Hi, I'm Zuri Ross! Most of you know me, some of you don't. Also, before you get all fan-crazy on me, yes, I am related to Morgan and Christina Ross. Well, not blood related. I am their adopted eight year old daughter. But, I'm an adopted eight year old girl with a problem.

Before I tell about this so called problem, I'm going to tell you more about myself.

I have a nanny named Jessie. I found her on the streets. She got thrown out by a taxi cab driver.

Now, she lives with me, my brothers Ravi and Luke, and my sister Emma Ross. We are all adopted actually, and we're fine with exclaiming it to everyone. Well, probably not the whole world since I don't have a voice that loud. But I can get Chubby the Bear to teach me to roar loud enough for all of New York to hear! But remember, Chubby first has to be done with setting up the tea party equipment or else!

Okay, so now I'm going to explain my problem to you.

Let's start from the beginning.

And I mean way from the beginning.

So, it was a normal day in the Zuri Ross household.

Emma was having a movie night with her "BFFs", Ravi was doing homework and feeding Mrs. Kipling, Luke was playing video games, Jessie was searching for a new audition, Bertram was in his room watching Worthington Manor on a teeny-tiny microscopic TV, and I was trying to stand a new girl who invited herself into my home.

"Cecilia, do want to go play with Milly the Mermaid and Chubby the Bear with me? We can have a tea party with all the other animals!" I explained.

"Zuri, mermaids aren't real!" She laughed.

"Milly the Mermaid is just as real as you'll ever be!"

"Yeah, sure…"

My mind almost blew up because of Cecilia's theory. But, since I'm a nice person, I led Cecilia upstairs to my room anyways, so she can see what else she wanted to do.

"So, anything else you want to do?" I asked.

"Not at all. You still like ponies? I grew out of them a year ago. You're such a baby!" Cecilia laughed.

I heard Ravi across the hall, putting his binder full of homework neatly in his backpack, zipping it up securely. He's probably now trying to feed Mrs. Kipling chocolate covered crickets and milk.

"Say what now?!" I sassily waved a finger in front of her face, my eyes widening.

"Seriously, Zuri, we're older now. Maybe you should try going back to preschool, I mean it won't be that bad. It's only three more years until you reach this grade again," Cecilia shrugged.

"Number one, you say mermaids aren't real. Number two, you say I'm a baby. Number three, I'm gonna rip your eyes out!" I yelled, lunging myself at the now terrified Cecilia.

"Who's the baby now?" I continued, chasing Cecilia downstairs.

"Someone help me!" Cecilia yelled, running around the couch.

"Get outta my house!" I said, putting a hand on my hip.

Cecilia pressed the button and raced inside the elevator.

A few seconds later, I hear the pounding of feet stepping quickly down the stairs

"Zuri, what was that all about?" Ravi asked in his Indian accent.

"Forget about it," I called.

"Well, I would definitely have that tea party with you another time. May you invite Mrs. Kipling?"

I nodded.

Ravi smiled, and jumped back upstairs.

All of a sudden, my heart started pounding crazily.

"What is this feeling?" I thought. "Is it adopted sisterly love?"

Nuh-uh. I shook my head.

It's more.

This is my problem people.

This has been going on for weeks now.

Whenever Ravi does something nice for me, or even comforts me at the very least, my heart always races and I feel like swooning. Well, I guess I kind of already do.

Hey, don't judge me!

I think I'm…

...in love with…

Ravi!

Oh no, this cannot be happening! And of course of all people it just had to be me!

Should I tell him? What if he never talks to me again? I guess Ravi would never do something like that, but, still!

Maybe it's for the best if I keep it a secret for now.

Later that night, Jessie came inside my room to tuck me into bed.

"G'night sweetie!" Jessie smiled.

"Good night Jessie!"

Jessie smiled again, and tightened the soft blankets around me.

Then, from out of the blue, I hear a soft voice saying, "Goodnight, Zuri."

Ravi.

"Goodnight, Ravi," I say back.

In the morning, I wake up early and get out of my bed. I soon walk out of my room and am surprised to find that Ravi is awake, too. And I bet it's not because "Mrs. Kipling was making a ruckus inside of her cage".

"Hey," I say knocking on the wall next to Ravi.

"Oh, hi Zuri," Ravi smiles.

"What are you doing up so early?"

"Thinking."

"How about you?"

"Couldn't go to bed."

"Ah, I see."

There's awkward silence. But as I am starting to leave, I feel Ravi pull me into him.

"I love you, ZUri," Ravi smiled.

He kissed me passionately as my eyes widen with shock.

Soon, I relax, giving in to him.

"I love you, too, Ravi," I said, hugging him.

I guess everything went fine. And I didn't really have to say anything, other than what he had to say, so that was a plus.

Anyways, I am Zuri Ross, and this is the story about my problem.