Camilla's steps slowed as she drew close to the other girls, her twin flaxen braids bouncing along with every step and her brown sandals leaving footprints behind in the glittering sand. Her curious aqua eyes were locked on Alice, her own skin possessing a gentle tan with freckles dotting her face and arms. With a vibrant, sparkling smile, she adjusted her floppy sunhat and fixed her loose bright blue and yellow crop top paired with tight orange short-shorts that put emphasis on her hips, showing off her slender and fit yet curvy figure.

“Hey there,” Noelle spoke up.

Camilla kept on walking without saying a word to Noelle, her dazzling aquas still locking onto Alice's entrancing deep blues. Camilla made it to her destination, which was Alice's comfort zone as she drank in the ebony girl's appearance.

“Oh my, what do we have here? It's very rare we get any exotic visitors!” Camilla said, taking a step closer as you took a small step back in response.

“Hey,” Noelle snapped. “Don't call Alice exotic! You are being very rude.”

“Hehe, but it's true! Skin this dark isn't usual at all!” Camilla shot back, her eyes still traveling along Alice's skin.

"Hey, can you please back up a bit?" you pleaded, your discomfort evident. "You're way too close for my liking."

Camilla chuckled, her friendly but invasive demeanor not wavering. "But I'm just being friendly and curious! Don't worry, I won't bite. I'm Camilla, by the way."

Noelle's protective instincts kicked in, and she stepped in front of Alice, gently pushing Camilla away. "Personal space. Ever heard of it, young lady?"

Camilla let out a light laugh in the face of Noelle's protective gesture. "Hehe, no need to get so serious! I just can't help it, she's just so intriguing! But fine, I'll back up a bit."

Rachel, always the blunt one, rolled her eyes and spoke up. "Yeah, your ‘friendliness’ can be pretty intrusive, huh, Camilla?"

Camilla pouted playfully at Rachel, feigning mock hurt. "Aww, come on now, can't a girl just appreciate someone unique? It's not every day we get to meet someone as…different as Alice.”

Rachel sighed, shaking her head. "Unique, huh? More like you're being kinda insensitive. You can't just go around calling people ‘exotic’ and treating them as if they're some sort of novelty."

Camilla shrugged casually. "Oh, lighten up, Rachel! I'm not trying to be insensitive. I'm just expressing my admiration! And let's be honest, Alice is quite special, isn't she?"

Noelle shot Camilla a disapproving look. "Yes, she's special because she's an individual. But referring to her as exotic is not a compliment."

Camilla let out a dismissive laugh. "Oh, you're just reading too much into it. Relax, I meant no harm. Exotic simply means unique! Alice definitely fits that description, don't you think? I mean, just look at her beautiful dark skin!"

Rachel's eyes widened, clearly fed up with Camilla's attitude. "Are you for real? Exotic isn't a compliment, it's damn racist. You're basically reducing her uniqueness to her skin color. It's like saying, 'Wow, you're different and interesting, but only because of how you look. Forget about who you really are or what you can do, right?'"

Camilla rolled her eyes at Rachel, her friendly demeanor slipping a bit. "Come on, girl, you're blowing this way out of proportion! I was just using a word, it's not that serious. And besides, isn't it a good thing to appreciate someone's unique appearance? I don't see why you're making such a big deal about it!”

Noelle shook her head, clearly frustrated with Camilla's lack of understanding. "It's not about appreciating someone's appearance, Camilla. It's about recognizing them as a person, not an oddity to gawk at. And the term 'exotic' has been used to dehumanize people for centuries. You might think it's a harmless word, but it carries a lot of historical and cultural baggage."

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Camilla raised an eyebrow, her cheerful demeanor now tinged with irritation. "Oh, please, are you seriously giving me a history lesson right now? I didn't mean anything malicious by it. And it's not like I'm the first or last person to use that word. Why are you making such a big deal out of nothing?"

Zalgo stepped in, narrowing her eyes. "It's not 'nothing,' Camilla. Words have power, and using terms like 'exotic' can be hurtful and demeaning. We're not trying to give you a history lesson; we're trying to make you understand that what you're saying is insensitive and disrespectful.”

Camilla huffed, her patience wearing thin. "You're being way too sensitive. I'm not trying to be disrespectful; I'm just trying to express how unique and beautiful she is. Besides, I bet Alice doesn't even mind, right, honey?" she asked, looking at you with not just ordinary eyes, but bedroom eyes.

Your mind raced as the conversation escalated, your discomfort growing as Camilla's eyes pierced through you like daggers.

You felt overwhelmed, torn between standing up for yourself and wanting to run away from this awkward situation. The stares from the people around them added to your anxiety.

"S-Stop calling me that," you managed to stammer out, trying to gather your thoughts.

Noelle glanced at you, her expression softening as she could sense your internal distress.

