Girls weren't his strength, usually, the girls didn't find interest in him because he was the exact word boring to them. He spent only about two-three years in regular high school before his father took him out and homeschooled him. He never been on a date with a girl, he has kissed a girl and he had sex before which was both the most embarrassing days of his life but he has never developed a crush on anyone so it was an odd feeling to him, he liked Shania's sister Salma. She's really pretty, really funny and sweet. He listened to her talk for the remainder of their lunch that day and he was sick to his stomach because he wanted to hear her talk all day, it was nerve-racking and a very new feeling to him that he doesn't think he can ever describe.
Shania was on her way to come get him and he was wondering what suit he was going to wear but it was a bit too warm for him so he thought wearing a suit was out of the question. He grabs his phone and looks up what people wear to barbecues and he immediately cringed because it was so many stripped, floral colors, flannels, and shorts with patterns on it. He sighs as he puts his phone down. He decided to wear short sleeve white button-up, some khaki shorts and some random shoes Shania got him for Christmas because he needed normal people shoes, they were some slip on vans. He hated them but they worked for what he had on.
"Gus, come open the door!" Shania's voice yelled through the intercom, he jumps and he sighs as he looks in the mirror one last time then he grabs his phone. He walks through his house that Shania said was as big as a baseball field. He opens the door and Shania puts her hand on her hip as she looks at his outfit. "That's the best you can do?" She questioned and he dramatically throws his hands up. "You better be glad I'm going, gosh!" He exclaimed and Shania chuckles as she looks at his hair that was slicked down. She reaches her hand out. "What are you-" She ruffles his hair and he groans like a little boy being pestered by his mother.
Shania adored him, she always did and he was younger than her and she noticed that he missed out on a lot in life but she always made sure that he wasn't counted out on anything she as doing, she invited him to places and events but he always denied to go but for once he was going but for a specific reason or person. "You're one of the lucky white people who has a little curl action going, embrace it." She says playing around with his hair and he sighs as she finished. "Let's go, we need you to get out of the house, have a little fun, meet some people who aren't.. white and boring, get a little culture in them veins and since you like my sister, get you some black girl magic." Shania says and Augustus face twisted. "Black girl magic." He muttered and Shania turns around looking at him, she nodded.
Their whole ride to Shania's house consisted of Shania singing, she wasn't the best singer so Augustus suffered the whole time. He sighs as he sees Shania's house that he liked because of the mossy exterior. He looks at all the cars in the front and he looks at Shania. "Nope." He says shaking his head in the process and Shania chuckles. "No? Boy, if you don't get yo' ass out this car because my sister has been asking me about you all week, driving me and Darian crazy." She huffed and he groans as he gets out of the car. He follows behind Shania, his tall stature looked like it was gonna eat Shania because she was like four feet tall, she was like five-four but it didn't look like it to him.
They get to the backyard area and it seemed to be at least one hundred people, he sees nothing but black people. He looks at Shania and she motions him to keep following her. He walks behind her and he sees Shania's boyfriend, Darian and he smiles as he sees Augustus. "Gus, how are you man?" Darian questioned as he held out his hand, Augustus shook his hand. "Good, your girlfriend is giving me a run for my money." He sighed and Darian pats Augustus's back making the man tense up a little because Darian always gives him really hard slaps.
Shania suddenly pulls away Darian who was confused but not as confused as Augustus. "Where are you going-" He felt a tap on his shoulder and he turns around quickly. His cheeks became instantly warm at the sight of Salma. She wore a pretty baby blue jumpsuit with a bow at the front and some black sandals. Her hair was in two buns, made her look five years younger. She smiles brightly. "Hey, I didn't think you were gonna come." Salma chuckles and he swallows hard. "Um, yeah, I didn't think so either, I changed my mind." He says hastily and she knew he was nervous by the way he talked so fast and he was avoiding eye contact.
"You want to get something to eat?" Salma questioned and he just nodded, she turns around with a small smirk and she follows behind him. People look at him and he gives them a small smile even though he was internally screaming. They get to the food table, she grabs a plate. "So, we have collard greens, turkey necks, ribs, rice, beans. cornbread, cabbage, turkey legs, barbecue chicken, patties and we got a little of just everything. So, just tell me what you want." Salma politely smiled and Augustus was overwhelmed by the choices. Salma laughs and she nudges his shoulder. "How about you sit and I will make you a plate." She tells him and he just nods as he finds a table nearby.
Augustus looks around and he clears his throat. People were laughing and dancing, talking to each other and the kids were running around playing with each other. Something he hardly sees unless it on TV or something. A little girl sits at the table and he stares at Augustus who was at first not aware of the little girl staring until his eyes trailed down, he jumps with a small gasp. The little girl chuckles and she didn't look older than four or five years old. "What are you looking at kid?" Augustus questioned and the little girl smile turns into a really evil one. "I thought you were a ghost, you so white." The little girl remarked and Augustus jaw dropped.
"Kids like you make me hate kids." Augustus huffed and the little girl chuckles.
