BLACK-ISH

Uncharted Territory

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Zoey and I were caught up in the heat of the moment, oblivious to the fact that our parents were standing in the doorway. The second I noticed them, I pushed Zoey off me, my heart racing. I quickly wiped my mouth and sat up, putting as much distance between us as I could.

"What the hell, Zoey?" I snapped, pretending to be disgusted.

Mom’s eyes were wide with shock, but there was also a glimmer of excitement. “Lila, are you okay?” she asked, though her tone betrayed a hint of curiosity.

Rainbow and Dre exchanged a look, and Rainbow’s face lit up. “So, it seems we have a lot to talk about,” she said, stepping into the room.

Our parents gathered around us, their expressions a mix of concern and eagerness. “Do you two really want to be together?” Dre asked, his voice serious but kind.

I was about to deny it, to say that it was all a mistake, but Zoey spoke up before I could.

“Yes,” she said firmly. “I do. I have feelings for Lila, and I’m not afraid to admit it.”

I stared at her, my mind racing. Zoey’s words hung in the air, and I felt a mix of emotions—shock, confusion, and something I couldn’t quite name.

Mom looked at me, her eyes full of questions. “Lila, what do you think?”

I swallowed hard, unsure of how to respond. Zoey’s boldness had thrown me off, and I didn’t know what to say. Before I could gather my thoughts, our parents nodded in unison.

“Well, it seems you both need to figure this out,” Dre said. “But we support you, no matter what.”

Rainbow added, “We’re here for you, Zoey. And Lila, we’re glad you’re part of this journey with us.”

With that, they left the room, returning downstairs to their wine and TV show. The door closed behind them, leaving Zoey and me alone again.

I turned to Zoey, my frustration bubbling over. “Why would you say that? We barely know each other!”

Zoey looked at me, her eyes full of intensity. “Because it’s true. I already love you, Lila.”

I was stunned into silence. Zoey’s words felt too big, too fast. “You’re moving way too fast,” I said, shaking my head. “We need to slow down and figure this out.”

Zoey’s expression softened, but she held her ground. “I know what I feel, Lila. And I’m not going to hide it. But if you need time, I’ll try to slow down.”

I took a deep breath, trying to process everything. “We need to get to know each other first. Let’s just see where things go, okay?”

Zoey nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. “Okay. We’ll take it one step at a time.”

We sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the evening settling around us. Despite the chaos, there was a strange sense of clarity. Zoey and I were in uncharted territory, but at least we were in it together.

I hope y'all like the other chapters that I published yesterday...I was working the whole summer with these chapters so now I'm publishing them now.

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