“It’s not ridiculous, that’s what it is. Chyna and Flávia are making a profit off of my culture, and my culture is important to me. Henna is important to me. I’m not just going to let them walk all over me, and sell my culture like it’s some kind of product.”

“But you can package and sell it like a product?”

“That’s different.”

“And how is it cultural appropriation when they have henna in Arab and African countries? Flávia is …” She pauses, like she’s thinking very hard about what words she should say next. “… African-American.”

This time, Chaewon does glance at me. I have to stifle a laugh and try to keep a straight face as I say, “Flávia is Brazilian and Irish.”

“Yeah, but she’s … you know.”

“Black?”

Jess shifts in her seat, like the word Black is something dirty or uncomfortable.

“Yeah. And they have henna in Africa.”

“But … Flávia isn’t African. It’s not a part of her culture.”

“And if she was African, if it was part of her culture, that would be different?”

“Obviously.”

Jess leans back in her chair. For a moment, I think maybe I’ve actually got through to her. That she’ll throw up her hands and say, “Let’s do it, then!”

Instead, she says, “You’re making a mountain out of a molehill. Actually, I’m not even sure there’s a molehill. You’re just making a huge deal out of something that’s not even there. Like, you can be annoyed at Flávia and Chyna stealing your idea without playing the race card.”

“The race card!” My voice has definitely risen now, if only because Jess is sounding more and more like Chyna, and less and less like a rational, sympathetic human being. But before I can say more, Chaewon is standing up and putting her hands out between us. It’s a little dramatic, because it’s not like Jess and I are about to attack each other. At least, not physically.

Yet.

“Maybe we should just call a truce for now. Sleep on this and come back,” Chaewon says.

“We can’t. We have to talk to Ms. Montgomery and finalize our plans in class today.” Jess points out. “And since this is a democracy, we should vote on what we want. So if you want to abandon the henna plan, raise your hand.”

She raises her own hand and turns expectantly to Chaewon. I will Chaewon not to raise her hand, even though I know that she’ll always choose Jess’s side over mine.