The Spinach Incident

Maya stared at the lunchroom's invisible social pyramid. At the top sat the table by the windows—where Jenna held court with her perfect beach waves and curated aesthetic. Maya, with her frizzy hair and thrift store hoodie, occupied the basement level.

"You going to Jordan's party?" Leo asked, sliding into the seat across from her. Leo was solidly middle-tier—cool enough to sit with anyone, genuine enough to sit with her.

Maya shrugged. "Probably not. Not really my scene."

Her phone buzzed. Her mom: *Grandma's recipe for the party. Don't forget the spinach puffs!* Because nothing says teenage rager like frozen appetizers.

"You should come," Leo said. "Jenna's not the whole world, Maya."

Something about the way he said it made her actually consider it.

An hour later, Maya stood in front of her bathroom mirror, attempting to tame her hair into something resembling intentional. Her phone rang—her mom again. *Honey, I mixed up the containers. That's not spinach, that's food dye I was using for the bake sale. The green one.*

Maya froze. She'd already applied the "spinach" face mask her mom swore by. Now she looked like a green-tinted zombie.

At the party, she hid in the kitchen, positioning herself strategically near the spinach puffs she'd brought—camouflage.

"Nice mask," Leo said, appearing behind her with two sodas. "Very Shrek chic."

"I'm literally never leaving this kitchen," Maya groaned.

"Good." Leo handed her a soda. "Then I don't have to compete with anyone for your attention."

Maya's heart did something embarrassing. The kitchen suddenly felt less like a hiding spot and more like exactly where she wanted to be.

"Hey," he said, gently brushing a stray piece of hair from her forehead. "For what it's worth? I like this version of you better than whatever Jenna's selling."

Jenna swept through the kitchen then, holding court, perfect and polished. Maya watched her go, then looked at Leo—genuine, funny, currently offering her a spinach puff with zero judgment.

The social pyramid could wait. Some things were more important than climbing to the top.