The Spinach Championship

Maya's first day at Northwood High could've gone better. Actually, scratch that—it could barely have gone worse.

Problem one: the hair. She'd spent forty-five minutes straightening her curls that morning, only for the humidity to turn her into a poodle the moment she stepped off the bus. Problem two: somehow, she'd managed to get spinach stuck in her teeth during lunch. And she'd been smiling at people. For twenty minutes.

"You've got something—" someone said behind her.

Maya spun around, her cheeks burning. It was Tyler, the guy who sat behind her in third period History. The one with the stupid perfect hair and the varsity jacket that probably cost more than her car.

"It's gone now," he said, fighting back a grin. "But heads up, the lunch ladies don't believe in seasoning anything. That spinach was weaponized."

"Thanks," Maya muttered, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her whole. "Thanks for letting me know twenty minutes after the fact. Really appreciate it."

"I didn't want to be that guy," Tyler said. "But my conscience was eating at me. Which is ironic, considering we're talking about spinach."

Despite everything, Maya let out a short laugh. "That was terrible. Like, actually terrible."

"I know." His smile was genuine. "So, new girl, you joining anything? Fall sports are signing up this week."

"I don't really do sports," Maya said. "I'm more of the 'sits in her room and overthinks everything' type."

"That's not a sport," Tyler said. "But we actually need people for the debate team. It's basically competitive arguing. You seem like you could hold your own."

"Competitive arguing?" Maya raised an eyebrow. "Is that even real?"

"As real as my chances of getting through this week without my coach killing me," Tyler said. "Anyway, think about it. We meet tomorrow in room 204."

He walked away, leaving Maya standing there with her frizzy hair and her spinach-free teeth and the weird feeling that maybe, just maybe, Northwood High wouldn't be completely terrible after all.

Her phone buzzed. Her mom: How's it going, sweetie?

Maya typed back: Great. Already made a friend. Joining debate team.

Some lies were worth it. And some disasters—like spinach in your teeth on your first day—had a way of turning into something else entirely.