The Vitamin D Protocol

I'd been functioning on zombie mode for three days straight. Finals week will do that to you—turn you into something that technically looks human but is definitely running on autopilot and caffeine fumes.

"You look dead," Maya said, sliding into the cafeteria seat across from me. She was right. My dark circles had dark circles.

"Thanks, bestie. Really boosting the self-esteem." I popped another gummy vitamin from the neon bottle my mom had pressed into my hand that morning. "She said I need immune support or whatever."

Maya's eyes lit up. That specific spark that meant trouble. "Wait. Your mom gave you the good vitamins? The expensive ones?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Jordan takes those. Same bottle." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I saw it on his Instagram story. Like, three weeks ago when he posted that bathroom mirror flex."

I froze. Jordan. The Jordan. Who sat two tables away, currently laughing at something his friends said, completely unaware that my heart had just done that embarrassing flutter thing.

"So?" I tried to sound casual. Failed.

"So?" Maya stared at me like I was being deliberately dense. "So now you have an excuse. An in. A reason to talk to him. You're basically a spy now. You have intel."

"That's not what being a spy means—"

"Listen. You go up there, you ask if he takes those vitamins too, you bond over shared supplement routines, boom—conversation started. It's perfect.

"It's weird. It's definitely weird."

"It's not weird! It's—" She paused, searching for the word. "—strategic. You're gathering intel. Building rapport. All that spy stuff."

I looked at Jordan again. He was smiling, and something about the way his hair fell over his forehead made my chest feel tight and weird and terrified all at once.

"I can't just walk up to him and talk about vitamins. Who does that?"

"Someone who's tired of being a background character in their own life." Maya grabbed my arm. "Do it. Right now. I'll be your wingman. I'll create a distraction."

"What kind of distraction?"

"I don't know! I'll spill something. Or fake a seizure. Or just look really intense and suspicious so he's relieved when you approach him instead."

I laughed despite myself. "You'd make a terrible spy."

"I'd be a GREAT spy. I'm dramatic, I'm committed, and I look good in trench coats." She stood up and dramatically adjusted her imaginary trench coat. "Go. Before I lose my nerve."

So I went. Walking across the cafeteria felt like crossing a minefield. Every step was too loud, too awkward, too noticeable. My heart hammered against my ribs like it was trying to break out.

Jordan looked up as I approached.

"Hey?" he said, and it was a question, friendly but confused.

"Hey." My voice came out weird. High and thin. "I just—"

I saw the vitamin bottle on his table. Same neon orange label. Same everything.

"Your vitamins," I blurted. "I mean—do you take those? Because I take those too. And I noticed—"

Jordan's face broke into a grin. A real one. "No way. You too? My mom literally bought me these last week. She thinks I'm gonna get scurvy or something from eating nothing but cafeteria food."

"Same!" I couldn't believe it. "She gave me the whole speech about immune support and—"

"—and how we're teenagers so we think we're invincible but actually our bodies are still developing—" We said it together.

We laughed. The kind of laugh that's surprised and genuine and makes everything else in the room fade out.

"I'm Jordan, by the way."

"I know," I said, then immediately wanted to die. "I mean—I'm Riley."

"Nice to meet you, Riley." He gestured to the empty seat next to him. "Wanna sit? We can bond over our moms' vitamin choices."

Later, when I slid back into my original seat, Maya was grinning like she'd just solved world hunger.

"Well?" she demanded.

"We're studying together tomorrow," I said, trying to keep my face from giving away how much I was freaking out inside. "He likes the strawberry ones too."

"TOLD YOU." Maya pumped her fist. "Spy tactics NEVER fail."

I popped another vitamin gummy. Maybe there was something to this immune support thing after all—I felt like I could finally breathe again.