The Green Between My Teeth

Maya's summer glow-up was going according to plan. New wardrobe, new haircut, new confidence. Until the pool party.

She'd spent forty-five minutes perfecting the mirror selfie for her Instagram story—hair cascading, filters on point, caption about "leveling up this summer." Her iPhone clutched in hand like a lifeline, she headed to Tyler's house, ready to finally make her move after two years of friendship-zone limbo.

The spinach smoothie had been her mother's idea. "You're growing up, Maya. Take care of yourself." So she'd choked it down, the green sludge that supposedly made her skin glow. Whatever. It was healthy.

The party was already popping when she arrived. Tyler spotted her and waved, dimples doing that thing that made her stomach do flip-flops. She headed toward him, navigating through people with easy grace—until Jenna caught her eye.

"Maya!" Jenna called out. "You've got something..." She gestured to her own teeth, grimacing.

Maya's heart dropped. She sprinted to the bathroom, iPhone flashlight illuminating the horror: a forest of green wedged between her front teeth. SPINACH. From the smoothie. She'd been smiling at everyone for forty-five minutes like this.

Her phone buzzed. Someone had posted it—a photo of her grinning with spinach-filled teeth. Comments already flooding in: "lmao," "so real," "iconic." Her stomach twisted. Tyler had seen it. Everyone had seen it.

Then the sky opened up.

Thunder cracked. Rain pummeled the roof. The party groaned—everyone scattering inside. Maya stood in the bathroom, tears mixing with humiliation, watching her phone light up with each new notification.

A knock. "Maya?" Tyler's voice.

She opened the door, ready to disappear. "I know, it's gross—"

"I was gonna tell you," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, "but Jenna beat me to it. And then the storm happened, and..." He shrugged. "I was coming to find you anyway."

Outside, lightning flashed, illuminating his sheepish grin. "Wanted to see if you'd want to hang out. Just us. Tomorrow. If you're not too busy being internet famous."

Maya laughed. Her phone lay forgotten on the counter, its screen lighting up with each new flash of lightning outside. Some things were bigger than a viral moment.

"Pick me up at seven," she said. "And Tyler? Don't let me near spinach."