Three Strikes at Being Cool

Maya's life was basically one long awkward moment, but today took it to legendary levels. It started with the spinach in her teeth — bright green and mocking her through three consecutive conversations with Jason, who she'd been crushing on since September.

"Nice smile," he'd said, and she'd beamed back like an idiot, unaware that half her lunch was decorating her braces until Asher whispered in fourth period, "You've got something in your teeth, Maya. Since Tuesday."

Tuesday. That was three days ago. She died inside, metaphorically at least.

Her cat, Miso, judged her from her phone case — that anime cat with the smug expression — like, *Girl, you are a mess.*

And things were supposed to be different this year. No more being the quiet girl in the back row. This was the year she'd try out for softball, actually talk to Jason, stop being invisible. So far: zero for three.

At lunch, Jason sat at the table across from hers, laughing with his baseball team friends. The way his shoulders moved when he laughed was unfair, actually. Maya had spent enough time pretending not to watch during games to know exactly how his uniform fit, how he adjusted his cap between pitches, how he looked when he slid into home plate, dirt on his knees.

"Hey."

She jumped. Jason was standing at her lunch table. In the flesh. With his baseball jersey on and everything.

"I, uh, noticed you at the games," he said. "You come a lot."

Maya's brain short-circuited. "Oh yeah, I just, um, I like baseball. The sport. In general."

Smooth. So smooth.

But then he laughed, and it wasn't mean-laughing. It was nice-laughing, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You're funny," he said. "I like that. Most girls just pretend to care about the game to talk to the players."

The table behind them erupted. Someone had slammed their tray down hard.

Maya turned. It was Marcus, the linebacker for the football team, looming over some freshman. The cafeteria went silent. The nickname everyone whispered behind his back made sense now — *The Bull.* He was massive, shoulders blocking out the fluorescent lights, and he looked ready to charge.

The freshman looked terrified.

Jason stood up. "Hey, Marcus, leave him alone."

Everyone was watching now. The Bull turned slowly, staring down Jason, who had like, a hundred pounds on him easy.

"Or what?" Marcus said.

Jason didn't back down. "Or I'll get Coach Williams. He's got zero tolerance for bullying."

Maya held her breath. This was it. This was the moment Jason became the hero.

The Bull stared at Jason for one eternal second, then snorted. "Whatever. Not worth it." He stormed off, shoving chairs out of his way.

The cafeteria exhaled.

Jason sat back down like nothing happened. "Anyway," he said, "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out after the game on Friday? Maybe get smoothies?"

Maya's mouth opened. No sound came out.

"Or not," Jason said, suddenly looking uncertain.

"No!" Maya practically shouted. "I mean, yes. Yes, I want that. Smoothies. With you."

Jason's smile returned, bright as the cafeteria lights. "Cool. It's a date then."

As he walked back to his table, Maya's phone buzzed. Asher: *Did that just happen???*

Maya touched her teeth self-consciously. Clean today. Thank god.

Her cat phone case seemed less smug now. Maybe even proud. *Not bad, human,* Miso's expression said. *Not bad at all.*

Three strikes at being cool, but she'd finally hit one out of the park.