The Papaya Incident

The first time I spoke to Zara at lunch, I had papaya stuck in my braces.

I'd been hovering near her table for like three days, working up the courage to actually say something. Zara with her vintage band tees and the way she doodled anime characters on her math homework. Zara who'd transferred from Seattle and still said "hella" unironically.

So when I finally sat down across from her, nervous-sweating through my hoodie, naturally that was the moment my braces decided to betray me.

"Cool shirt," I managed. "Is that... is that Joy Division?"

She looked up, and her eyes were actually nice. Not that I was staring or whatever. "Yeah! You know them?"

"Yeah, totally," I said, and then I smiled because that's what you do when you're trying to be normal and make friends and not think about how her eyeliner was actually perfect.

That's when Jordan walked by and said, loud enough for everyone: "Yo Marcus, you got orange stuff in your teeth."

Papaya. From lunch. The exotic fruit my mom had started buying because she read an article about antioxidants or something.

I wanted to evaporate. Just straight-up cease to exist. I covered my mouth and mumbled something about needing to go and practically ran to the bathroom.

Later that night, I was in my room, doom-scrolling and hating myself, when my cat Luna knocked over my gaming headset. The cable got all tangled, and I was crouched on the floor trying to untangle it when my phone buzzed.

Instagram request: @zara_illustrates

Message: lol sorry about lunch. jordan's dramatic. also ur cat is cute?? how'd she get in ur profile pic

I stared at my phone for like five minutes straight.

I typed: She's photogenic unlike me. Sorry about the papaya situation

Zara: nah it was iconic. 10/10 would watch again. wanna sit together tomorrow?

I flopped back on my bed, Luna jumping onto my stomach and purring like a tiny motor. Sometimes the most embarrassing moments become the ones that actually matter.

The next day, I sat with Zara at lunch. And yeah, I made sure to check my teeth first.