Books, Boys, and BFF's: Sophomore Year

GROUNDED

Quincy and I have gone on several dates together. After the third or fourth date, all the corny things he would do or say, that I used to find embarrassing, I now find cute and endearing.

Dare I say he's growing on me...?

His parents invited me over for Thanksgiving. So, I went. It was interesting to see the world through his family's eyes. They seem to have not one care in the world. Not like my family or Drew's. Or maybe they just handle things differently. Who knows?

All of his family seems to get along too. His aunt Edna loves randomly breaking out into Opera, his uncle Teddy tells some ridiculously lame jokes, and his dad Eli could probably play the next superman. That's how hot he is. Now I see where Quincy gets his good looks.

The biggest surprise of the day is Quincy. His grandma Gerty asks him to play her something on the Piano and he plays a Bach piece my dad used to make us listen to whenever we did our homework. I had no idea he was that skilled on the piano.

Spending time with him and his family makes me see Quincy in a different light. He's not cocky or conceited, like I've always assumed. He has this air of confidence about him because the life his family built for him is one where his possibilities seem limitless.

I don't want to go home. That's how intoxicating his family is. Well, everyone on his dad's side, anyway. His mother and her family... I get the feeling they don't like the fact that Quincy and I are seeing each other. His mother Sandy was way too excited for me to leave.

After leaving Quincy's, I go over to Drew's for a bit and he has a full house too. His aunts, uncles, and grandparents all stop by to visit. The food is scrumptious, but I only eat a little. I'm saving my appetite for my own family dinner.

Drew's family is close too, Like Q's family, but they have their issues. His family is a lot like mine. They bicker, they gossip, and some are way too judgmental and critical of others.

His aunt Penny is always in everyone's business. She made it a point to ask his parents in front of everyone about the state of their marriage, and the room grew quiet. If you spend enough time at Drew's like I do, you'll witness a few arguments between his parents. Arguments Drew never likes to talk about, but it doesn't take a genius to see his parents' marriage is on the rocks. It has been for a while.

His dad retired from the NBA a few years before I came back from boarding school and things were already bad, but they seem to have gotten worse since then. His mother suspects his father is cheating since he's never home, but she doesn't have any proof. And whenever Drew talks to his dad about it, he always tells him everything is fine. That his mother is just paranoid.

Drew's grandma Bert quickly changes the subject and shoots his aunt a warning glance. I can tell from the way everyone respects her she's probably the backbone of the family.

Drew can only stand being around his family for short periods of time. So, he came to my house with me. My Grams Ida on my dad's side, my mom's siblings, Anna and Patrick are here, and my mom's parents Samuel and Irene are here, along with all my cousins I haven't seen in like forever. My dad's siblings Jonathan, Jacob, Jennifer, and Wyatt came over with their families too.

I'm the closest to my cousins Asia, Maya, and Celeste. So, I introduce them to Drew who wastes no time charming them. We all went out onto the porch leaving the old people in the house.

While we're reminiscing about the summers we spent together, Quincy pulls up, and I have a mild heart attack.

What is he doing here?