The Perfect Imperfections

Chapter 9

We walked in to be greeted by a dark skinned girl with freckles on her face and curly black hair, who couldn't be more than eight years old.

"Umm hi we are here for the volunteer work." She was kneeling on the office chair at the back of the reception with a teen magazine open. She looked up when she heard my voice and eyed me up and down before pointing to the door behind her.

The room just consisted of the reception table and a couple of love seats at the corner near the entrance.

"Animals are in the back, jackets and harmful equipments go in the closet there" then she pointed to the open door on the right wall filled with coats and shoes. "Take of you shoes and put on the Crocs or slides in there" she went back to the magazine.

"Thank you" Sid answered behind me. The intervention of the deep voice made her snap back up to find Sid, she apparently didn't notice him when talking to me.

"Well aren't you handsome" the little girl complemented with confidence that baffled me.

I snickered at the sight of Sid's discomfort as the girls awestruck gaze refused to give attention to anything else. Leaving the two alone ignoring Sid pleadful expression I went into the closet to dispose of my things.

"Why don't you go drop your things" Sid felt relief at the small amount of time away from the girls intensity and took his time with his things.

That's what he gets for making fun of me. "So what's your name?"

She turned back to me "Rashida" She said with more sass than she addressed me with before. Probably thinking that Sid and I are a couple.

"Is he your boyfriend?" She voiced out not bothered by the fact that Sid could possibly hear. wow people my age don't even have the confidence that amounts to hers.

I zeroed in on the said person in the closet still taking his time but stopped just to glare at me to give the answer that would help him.

"Nooo, Oh God noo" I made sure to exaggerate a little "Not at all" the smile on both our faces couldn't be suppressed.

Sid glared at me from his position in the removal of his shoes ostensibly prolonging the process to avoid Rashida's dreamy gape. When he knew he can't stay there forever he came out and hid behind me avoiding the girls face all together.

"If you'll just follow-" she was cut off by a middle aged woman entering from the door at the back. Guessing by her curly afro and dark skin it's safe to assume that this was Rashida's mom.

"Hello. I'm Yvonne, how may we help you today?" Yvonne was short highted and curvaceous probably in here early twenties clad in a black palazzo pants and maroon blouse with a grey sweater on top.

"Hi we're from UCLA-"

"Ohh more volunteers, that's fantastic. How about I show you where everyone is." She opened the door but Rashida stopped her.

"No mom I wanted to show them around" she complained in a whiny voice gave him a cursory glance.

It looked like it didn't go unnoticed to her because she reprimanded her in a hushed tone.

"Baby I'm not about to let you guide them just so you could flirt with the young lady's boyfriend!"

"Sorry to interrupt but we're not dating" if looks could kill I'd be ten feet into the ground. I raised an eyebrow and fling an arm over his back - because I can't reach his shoulders- and thrived in the satisfaction that appeared on the girls face.

"See ma, just friends."

"That still doesn't mean you can make him uncomfortable"

Rashida huffed and pouted pulling out what we can assume was the puppy dog look and pleaded "please ma."