped. They sprinted to the bathroom mirror. There, wedged proudly between their front teeth, was a vibrant, unmistakable chunk of spinach from earlier. Not papaya. Spinach. The ultimate betrayal.

They'd been walking around with spinach in their teeth for twenty minutes. In front of everyone.

Jordan scrubbed their teeth, eyes stinging. So much for the pyramid.

When they returned, prepared to grab Maya and flee, Tyler was laughing with his friends. He caught Jordan's eye and shrugged.

"Happens to everyone," he called out. "Last week, I had popcorn in my braces all through chemistry."

Someone else giggled. "I wore my shirt backwards to an assembly once."

"I called my teacher 'mom' twice in one semester."

The pyramid wobbled. Then it collapsed.

Jordan exhaled, maybe for the first time all summer. Maya appeared at their elbow with two cups of fruit punch.

"So," she whispered. "Want to get out of here and get real food?"

"Please," Jordan said. "And no spinach anywhere near it."