Zombie at the Plate

I was a certified **zombie** running on three hours of sleep and pure adrenaline. Tryouts for the varsity **baseball** team started in twenty minutes, and my stomach was doing gymnastics that definitely weren't covered in PE.

The school's social **pyramid** loomed over everything—jocks at the top, then the cool kids, everyone else stacked underneath. I'd spent three years at the bottom, invisible as wallpaper. Today was supposed to change that. My dad had drilled me on batting practice since I could walk, and apparently I had "natural talent." Whatever that meant.

"You got this, Marcus," my best friend Jenna said, handing me a sandwich from the cafeteria. "Eat something first."

I took a massive bite, talking with my mouth full because I was nervous and stupid. "Thanks. I'm gonna need it."

The cafeteria went suddenly quiet. Chloe Martinez, the sophomore who sat at the very top of the pyramid with the varsity players, was walking toward my table. My heart flatlined.

"Hey," she said, sliding into the seat across from me. "You're trying out for baseball, right?"

I nodded, trying to play it cool. "Yeah. First time."

"My brother's the captain," she said, smiling. "He's looking for a decent outfielder."

We talked for ten minutes about everything and nothing. I was funny. I was charming. I was absolutely killing it.

Until Jenna's eyes went wide and she kicked me under the table.

"What?" I mouthed.

She made frantic gesture at her own teeth.

I excused myself and ran to the bathroom. A massive, disgusting piece of **spinach** was wedged between my front teeth, visible from space. I'd spent ten minutes talking to Chloe Martinez with spinach in my teeth.

I wanted to die. I wanted to transfer schools. I wanted to become an actual zombie so I wouldn't have to feel embarrassment anymore.

But then I heard someone laugh. I looked up—Chloe was standing in the doorway.

"You coming, baseball boy?" She was still smiling. "Or you gonna let some spinach ruin your shot?"

I realized then that the pyramid was all in my head. The people at the top? They were just people.

I grinned, spinach and all. "I'm coming."

And I did. I made the team. But more importantly, I made a friend who thought my spinach moment was "low-key hilarious." Sometimes the most embarrassing moments become the ones that change everything.