Riding the Twister by Jane C (beautiful books to read .txt) 📕

Chapter 2      

When Michael started the car his favorite radio station, Q102 came blasting on. I anxiously looked at my twin brother wondering just how well this conversation was going to be. The tension in the car was unbelievable. It was just like the weather outside, the clouds becoming bigger and darker so that one could tell a storm was on the way. Eventually, the clouds would have to succumb and allow the rain to come pelting down. Well, eventually, this conversation would have to start, so I decided to take the initiative.      

"Um, Michael? About today, concerning Haley? I'm sorry you had to find out like that." Actually, I was sorry that he'd found out about the relationship at all, but what was done was done.      

Michael sighed and glanced at me, and I could tell he was being mindful of Haley in the back seat. "Jessica, I want to really talk to you about this, but not while your girlfriend is here sitting in the backseat. No offense, Haley. But, I'd be much more comfortable just talking to Jess alone."    

 Haley pondered for a moment, then said, "Michael, why don't you just drop me off at home, if that is okay with you? Jess, you wouldn't mind if we just got together before prom tomorrow like we had already decided, would you? I think you and Michael should talk this out without me here."      

I glanced back at Haley. "Alright, Haley. I guess that's the best thing to do". I was disappointed. I had wanted to hang out with Haley and just forget about the day's events. I knew that Haley was right, however. And it was tactful of her to postpone our alone time so I could try to work things out with my brother.      

Michael knew where Haley lived, so we drove the rest of the way there in silence, each in their own thoughts. On Q102 the music was suddenly interrupted and the dj announced that there was a tornado watch in our area until 6pm this evening. We had had tornado watches before, but nothing ever came of them except a lot of rain and maybe some hail. As Michael pulled up to Haley's house, it started to pour. A streak of lightening was followed by a loud clap of thunder.      

Haley grabbed all of her stuff and got ready to make a run for it to her house. "Thanks for the ride, Michael! Be careful driving home in this weather! Julia, call or text me when you get the chance." She opened the door, slammed it shut and made a mad dash to her house. Once under the porch, she turned around and waved goodbye to us and let herself in her house.      

Michael and I now had the car to ourselves. Michael turned down the radio. Before he pulled away from the curb, he asked me one of his many questions that was probably whirling around in his head.    

 "Jessic, are you really gay? How long have you known?" His voice sounded injured, but I could tell that there was also a touch of curiosity in there as well.    

 "Ive known I've been lesbian since I've been in middle school, four or five years ago. You know I have dated guys before. But there was never any real connection. Not like it is with Haley and I." I sighed.      

Michael pulled away from the curb before he spoke again. The rain was pounding against the windshield, the whippers going as fast as they could. "Were you ever going to tell me?"      

I knew I had upset my brother deeply by not confiding this part of my life to him. "Honestly, Michael, I was scared to. I am still scared. I'm scared that you will think less of me. I would probably have told you a few years from now, so that you wouldn't think this was some sort of phase. I know for a fact that I can't change who I am. I've tried. And I'm so scared about what the rest of the family will think of me. When Maggie found out today she called Haley and I dykes. You know she's been my best friend since sixth grade. Is everyone going to be against me now, and hate me, Michael?" My voice was trembling. I had just asked the hardest question for me, and I felt like I was about to cry.      

We pulled into the driveway. I was so glad at that point that my parents were not at home and would not be home most of the night. I was going to at some point continue talking with Michael, and in the meantime lock myself in my room.      

It was still raining heavily, so Michael parked the car in the garage. Michael turned off the car and turned to me before he finally answered. I could tell he was forming his answer to me carefully. "Jessica, I will love you no matter who you are or what you do. I think a lot of people are going to react to you like Maggie did. It might just be from shock. I didn't realize that you have been hurting all these years. I understand why you didn't confide in me, but I wish you had. I don't know how Mom, Dad, or Marina will respond when they find out. Let's go inside to talk more, I'm thirsty."      

The two of us went into the silent house. Michael had tried to turn on the lights, but we quickly realized that the power had gone out due to the raging storm outside. Thankfully, it was only around 4:45, so it wasn't completely dark in the house.      

