The Green Between My Teeth

The chlorine hung thick in the humid August air as I hovered behind the concession stand, baseball cap pulled low. Technically I was supposed to be working the snack bar. Really, I was conducting reconnaissance.

Liam sat by the pool, his wet shirt clinging to ridiculous shoulder muscles. He played varsity baseball, which basically made him royalty at Northwood High. I'd been spying on him for three weeks now — not in a creepy way, just... thorough research.

"Yo, Maya!" Jason whispered, appearing beside me. "Your shift ended twenty minutes ago. And you're being super obvious."

I glared at my coworker. "I'm not obvious. I'm casually observing."

"You're lurking behind a nacho cheese dispenser. That's not casual."

Whatever. Jason wouldn't understand. He didn't know what it was like to be the new girl who'd spent all summer being invisible.

Liam stood up, water dripping from his hair. He was walking over here.

Panic surged through my veins. "Is there spinach in my teeth?" I hissed at Jason. "I had that spinach wrap from the cafeteria earlier and —"

"Maya!" Liam called. His voice was deeper in person. "Hey, sorry, I know this is random, but..."

My heart hammered against my ribs. He knew my name. This was it. The beginning of everything.

"...you left your backpack on the bleachers by the baseball field during practice," he finished. "Thought you might want it back."

My soul exited my body. I'd been "spy"-ing on the wrong boy all summer — I'd meant to watch Jake from the baseball team, but somehow I'd mixed them up. The backpack was Jake's. I'd borrowed it and forgotten it there after deliberately "accidentally" leaving it behind so Jake would notice me.

"Thanks," I squeaked, taking the backpack. My face burned. "I was just..."

"Looking for this?" Liam smiled, and I noticed it for the first time — a fleck of green between his front teeth.

Spinach.

He had spinach in his teeth too.

"Yeah," I said, feeling suddenly lighter. "Thanks, Liam."

"No problem." He paused. "Hey, you coming to the game Friday? We play Central."

"Wouldn't miss it."

As he walked away, I caught Jason's eye. We were both grinning like idiots. Maybe high school wouldn't be so bad after all. Even the embarrassing parts, we were all in them together.