Dad: You are not living up to the family potential. You are defiling the family's code of brotherhood.

Mom: All we ask is that you deny yourself and follow God's plan. Find a suitable woman who can make you into a real man.

Trina: Ugh, you're such a pathetic embarrassment to this family, loser! Why can't you get with the program and do what Dad wants?!

You're not trying hard enough.

Stop sniveling and cowboy up, boy! Play ball like a real man.

We only want's best for you. Things will go your way if you follow your father's rules.

You are a failure to the Candler name!

All you care about is yourself, not this family!

I woke up from my slumber with a start, heart racing a mile a minute. Letting out a groan, I turned to my cell phone. Only ten minutes after ten, the clock read. "Damn it," I cursed sotto-voce, grateful that the bed was still unmade since Jamal and I needed to finish unpacking our things to make our place look more like a home.

But after a failed attempt to get in an early night's sleep, I knew that I needed to at least burn some energy before I could do anything else in the morning.  Grabbing some gym shorts and a loose-fitting T-shirt, I quickly got dressed before putting on my sneakers and grabbing my wallet and house key in need of a good walk around my new neighborhood.

Some people turn to a glass of milk to help them fall asleep easier. Other's put on some soothing music or binaural beats an hour before bedtime. Me? I prefer to be moving if I was able to fall into dreamland. Even while I was on the football fields back at Clark Atlanta University, I never ended my day without going for a quick walk around the block. Not only does it help with clearing my mind and tire me out with an hour's worth of walking the streets, it also helps me be more at ease.

And right now, I had a lot to think about. Even more so, given that I was now in an unfamiliar town. The negative words that emanated from my former family still mocked me on how I was being a thorn in everyone's side all because I wasn't deemed "manly enough" to be a true Candler man.

Well, I knew that I was in a class all by myself since I wasn't attracted to girls at all. Even after all the pre-arranged dates set by Mom and Trina before I came out during senior year, I couldn't feel anything other than a platonic emotion, a way to settle being just friends. And of course, I knew that the girl whom I was to "go steady with" saw the same thing.

"You're cute and all, but I think we should remain friends. Besides, Aaron and I are mainly taking a break."

"I think we should remain friends, Candler. I'm not feeling attracted to you and I know you feel the same."

"I hate to lead you on, but I'm just not digging the vibe between us. I'm still not over being dumped by that asshole who slept with my sister."

I understood that. But try telling that to Trina and Dad who thought I was the problem. "You got a lot to offer, Tyler," the latter would rant after yet another failed first date. "All it takes is to just fake it 'til you make it. Be a macho man, someone who can bring the girls to the yard. Why does every woman just want to be friends with you?"

Uh, it's because I don't like women like he does, treating them like sex objects or making them feel like domicile slaves the way to treat Mom. But I wasn't one to say that out loud.

Anyway, coming to Solstice Hearts with Jamal was going to be the start that I needed given that I was now disowned and left with only a few thousand dollars in my own checking and savings account. And though I knew I could hold my own, I also knew that a bachelor's degree in English would only go so far. I had to come up with a game plan if I was going to help out with paying the bills and save up for my own place. And I needed it fast.

"Fancy running into you, Candler."

I whirled around to see a smiling and casually-dressed Franklin Romero, the young and athletic man walking closer to me. "Christ," I hissed, placing a hand to calm my racing heart. "You nearly gave me a heart attack, and on my first day in town no less."

Franklin had the good grace to give me an apologetic look. "Didn't mean to scare you," he apologized. "I actually on my way from a friend's house myself when I saw you. Getting a post-dinner walk in?"

"More like a pre-bedtime walk to help me unload," I remarked. "It was a bad call to try and turn in early when I hadn't done my ritual yet."

Franklin nodded. "That's understandable, given the circumstances. Mind if I join you? We can do like a small walk around the neighborhood before you head back."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Fine by me," I replied, motioning him to follow me as we took in the nighttime sights and sounds of the neighborhood: crickets chirping in their melodic tune to the sounds of the ocean from the distance, homes being locked up for the night while the lights went off, some night owls getting ready to head inside themselves, the moonless sky being shrouded with stars.

"How are you liking Solstice Hearts so far?" Franklin asked me.

"It's different from Atlanta, that's for sure," I replied. "The hustle and bustle in downtown made things more complex with the city life, even though I'm originally from Morrow. Still, you can bet that the Metro Atlanta area had its own Southern eceletric vibe while being here is like...letting yourself be found after being so lost for so many years."

"It's like that for many people who come for a vacation or those looking for a change of pace. But for us natives who've been around, it's like being home in a place where you can finally find acceptance. Yeah, we still have some dissension and all that, mainly coming from the Ortegas and their clan of self-righteous naysayers. But we thrive on acceptance and diversity. We got a long way to go, but we're getting there."

I nodded. "I only wished that Atlanta was like that, in a sense. Hell, I want the state of Georgia to take a page out of this town's book. They say that they're a state of acceptance and equality, but they're like every other state in the Deep South: stuck in the old antebellum ways of bigotry and divisiveness. I never felt like I belonged there, much less in my own family since they expect me to fall in line with their ideals of religion and all that."

Franklin patted my shoulder as we completed our lap around the block before making our way back to my place. "At least you can find what you're looking for in our fair town," he assured me. "Your parents and older won't know what they had until it was lost for good. Besides, you know where you stand and you want to live a great life by your terms."

"I kind of wished that they understood that," I couldn't help but comment, my tone rueful. "When it came down to them, I either had to assimilate or be left behind. So I decided to cut my own losses and...well, here I am."

"And here you are."

The return home was silent, save for a few comments about what I hoped to gain while I was getting back on my feet. "I'm hoping to finally get things back on track and even get on my own feet," I finished. "And that's going to start by finding a good job, which is my main goal for this week."

"I wish you all the best," Franklin assured me. "Anyway, I want to ask if you and I could...I dunno, maybe have a coffee together in the future."

Wait, what?

"I- I don't think that's a good idea," I said uneasily as we arrived at my place. "You see, I'm still hurting from being betrayed by someone who was part of a ploy to kill my best friend's older brother, and I just need to focus on me right now."

"I know, which is why I want to take things slow, Tyler. I'm not trying to pressure you or anything, but I do want to know you a little better sometime soon. Maybe even become your boyfriend. But I am willing to wait for as long as you need."

I let out a deep breath. "Maybe we can start off as friends," I suggested. "All I ask is that you prove yourself into being my boyfriend. If you can do that, then we'll go from there. Just don't be like Sergei and use me for your benefits."

I saw a flash of emotion in his eyes. "I won't," he vowed fiercely. "I dunno the whole story yet, but you can tell me when the time is right."

"Thank you. Well, I better head in." I got my first interview set for tomorrow, and I also need to get my new bedroom arranged."

"But of course."

We exchanged phone numbers before I headed up the walkway back to my place. Once I locked the door for the night and headed back to my bedroom, I felt as if a weight was being lifted off my shoulders. Still, I knew that things between me and Franklin Romero were about to pick up speed. "I can only imagine what Romero is really planning," I mused to myself as I stripped out of my clothes before diving back into bed. "But if he's true to his word, maybe love is in my future."

With that, I was soon led into a dreamless sleep with the cool air caressing on my naked frame.

Looks like the game between Tyler and Franklin is about to be in full play, folks! Can Franklin prove himself, or will he and Tyler keep it platonic?

Anyway, our boy Jamal is dealing with so many emotions as he finishes getting settled in before Naomi and La'Shawn give him some tough advice. It's coming up in the next chapter, so don't miss a beat!

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