Love In All Colors (BoyxBoy)

VIII. Welcome To The Cookout

Jesse Adams

It's been a few days since I asked Malachi out on a second date. Even though he hasn't said yes yet, we've messaged each other back and forth almost nonstop this entire week, getting to know each other more and more. I was especially ecstatic when he invited me to his friend's coffeehouse so I could officially meet the girls. He said depending on how they liked me, he would then decide to take up my offer of a second date.

So the day finally came where I would meet them all together. I was sitting at my computer desk, working on my latest article when Ben walked over to me, sitting a stack of papers on top of my keyboard. Luckily, I had clicked off the typing field so nothing abnormal appeared on screen.

"So, how's you and your boyfriend doing?," he asked, giving me curious eyes. He chuckled to himself before pulling up a chair and sitting next to me, "I still can't believe that Golden Boy, Jesse Adams, is dating a black person."

"Why is that so hard to believe? I don't see color when it comes to people."

"But you should see color. Especially being a country boy from Alabama, you of all people should be seeing every color of the rainbow," Ben lectured, giving me a serious gaze.

"Any why is that? So we can make race relations more tense in this country?"

"So you, as a white person, can see all the injustices and inequities people of color face everyday. If you're going to be dating a black person, or any person that's not white, then you should see their skin and recognize that it's a major part of their life. You can't just ignore something like that."

I sighed and looked at Ben, gulping in the process, "I've never really thought about it that way. Is it really that important?"

"Absolutely. One day, you're going to see what I'm talking about and hopefully it won't be too late for you to step up," he said standing up from his seat. Before he walked away, he says, "That article you're writing can be the first step. Don't write some injustices for a promotion. Do what's right. Black Lives Matter."

He walked off, leaving me with my thoughts about everything he had just said to me. Of course, I notice people's skin colors but I didn't really think that mattered. Coincidentally, Malachi was the first black guy I've ever been attracted to. So, what about it? I don't see how me acknowledging his skin color as something that should be a requirement of a relationship. I've never had to do it with any of my other ex partners, and I didn't have to do it with my friends.

So why is that such a new thing for me to be with Malachi?

"If it's any help," I heard Melissa start. I sighed and turned my attention towards her where she was looking at me from her station, "I don't see Ben as just one of our coworkers. I see him as the black coworker, and everyone in this office treats him just a little bit differently than the rest of us. Especially Paul."

"And what makes you say that? I see almost everybody interacting with Ben the same way they interact with either you or me."

Melissa snorted and shook her head, "If you ever hear the phrase 'you people' or 'people like you', it tends to have some type of racial connotation behind it. Listen in when you hear someone talk to Ben behind closed doors."

"Okay?"

I turned my attention back to my screen and resumed typing on my article. It was just as Ben said, I was writing an article of injustices just to further my own career and it didn't sit right with me. So, I saved the document and closed the program before getting out of my seat and walking to Paul's office. After knocking a few times, he let me enter where he was sitting on his desk finishing a phone call.