Not Perfect Enough

Chapter 12

And she looks so comfortable in what she's wearing.

"I'm good. This is your first party here in Ridge Town, how're you liking it?" I ask, and her smile broadens.

"It's nice, fun even. Everyone here looks so different than they do at school!" she exclaims as she glances at Zee for a bit.

"But I have a question," she says, coming closer to me. "Who are those people?" she whispers, referring to the Southerners, and I instantly rear back in disgust.

I hate those people. They are so icky and tacky. They prove that every single time. Like today, they wanted to start a fight. That is so barbaric of them. I can't stand them. I can't believe Zee allowed them to stay in the same vicinity as us. Being reminded of their presence just irks me.

"Those are the icky southerners. They are poor, barbaric, slimy—"

"That's enough, Chidinma!" Zee snaps at me all of a sudden.

"What? What's wrong?" I ask him, moving closer to him.

"Can you not talk about them like that?" he says and I make a puzzled expression. 

What does he mean by that? Is he taking their side? No, Zee can't do that. He's not a Southern lover.

"I don't understand what you're saying," I tell him, clearly confused.

"Just- just forget about it," he mutters, then walks away.

"Zee!" I call out but it's too late, he's already lost in the crowd.

What was that all about?

"Is something wrong with him?" Kris asks me.

"I don't know. He's just been so distant lately and I—" I stop as I realize who I'm talking to.

I don't really know her. I can't start blabbing everything about my life to her.

"Tell me," she urges me, seeming to be very intrigued in what I have to say.

"It's nothing," I dismiss as a group of people come by the table to get snacks.

"I know you don't trust me yet and that's why you won't complete your sentence. But you don't have to tell me anything, because I already know everything," she states cleverly.

I grab her elbow and pull her to a secluded part of the party.

"What do you mean by that?" I ask when we're alone, and she rips her arm from my grip.

"I meant what I said," she sasses me, folding her arms.

"Meaning?" I drag out, waiting for her to explain what she meant.

"I know that you're in love with Zee!" she practically yells. I quickly cover her mouth with my left palm, then check if anyone around heard her.

"Don't say that out loud!" I whisper-yell at her before removing my palm from her mouth.

"You say that like it's a secret. Everyone knows about your feelings for Zee . . . well, except for Zee himself," Kris says bluntly, and my heart skips a beat.