The rest of the summer marched on miserably. Kalil and I didn’t hang out alone anymore. We went to the park with our siblings, and they insisted we continue to hold hands when we crossed the streets, but Kalil made us swap places. Eman walked between us while I held Joshy’s hand and Kalil held Jessenia’s. If other guys in our class invited us to hang out, which they seldom did, one or both of us would usually politely decline.
Rather than brood or fret that this would be Blake all over again, I focused on my job. I worked any shift they would give me and did any task that needed to be done. Dad insisted I open a bank account rather than cash my checks every payday like I usually did. The account would be tied to my parents’, so I accepted on the terms that only I could decide what happene