Augustus cracks a small smile because the little girl had such a peal of contagious laughter. "I saw you with my big cousin Salma, she's really nice and she gives me candy all the time. You got any candy?" The little girl questioned and Augustus shakes his head and the little girl scoffs as she gets up. "You chump." She stated as she walks off and Augustus couldn't even process whatever just happened, happened. Salma comes to him, she sits down next to him with his plate. He looks at the plate and he was a bit intimidated by the amount of food. "I got you a bit of everything and I made the collard greens, rice, and baked mac and cheese.
"Thank you." Augustus smiles a little and he picks up his fork, he didn't know where to start and Salma leans closer to him. "Eat the baked Mac and cheese first, it's a secret recipe of mine." She whispered to him and he nodded as he used his fork, gathered some and Salma watches him shove a fork full in his mouth. He starts chewing slowly, he looks at Salma and all he could taste was completely and utterly heaven. He closes his eyes as he starts moaning, he shakes his head as his free hand rested against the table trying to fight out of the tasteful euphoria. "It's so good." Augustus whispered and he starts eating some more, he starts eating so more and he has never tasted food like this. He grew up with a mom who didn't cook and his dad wasn't much either so it was mostly salads and anything that can be cooked in an oven.
"God, how did you learn?" Augustus questioned.
"It's all because of my Mom. She uses to tell me, that in order to get a man's heart is through his stomach but when she said that, I replied and said: Well.. Momma, looks like I'm cooking for my damn self." Salma laughs at the end and he chuckles, she watches him eat with a small smile on her face. "So, I think it's pretty clear that Shania is setting us up which I kinda wanted to happen because she tells me stuff about you and I think you're an interesting person." Salma stated and Augustus puts up a napkin and he shrugs. "I don't think so but I guess.. what makes me so interesting? I don't understand that a girl like you-"
"A girl like me?" Salma sassed.
Augustus's mouth parted as he watches her wait for him to respond. "No, I was saying a really attractive and you seem like you're very outgoing, out there type of girl and I'm just bleh, leave me alone and workaholic type of guy." He explained and he was rambling, it's because he was so nervous and she was just staring at him.
Salma was all smiles as she rested her elbow on the table, chin rested in her palm. "She told me how mean you seem to people but really if I get to know you, well, in her exact words: if you dare to get to know him, he is a pretty decent and sweet guy. My sister is pretty smart and I trust her so I'm going for it, wanna go on a date?" Salma questioned and Augustus was caught off guard, his eyes trailed towards Shania who was staring at them with Darian, Augustus's eyes trailed back to Salma and he nodded.
Augustus clears his throat and he nervously smiles but a small giggle slipped from his lips, he looks down and he sighs. "That was weird and I never thought I would do that, um sure, of course. " He smiles and Salma claps her hands. "Oh good, I have this really cool place we can go to and-and wow, I didn't think you were gonna say yes because I asked a guy on a date before and he said no because he just didn't like how forward or how I asked him, so... I don't know." She smiles uneasily at the end and Augustus has never asked a girl, he doesn't know how to without turning into a stuttering mess.
"If it makes you feel better, I never asked a girl out or been on a date." Augustus blurted.
Salma gasped and he sighs a little because he knew that she was gonna make fun of him for it like everyone else. "I have never been on a date either so you're not the only one, there's a lot of stuff I didn't experience especially as a teenager." She shrugged and Augustus was confused because why wouldn't she not, she was really gorgeous and is a people person. "Why not?" Augustus questioned.
Salma looks down but she was still smiling. "Um, between the ages twelve to seventeen going on eighteen I had leukemia." She answered and she looks at him with a small smile. Augustus felt terrible and he sits his fork down, he reaches his hand out but he kept jerking back a little because he was bad at showing affection. He rested his hand on her arm then he rubs it gently, fingers trembling slightly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"It's okay, I survived it and that's all that matters, missed out on a lot but I'm twenty-four, six years until I'm thirty before I want to maybe have a family or settle somewhere." Salma says and Augustus hated kids but if she wanted a billion of them, he will give them to her. Augustus rubbed his temple because he can't believe that he met this girl a couple of days ago and if she said that she wanted to have his baby, he wouldn't hesitate even though he hated all kids equally. "Not to put a damper on anything but I'm terrible with kids and I genuinely hate them." Augustus says and Salma laughs as she throws her head back. "You look like someone who does." She remarked and Salma laughs, even more, making his heart beat ten times faster.
Salma hand rested on his arm and he instantly got chills, he fidgets with his fork and he finally picks it up and he starts back eating again. She moves her hand and she chuckles softly. "You don't like being touched?" Salma questioned and he partly smiles. "Nope not at all but you can touch me whenever you like..." He stops talking and Salma smiles with a giggle. "Big Boss Man... you sly dog." She jokes with him making him shake his head as he continued eating because of kept talking then he might just say something he didn't want to say that might make him more embarrassed than he was before.
I love a shy king 🤴🏻