“Actually Professor West, the answer is 15.5. You forgot the to move the decimal.” Zinnia said as she rose her hand. 

Most of the students in the lecture hall would roll their eyes, already used to Zinnia speaking up and giving her 2 cents.

The funny thing was that Zinnia lived for it. She thrived knowing they couldn’t stand how smart she was.

“Yes, I won’t even check to see if you're right because I know you are, haha.” Professor West said, now erasing the mistake. 

Nobody laughed along but Zinnia, of course.

However, the boy that sat next to her glanced over at Zinnia, getting a good look at her. Zinnia would turn her head to look at him, but he didn’t break his gaze.

“Uh, yes?” She said quietly. He would just smirk and look away.

Zinnia blinked a couple of times and shook her head. “Weirdo.” she muttered under her breath, audible for him to hear. 

“I know I am, and I am proud about that.” He said, not even glancing at her.

“Have great weekend guys, please make sure to study for the upcoming exam..” Professor West said before everyone began to leave.

Zinnia looked over at him and rolled her eyes. “Congrats.” She stood up and left the room, heading to her study spot. 

“What a freaking weirdo…” She said to herself as she continued to stride to the library.

As she would walk around, some students would stop and stare at her, as usual. She was the only few black girls at this school. Zinnia attends UF, the honors college specifically.

She's in her Junior year studying Biomedical Sciences. Zinnia is the smartest in her graduating class and is well respected by the faculty and staff.

But by her classmates? Nope. 

Zinnia never cared about the jealousy anyways, why would she? 

As she sat down at her study spot, she took out her calculus notes to study.

But oddly enough, she glanced up to see the same boy with his friends at another table nearby. 

Now after the weird incident, he’s on her radar. And it’s distracting her.

But, she couldn't deny that she was curious about him. He was handsome anyways, and she think he was Korean if she isn’t mistaken. His two other friends are Korean as well.

“Jaehyun, if you get straight A’s this semester, you might be valedictorian. Sheesh, look at his grades! Haha.”

“Valedictorian? Is he a junior?” Zinnia thought to herself. Now she was really invested in this conversation.

“Mark, I think you’re forgetting that he was the valedictorian at SSC, right?”

He’s a transfer student…. 

“Oh yeahhhh.”

“Johnny, Mark…Can we just study for this exam…? Stop looking at my grades.” Jaehyun said, opening his textbook.

Zinnia just kept peeking at them, but she soon made eye contact with Jaehyun while he was opening his book.

.

Zinnia put her head down real quick, she could feel her face getting hot. Jaehyun soon recognized who that was, a smirk quickly formed on his face.

“Who you looking at- ..Ohhh . She fine.” Mark said, getting a good look at Zinnia.

“Oh no… That’s Zinnia. She’s so rude and stuck up, that was I heard.” Johnny said.

Zinnia's head shot up so fast. Her mind quickly began to rage. She was probably seeing red at this point.

All three of the boys' jaw dropped when she noticed. "Oh ." Mark murmured. 

She got up and marched over to Jaehyun’s table. She took a seat at the empty seat in front of Jaehyun. 

Mark and Johnny looked so baffled as she took a seat so suddenly. Jaehyun was pleasantly amused.

“Good afternoon boys, who wants to speak up and address that rumor to me?” Zinnia said, trying to keep her cool. She needed to hold the urge of hurt to slap whoever said it.

Mark still had wide eyes and looked over at Johnny. Johnny's expression changed to an unamused one real quick.

 “It was me, I said what I was told. But now I don't think it's a rumor anymore.” He said and shrugged his shoulders.

 Zinnia was shaken for a second, but then she laughed in grimace. “You’ve got some nerve to say that.”

“And you got some nerve to invade our space-“

“Johnny, don’t even worry about her,” Jaehyun says to him, putting his hand on his shoulder. He knew Johnny had a little temper.

“Let’s not cause a scene in here…You clearly have a rep to uphold, right babe?” Jaehyun said calmly to Zinnia.

