The Zombie Lifeguard Incident

Maya dragged herself through the double doors of the Pineview Community Center, feeling like a total **zombie** after pulling an all-nighter to finish her AP Euro essay. Summer lifeguard orientation wasn't exactly how she wanted to spend her Saturday, but her parents had practically insisted she needed a job that wasn't scrolling through TikTok.

The **pool** smelled like chlorine and childhood memories—Maya had spent every summer here since she was six, learning to swim while her mom read magazines on the deck. Now she was supposed to be the one guarding lives. The irony wasn't lost on her.

"You must be Maya," said a deep voice. She turned to see him—Jordan, the senior she'd been lowkey crushing on since Spanish club started last fall. He was wearing the staff uniform and his hair was still damp from morning swim practice. "Welcome to the most exhausting job of your life."

Maya's brain short-circuited. "Uh, thanks? I think?"

He laughed, and it was even better than she'd imagined. "I'm kidding. Sort of. Anyway, orientation's in the conference room. There's breakfast." He gestured toward a table loaded with bagels, fruit, and a surprisingly fancy salad bar.

Starving, Maya grabbed a plate and started loading up. She reached for what she thought was mixed greens but turned out to be straight-up **spinach**. Whatever, she thought, I need the vitamins. She ate a huge forkful while making awkward conversation with another new hire, a guy named Marcus who wouldn't stop talking about his gaming channel.

The orientation dragged on for three hours. By the time they finished the CPR training portion, Maya was dead on her feet. But the worst part came when they finally did introductions in front of everyone.

"I'm Maya," she managed, standing up. "I'm a junior, I like reading, and I'm excited to—" She paused, realizing everyone was staring at her teeth. Marcus made a weird face. Jordan was trying not to laugh.

"You have... something," he whispered.

Maya rushed to the bathroom. SPINACH. A massive, bright green piece of spinach wedged between her front teeth. She'd been talking to her crush for hours with spinach in her teeth. She wanted to dissolve into the floor, maybe **bear**-crawl her way home and never return.

She almost quit right then. But when she came out of the bathroom, Jordan was waiting.

"Happens to the best of us," he said with a smile. "Last year? I walked around with my shirt inside out during an entire shift. Kids kept pointing and laughing, and I thought they just loved my personality."

Maya laughed despite herself. "Seriously?"

"Dead serious." He checked his phone. "Hey, some of us are getting food at Tony's after this. You should come. Marcus thinks you might actually watch his videos."

She smiled, feeling something shift inside her. Maybe being a zombie with spinach in her teeth wasn't the worst thing in the world. Sometimes the most embarrassing moments were just the ones that made you human.

"Yeah," Maya said. "I think I will."