The Green in Your Teeth

My stupid **hat** was the problem. Or so I thought.

Elena's pool party was supposed to be my moment. Freshman year, finally in the cool crowd. I spent three weeks perfecting my hair, only to hide it under a backward cap like some mysterious skater boy I absolutely was not.

"Dude, take off the **hat**," Marco said, splashing water at me. "You're not at a skate park."

I froze. Marco was Elena's boyfriend, varsity everything, the kind of guy who walked through life like he owned the franchise. My stomach knotted. This was it — the moment they'd realize I didn't belong.

Then I saw it: bright green **spinach** wedged between Marco's front teeth.

He was mid-sentence, talking about some party, acting all smooth with that ridiculous green fleck screaming for attention. Everyone was nodding, impressed. Nobody said anything.

I thought about my options. Stay quiet, protect my spot in the group. Or speak up and risk everything.

"Bro," I said, my voice shaking slightly, "you've got **spinach** in your teeth."

The **pool** went silent. Marco stopped talking. Elena froze.

Then Marco started laughing. Actually laughing. "For real? How long?"

"Since the appetizers," I said, shrugging.

"Man, why didn't you tell me sooner?" Marco shook his head, grinning. "Real **friend** would've spoken up immediately."

Something shifted. The pressure in my chest loosened. I took off my hat and ran a hand through my messy hair. Elena smiled at me, actually smiled, like she was seeing me for the first time.

"So," she said, "who wants to play chicken?"

I jumped in, hat floating on the deck behind me, finally getting what real friendship actually meant. Not fitting in, but being real enough that people trusted you to call out their **bull**. Even the green-toothed kind.