Adrian Likes Julius

XXXI

"Hello, I'm Julius. Nice to meet you." The charming teen greeted Adrian's small framed grandfather with a handshake, resting his free hand on Adrian's lower back.

The dreadhead looked over at his taller and thicker grandmother, her grey eyebrow raising as she caught that. He knew she was going to catch that because she noticed every little detail. The woman the color of warm honey gave the boy a polite smile as she hugged him, ushering the teens into their large home.

"Y'all made cornbread?" Jesus questioned as they introduced themselves to Eva as well.

Warmly, Adrian's cute grandfather nodded. "Yeah, y'all want a piece? I made it from scratch."

"You ain't even have to ask, Grandpa Kenneth." Chris, who knew them for a long time followed behind them, dragging Eva with him.

The dreadhead adored his grandfather. He was a small brown skinned man who spent the bulk of his life as a doctor and since retiring a couple years ago, had picked up habitual cooking. He couldn't spend more than twenty minutes outside of the kitchen. He had to be the sweetest, most genuine person he knew....

His grandmother on the other hand....

"A.J, who are these friends you've never told us about?" The older woman asked gruffly, with the tone of an army general. She was stricter than strict, one of the reasons he enjoyed living with his free spirited mother. The woman always ensured he was taken cared of and then some... she was the type to medal into his life. When he lived with her, she made him take violin classes, karate, and chess courses. It was too much for elementary school him. He loved his grandmother, but she was overwhelming.

He could feel Julius slowly slip away from him and scurry into the kitchen with a bullshit excuse about wanting the corner of the cornbread.

"Eva is this girl I met at school and Julius is my..mfnboyfriendmfm."

"I did not like that sentence, young man. I want you to speak properly. Enunciate your words."

He took a deep breath. "Eva is a friend from school and Julius is my boyfriend."

"You're dating now?" That seemed to shock her more than the fact that he was in a gay relationship. "Does Nigel know that you are dating?"

"Yes." He answered meekly, dropping into his usual slouch.

"Straighten yourself out, now. How long has this relationship gone on for and what are his intents? He has a future? Have you met his parents."

Adrian was so overwhelmed that he wanted to tear up. "... We've been dating since November... I don't know what his intents are... I guess? Well, he's a really good student, ran track since freshman year, and played baseball freshman year and sophomore year. He dropped track this year to master photography. He's really good at it... His parents are pretty involved. I met them and have hung out with his mother and sisters."

"School... How are you doing in school? Tell me." She commanded him, hands on her hips.

"Good... Don't you usually check my grades online?"

"Yes, but I want to hear it from your own mouth. Why do you miss so many days?"

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her. Regardless of what she had to say, he wasn't going to force himself to go to school. "My grades aren't hurt by my absences."

She started at him sternly with her lightish brown eyes squinted at him, making him inhale a deep breath as he hoped she didn't have any personal questions to ask him. "A.J, go on and get your cornbread."

The woman turned to walk up towards the staircase in the middle of the entry of the nude painted house. He blew out a breath, rubbing his sneakers against the wood before heading towards the kitchen where they were all standing around the island talking over each other.