Michael found a flashlight and went to the refrigerator to get a not-quite-cold Diet Pepsi. I told him I was going to go up to my room and lie down for awhile, since I had a pounding headache from the day's events. Besides, since we had no electricity we couldn't do too much except talk, anyway. And I wanted a break from that.

******      

MICHAEL'S POV

That afternoon I barricaded myself in my room. After awhile the electricity came back on. I turned on my music and flopped down on my bed, staring at the fan as it twirled around and around. I was still in shock and reviewing the conversation he and Haley had had in the car about her being lesbian. The conversation had been intense. Reflecting, I found I was proud of myself for acting like it wouldn't bother me one way or another what sex she was attracted to. That didn't mean I wasn't surprised when Jess told him about Haley. He was. Haley was a nice girl and cute looking. I had always been impressed by how nice Haley was to everyone and how well she carried herself. In fact, I had a small crush on Haley before I had started going out with Regina. I would have never guessed that Haley was  a lesbian, just like I never imagined Jules herself being lesbian.      

I rolled over and grabbed my phone that was on the table by my bedside. I quickly punched in Chris's phone number. The phone rang once, twice, three times, until finally Chris answered. We chatted on the phone for about twenty minutes. Chris expressed curiosity concerning Jessica and the conversation they had had in the car. We talked about how one could never be certain if a woman was lesbian these days. Some girls were out and some girls you could tell just by looking at the, that they were lesbian. But other girls, like Haley and his sister-it would be impossible to tell!  Chris asked Michael if Jess was going to tell their parents about her being lesbian. Chris told him he had no idea. Chris also asked if Jess planned on bringing Haley to prom. Michael told him again that he had no idea, and that he would probably have another talk with Julia.      

I hung up the phone and sauntered into the hallway and glanced into Jess's room. It was empty. I decided to go downstairs, and it was in the den where I found Haley. She was lounging on a couch watching television.

*****    

JESSICA'S POV 

When I woke up it was 6:45. I had slept two hours, and more impressively,the electricity was back on! I heard Michael's voice on his cell phone, and the blare of the radio. I got out of bed and switched on the light. I dragged out my homework. I heard Michael talking to Chris, but I tuned him out and started the boring homework that was due the next day.      

A little over a hour later, around 8 pm, I was done. It was no longer raining. I checked my cell. My in-box had a message from Haley, but not Maggie. Haley's message said, "Julia, babe, I love you. I hope things are okay and you are hanging in there. Call me if you want. If not, I will talk to you tomorrow. Just text me to let me know you are okay." I quickly sent Haley a text letting her know I had talked a bit with Michael but not about talking to our parents. I also asked her if she wanted to go to prom with me. I figured that there was no reason to hide who we were at school anymore. We had decided a month ago that we would go to the prom as two single women, dancing together only during the fast songs, and sitting out the slow ones. I thought maybe we could actually be together since our secret is now out.    

 Two minutes later Haley texted me back. Her text read, "Jess, I would love to go to prom with you and be an actual couple! I have been wanting to do that from the very beginning, but I knew you were afraid. I do not know how people are going to react to us, I guess we will find out tomorrow...." I wrote Haley back telling her how nervous and excited I was I slipped my cell in my jeans pocket, went downstairs and turned on the tv. The Weather Channel was on. The weatherman was mentioning how there were multiple tornadoes that had hit in near-by counties. She mentioned that many counties, including ours, had been under the tornado watch, but we were lucky that we didn't get one. I had forgotten all about that.  

   Michael came down and sat next to me. "Hey, Jess," he said. "Mom and Dad home yet?"      

"Nope," I answered nonchalantely. "What's up?" I could tell Michael was pondering his answer to me.

He finally said, "Jess, I have two questions for you. One: are you going to tell Mom and Dad about your being gay, and two: are you bringing Haley to the prom on Friday night?"      

"Michael," I started, "I am going to be bringing Haley to prom Friday night! She said yes! We were going to go as friends, but