Zinnia cringed. “Please don’t call me babe. Have a great day boys.” She said as she stood up, making sure to look at Johnny as she walked away to her table. 

She didn’t care if he was twice her height, he didn’t intimidate her. 

No one does.

She immediately got her things and left to her dorm.

“Wow…I think I’m in love.” Mark said as she walked away, clearly staring at her backside.

“Mark, you are literally a .” Johnny said as he flipped through his textbook. “Who the hell does think she is?” Johnny continued.

“She’s y. And smart, and fi-“

“Mark..” Mark rubbed his head. “Damn sorry.”

“Anyways, guys. Don’t worry, she won’t be so cocky after this semester. I’m gonna take her spot.” Jaehyun said nonchalantly as he wrote in his notes.

“Oh crap! I didn’t even think of that, hahaha. I legit can’t wait to see her reaction to that.” Johnny said. “That just made my day.”

Jaehyun would laugh quietly. "Yup, she needs to be humbled."

Later that day.

“I mean, you already know you'll still have haters from being at the top, don’t even worry about it.” Zinnia’s best friend and roommate, Kelly, said to her.

“Yeah, but I just can’t shake off that situation. Especially since it was with that weirdo.” She said, putting a plate of rice and chicken she made in front of Kelly. 

“Thanks. I get it, maybe we should go out to clear ya mind.” Kelly said before eating a spoon full of rice.

"The Black Student Union is doing a game night at 7, wanna do that?" Zinnia played around with her rice, she remembered the last time she went to a BSU event. She got into an argument with the VP.

"Uhhh, do you not remember Daphne and her crew trying to harass and bully me the last meeting? I swear, if I didn't respect myself I would've beat her raggedy-..."

Kelly's eyes got wide. "Oh yeah...But imma keep real with you. Try to understand where their anger is coming from Zi.." She said now putting her spoon down.

"Yes, I do. It's jealousy, Kelly. And it's not fair that I get hated for my hard w-"

"No!" She cut her off. "Think about it. You're the top student, they gonna automatically think you're stuck up. And if I gotta be honest, you aren't the friendliest, Zi."

 Zinnia would put her spoon down and make eye contact with Kelly.

"You're right, I'm not. And I can't be, with all those people with their opinions on a black girl striving. Don't blame me, blame the other students." Zinnia said, now standing up.

"Zi, I understand that. But just hear me out?"

"I'm just gonna pass on tonight, thanks for the offer." Zinna said, now going into her room.

Kelly shook her head and pulled out her phone.

The offer still stands till I leave. Cheer up sis. [5.13pm]

She sent the message and took her food to her room.

Zinnia laid on her bed while her mind began to wonder.

"Why are you being so bossy?" Daphne said, now getting closer to Zinnia. "Last time I checked, I was the VP of this club."

Zinnia stood up from her seat. All the students began to chatter and instigate. 

"I can't state my opinions? I thought I was free to do that. All I said is that we should focus more on volunteering opportunities this semester, some people need hours anyways?"

Daphne laughed. "At this point your just deaf huh? Just cause you's the honors student queen or whatever means your opinion is more important."

"I'm just pushing my opinion since no one agrees with it."

"Yeah, for a reason." Daphne says, now crossing her arms

"Well, its-...Actually, never mind." Zinnia said, taking her seat. Kelly looked over to Zinnia and grabbed her hand. "Let's just go."

"No, said what you had to say. You damn Oreo." Daphne said, now smirking. Almost everyone started to chuckle.

Zinnia stood up from her seat. Her mind was raging. The things she wanted to say back, but she didn't wanna risk her reputation.

"Your attitude isn't the only thing that stinks, and I ain't talking about your mouth."

"Ohhhh" "Sheesh." "Gottdamn!"

Daphne got even closer. "We can handle this outside if you want, you ."

"That's enough, lets bounce." Kelly stood up and dragged Zinnia with her to the door of the classroom. "Not cool Daphne.." Kelly said to her before leaving.

Zinnia started to cry on her pillow. 

What makes me so unlikable? I really want to know...