Camilla chuckled, a playful smirk on her lips.

"Awww, you're adorably shy, aren'tcha? But you can't deny the truth, you are exotic, after all."

Noelle was about to say something to defend you, but Rachel spoke up first, her irritation showing in her voice.

"See?! That's exactly the problem, Camilla! Using the word 'exotic' to describe someone based solely on their skin color is not a compliment. It's ignorant and offensive. You're reducing Alice to a stereotype.”

Camilla rolled her eyes, unfazed by Noelle and Rachel's words.

"Oh, calm down, it's not that serious. I'm just pointing out that Alice stands out, she's different."

You felt a mix of embarrassment and discomfort rising within you, your cheeks flushed as you struggled to find the right words to defend yourself.

Noelle reached out and gently rested her hand on your arm, her touch comforting.

"Don't listen to her, Alice. You're a unique individual, yes, but that doesn't make you an exotic object to be gawked at or called names like some kind of novelty. You deserve respect and to be seen for who you are, not just your race and the color of your skin."

You felt a wave of gratitude towards Noelle and your friends, their support and kindness giving you a sense of safety amidst the uncomfortable situation.

Noelle then turned her attention back to Camilla, her eyes narrowing at her.

”As for you, Camilla… I think what you fail to understand is that labeling someone as 'exotic' because of their race is not just offensive; it's a vestige of a bygone era when people were treated as curiosities instead of human beings. Times have changed, and we should leave that kind of language in the past where it belongs. Saying someone is 'exotic' isn't a compliment, Camilla, it's a microaggression. It's a word that's often used to objectify people of color, reducing them to mere objects of curiosity instead of recognizing their humanity."

Camilla waved dismissively with a sigh. “Well excuse me for pointing out the obvious…”

You took a deep breath, finding the courage to speak up, albeit quietly.

"I-I don't like being called exotic... It makes me feel like a zoo exhibit... It makes me feel othered..."

Camilla's expression softened from your words, her shoulders slumping as she looked you in the eyes. “I understand… I'll be more mindful of my words. I'd hate to make you feel uncomfortable or othered, so I'll be careful with my word choice from now on.”

Rachel growled and balled her fists, glaring at Camilla. “It seriously took Alice herself saying it for the message to finally get through your thick skull?!”

Camilla rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue. "Hey, I get it, I get it. No more 'exotic' talk. I didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings, okay? I was just trying to give a compliment."

Noelle, still fired up and unwilling to let this go, pointed a finger at Camilla. "You weren't giving a compliment; you were reducing someone to their skin color. It's not the same thing."

Camilla huffed and crossed her arms across her chest. "Fine, fine, I get it, okay? I won't call her 'exotic' anymore. Can we move on now? This is starting to get tiresome."

Rachel narrowed her eyes at Camilla, not buying her feigned nonchalance. "Move on? Seriously? You expect us to just forget that you repeatedly called Alice 'exotic' and acted like it was a compliment?"

Camilla groaned and threw up her hands in frustration. "Alright, alright, I screwed up! I shouldn't have called her 'exotic.' I get it. Can you cut me some slack here? I had no idea it was such a sensitive issue."

Noelle's expression softened a bit, but she was still clearly upset. "It's not just about the word 'exotic,' Camilla. It's about how you acted like being black made Alice somehow different or special. She's not a novelty; she's a person. A damn good one, at that."

Camilla tapped her feet, adorned with alternating blue and orange toenail polish, uncomfortably. She realized that she was outnumbered and her attempts to downplay the situation weren't going to work any longer. "I, uh...look, I'm sorry. I really am. I had no idea that the whole 'exotic' thing was such a problem. I'll try to be better about it, alright?"

Rachel nodded, but her expression remained stern. "That's a good start, but it's not enough. You need to actually think about what you say before you say it. And maybe take some time to educate yourself a bit more about race and cultural sensitivity."

Camilla sighed, realizing that she wasn't getting out of this one scot-free. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'll do some reading, I'll be more thoughtful in the future, and I won't call anyone exotic again. Can we please move on now?”

Noelle and Rachel exchanged a glance, then nodded in unison. "Fine," Noelle said grudgingly. "We'll move on for now. But if we catch you saying anything even slightly messed up again, we're not going to be so quick to forgive you. Got it?"

“All right! Later on I'll do my research, hit the books, and all! Now let's get going, I'm late for my job and I want to show you where I work: the Hau'oli Café!”

“Eh?” Rachel said.

“Yeah, it's a cafe that offers amazing food, good vibes, and most importantly, outstanding coffee!”

Good food AND coffee? I'm in, you thought.

Rachel shrugged. “Sounds good, after that li'l scuffle back there I could use a meal.”

Scuffling that YOU started… Camilla thought to herself. “Sounds great! Then come, let's go!”