Declan Hankinston is on a mission to find a new prom date amidst the pain of his first heartbreak. Encouraged by his cousin Aubrey, he ventures into the world of gay online dating and signs up for Grindr to seek a companion. Little does he know, Aub...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Missing a day of school set me back further than I expected. There was a calculus quiz that I missed that Friday when I left for the city, and even though it was a surprise quiz, it severely impacted my grade. Mrs Simons allowed me to retake it, but I am awful at calculus, so I spent the entire week studying and preparing for it with Alyssa, then finally took the quiz on Friday. It's Tuesday, and I still haven't received the result.
Alyssa and Tucker say I'll be okay that I already have the grades I need to graduate on time, but I don't think they understand the pressure that comes along with a soccer scholarship. Dad will kill me if he finds out about this. He'd probably storm in and bite Mrs Simons' head off for not giving us a heads-up.
Aubrey came by yesterday for dinner and stayed the night. Mom thinks I should be kinder and stop avoiding her in her time of need. "Family is important. It would help if you were nice to your cousin. One day, when your father and I are gone, you guys will only have each other." she repeats time and time again.
I am glad she's been around, though, because the tension between me and Dad is at an all-time high since New York.
Aubrey finally confessed that she and John broke up, and Mom made a huge freaking deal about it. I, on the other hand, offered a hug and pretended like I hadn't already known. If Aubrey knew John reached out to me and that I'm meeting up with him, she'd have a fit.
She's staying again for another night because she claims her Mom has been driving her up the wall with outrageous requests and demands. This happens from time to time when Aubrey needs a break. Mom lets her sleep over whenever she wants and will fill in for her with Aunt Emma. She's been over there several times these past 24 hours to check on her.
Before I left, Aubrey and Mom searched the internet for local home health nurses to take on Aubrey's responsibilities. I had to lie and tell them I was meeting a teammate out to practice some low-dives since everyone knew it was my greatest soccer weakness. Somehow, I feel like I could've left with no excuse at all because when I did tell them I was leaving and why, their eyes did not stray away from the computer screen once.
The Cafe on the purlieus of Cain Hill is adjacent to subsidised housing and family-owned international food marts. I usually don't come out this way, but John asked to meet here specifically because Aubrey hates the area—I can see why.
The bell hanging from the top frame of the door tinkles upon my entrance. "Hi! Welcome to Marino's Cafe." A curly-headed, brown-haired woman greets from behind the counter. John turns his head and stands up before I can take another step forward. "Hey!" He smiles, leaning over the table. "Thanks for coming."
"Yeah, no problem." I pull my chair out, sit down and lose myself in the ambience. There's sixties Italian music playing faintly in the background and Italian catchphrases on the walls. The cafe is quaint and surprisingly appealing compared to its location, like a smaller, more authentic Olive Garden. "Cute place," I add.
