Adulation

|TWO|

CHANEL

When I made it home I noticed a familiar car parked in our driveway. And since there was no more room in the driveway I was forced to park on the street.

"What's up Nel, I haven't seen you in a minute." My other step brother Devin stated as soon as I walked through the door.

Devin is Derrick's eldest son, and being that he lived in Miami with his grandparents I didn't really get to see him often.

"Hey Dev, when you get here?" I questioned after giving him a quick hug.

"Pops just picked me up from the airport an hour ago. I was supposed to be here yesterday for your graduation but the weather in Florida something crazy right now."

"It's cool, You here for the summer?"

"Yeah but I might be staying for school," he stated as he ran his hands over his waves.

"You sure you want to spend your last year of high school here, Michigan winters might break you kid."

"Let's get through this summer first before we get to talking about y'all dramatic ass winters," he stated after chuckling.

"Shut up, but how are your grandparents?"

He huffed "My grandma is sick, grandad is still grandad."

"What's wrong with Mrs. Marilyn?" I questioned as my eyebrows furrowed from the sudden rush of concern I was hit with.

Mrs. Marilyn is Devin's and DJ's grandmother on there mom's side. She was the sweetest lady I've ever met. And hearing that she's ill is literally heart breaking.

"She been sick, you know she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease when DJ was a baby, now it's getting worse, she got dementia too."

"Just keep praying Dev, she gone be cool," I stated trying to end the conversation because I didn't want either of us to get too emotional.

"Yeah, but your boyfriend upstairs, he said he wanted to talk so I let him in. Everybody else went to the grocery store, I'm still unpacking."

"Alright Dev, if you need anything just knock on my door," I said as I took the flight up the stairs towards my bedroom.

Once I entered my bedroom I found William sitting on my bed watching TV while he drunk a red Gatorade. "What are you doing here?" I questioned as I rolled my eyes.

"Don't act like that, I missed you," he stated as he stood and took strides towards me since I was still standing in the threshold.

"Will dont play with me, you already know I'm done with your trifling ass."

"Why, what I do?" He asked playing dumb. Which caused my eyes to roll again.

"I'm not about to play with you. Where were you last night William?" I questioned not in the mood to play this game with him.

"At home," lie.

"With who?" I asked giving in to the little game he wanted to play.

"Myself," another lie.

Finally deciding I had enough of his lies "So you really wanna sit in my face and lie dude!?"

"Man what I gotta lie for?" He asked trying to convince himself because I wasn't fooled a bit.