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Darius Finally Gets a Haircut
Darius Kellner ditches his black, thick curls for a more modern fade. It is a Chapel Hill High School men's varsity soccer tradition to get matching hair cuts before the first game of the season. Darius is anxious about his big ears that stick out, but his boyfriend, Landon, assures him that he looks sharp. -
The Soccer Team Wins Their First Game
Darius and his team pulled off a 1 - 0 victory against their rivals, Crestwood High School, at the first game of the season. Darius impressed his teammates and coach with a massive save. -
Darius's Grandparents Come for a Prolonged Visit
Darius's father's moms come to stay with his family for a while. Both Darius's mom and dad are busy with work, and they think it would be best to have extra help around the house. -
Darius Gets Promoted
Darius's internship at Rose City Teas is upgraded to a real paying job. -
Darius's Dad Leaves on a Business Trip
Darius's dad, Stephen, leaves for a business trip to California for a month. Although he will be back home on weekends, Darius knows his father's absence will be difficult. -
Darius Struggles with Tea Tastings
Darius absolutely adores tea, but he has been struggling with the tea tastings at work. He can't seem to get anything right, and his scribbled notes don't provide him beyond a simple understanding of the flavor profile. -
Laleh, Darius's Younger Sister, Gets Into the Gifted Program
During a family meeting with Laleh's teacher, Darius attempts to bring up the racist comments and remarks she experiences from her classmates. Her teacher quickly addresses the problem, but instead focuses on Laleh's school performance. She believes Laleh would be a good fit for the gifted program. -
Darius Learns his Father is Experiencing a Depressive Episode
Darius's father comes home for a weekend from his business trip, and Darius notices his father seems very tired. He asks him about it, and Stephen admits it has been very hard being away from home. He tells Darius he is going through a depressive episode. -
Darius has Difficulty Connecting with his Grandmothers
During a discussion about Darius going to homecoming with Landon, Darius's grandparents begin to talk about their own experiences with queer identity. Darius wants to learn more about his grandparent's past, but before he could ask, the conversation ended. Darius feels as though he can never connect with his two grandmothers. He wants to know how being queer shaped their lives, but their relationship is like a door, and no matter how many times Darius opens that door, they always close it again. -
Darius's Grandfather Dies
Babou, Darius's grandfather, had a brain tumor that he grappled with for a long time. Darius's mother's family lives in Iran, therefore Darius only met Babou once in his life. Darius and his family knew he would die, but of course, this came as a devastating shock. -
Darius Quits his Job
Darius decides to hang up his apron and quit his job at Rose City Teas. He feels overwhelmed with stocking, inventory, and everything. Darius loves tea, but he just isn't sure he wants to sell it. -
Darius Learns About Chip's Crush
At the homecoming dance, Darius decides to take a quick breather and use the restroom. Just to his luck, he runs into Trent, the kid who has been bullying him since middle school. Trent tells Darius he doesn't know what Chip, a close friend of Darius, sees in him. Darius asks him what he means, and Trent explains that Chip has a huge crush on Darius. Darius is confused and can't understand the fact that Chip likes him as more than a friend. -
Darius and Landon Break Up
After their fight at homecoming, Darius and Landon decide to end their relationship. Landon tells Darius that he loves him, but Darius does not feel the same way. He felt that Landon put a lot of pressure on him, and he did not feel ready for that. -
Darius Discovers the Reason Sohrab Didn't Answer his Calls
Sohrab, Darius's best friend that lives in Iran, has not been answering their usual video calls. The last time they talked, Sohrab admitted to Darius that he may be depressed, and when Sohrab stopped answering, Darius got worried. To his relief, he heard his computer ringing one night while getting ready for bed, and Sohrab's face appeared on the screen. Sohrab explained that he and his mother left Iran and traveled to Turkey, where they are seeking asylum. -
Darius Comes Out to Mamou, his Grandmother
Darius wished that before Babou died, he could have told him he is gay. The time had passed for that, but Darius knew he had to tell Mamou. On their video call, he told her, and after brief translation with Darius's mother, who speaks fluent Farsi, Mamou told Darius that she's glad he told her because she loves all of him. Darius could not have been happier.
