The Spy in Room 204

The spinach was stuck. I could feel it, wedged between my front teeth like a green neon sign announcing my awkwardness to the world.

"You good, Maya?" Jordan asked, eyebrows raised.

"Totally," I lied, pressing my lips together and praying the cafeteria lighting wouldn't reveal the leafy green disaster I'd been hiding since lunch.

I'd become something of a spy lately—not the cool kind with gadgets, but the desperate kind who spent seventh period stationed by the water fountain, casually observing the hall outside Room 204. That's where Liam usually emerged after English Lit, wearing his orange Jansport with the rainbow pin.

*Today's the day,* I told myself. *Today I'll finally say something normal.*

The bell rang. I positioned myself by my locker, phone in hand, headphones around my neck—totally natural, definitely not suspicious. Liam walked by, laughing at something his friend said. His eyes met mine for approximately 0.3 seconds.

"Hey, Maya," he said.

"Hey," I squeaked, then immediately started coughing because apparently my voice had forgotten how to human.

*Abort mission,* I thought. *Abort everything.*

I turned to leave—and promptly ran straight into the doorframe. My orange backpack flew open. Papers exploded everywhere. I watched in horror as my English essay drifted across the floor like dead leaves.

Liam was there immediately. "Whoa, you okay?"

"Fine," I said, which was definitely not true. And then, because the universe had decided today was the day Maya's dignity would die, I smiled.

He saw it. He *saw* the spinach.

"You've got a little—" He pointed to his own teeth, mercifully not making a big deal about it.

I wanted to evaporate. Literually turn into vapor and float out a window.

"Thanks," I mumbled, frantically digging it out with my tongue.

But then Liam did something unexpected. He sat down on the floor and started helping me gather my scattered papers.

"So," he said, picking up a worksheet, "you running track this spring?"

"Yeah," I said, surprised. "You?"

"Maybe. If I can get my mile time under six minutes." He grinned, handing me my essay. "You want to run together sometime?"

My heart did something illegal. "Like, train together?"

"Or just run." He stood up, extending a hand to pull me up. "I'm Liam, by the way."

"Maya," I said, his hand warm in mine.

"I know," he said. "I've seen you around." Then he leaned in, voice dropping. "Also, I've been totally spying on you too. From the library window?"

I laughed, genuinely laughed. "Seriously?"

"Your turn at the fountain is way better than mine," he said. "More subtle."

"Oh my god, you saw me?"

"Everyone saw you, Maya." He smiled, and it was the realest thing I'd ever seen. "But don't worry, it was kind of endearing."

Later, sitting at dinner while my mom asked about my day, I thought about how sometimes the worst moments—spinach in your teeth, falling in public, being absolutely uncool—can become the start of something amazing.

"Maya?" My mom waved her hand. "Earth to Maya. You okay? You're smiling at your broccoli."