X Journey 10
Disclaimer: This story involves, or is going to, characters from X-Men. The characters in this story have no relation to the REAL characters and/or the actors that play them in real life, and imply nothing of their sexual orientation, (No matter how much we would like it to) and any similarities are purely coincidental. All X-Men and other related elements are property of Marvel.
Chapter 10:
The rest of the car ride was spent in silence and me lost in thought.
Exactly how was I going to tell them, рHey Mom and Pops, I just found out that I am a mutant because this kid Devin; from school, you know the big football player looking one, was going to kick the ever loving shit out of me and in the process of defending myself, I destroyed part of Bal Harbour. Okay, see you guys later,с and just leave.
In the process of thinking about all of this, Liz and I got to my house. I spoke,
рWere you driving like super fast the whole time?с
рI swear, I was going the speed limit the while way over.с
I looked at her questioningly, raising an eyebrow.
рPromise,с and she criss-crossed over her heart.
I looked at her face, then to the side. I began to fidget, my hands were on my lap and they were the only things that I could stare at.
рLiz, Iи Iи I donуt,с I was beginning to breathe heavily.
She reached over the center armrest with both arms wide open, рI know. I wouldnуt know what to say either.с By the end of the sentence we were in a tight embrace; she wasnуt just a friend, she was my sister. I began to think, sheуs practically family and sheуs okay with it, why wouldnуt my real family be as well.
I lifted from her shoulder, рI mean itуs going to be like coming out. Again.с I said while wiping my tears.
She had a little smile, рHmmhmm,с and wiped her own tears.
рThey already know Iуm gay. I donуt see a whole lot of difference between the two. Sure, I prefer a dick over a vagina, big whoop,с I said this as I twirled a finger in the air, рI also, just so happen, to be able to stop people, hurl them across a mallис My voice began to trail off.
рListen, J,с Liz broke my silence, рif things donуt, you know, turn out well you will always have a place with me.с She criss-crossed her heart, and mouthed the word рpromise.с
I almost damn near lost it when she told me that. I hugged her tightly; I am incredibly lucky to have a friend like Liz. We let go, took a deep breath and let out an audible sigh.
рDo you want me to go in with you?с She asked.
I thought about it for a second, рTempting, but I think that this needs to be between me and them,с I said nudging my head towards the house.
She nodded and we began to get out of the car. Both, in silence, went to the back seat to collect out purchases. Leave it to Liz to make sure that we got them even in a time of peril. We separated the different bags, silently handing things to each other.
Once we were finished we slammed the back doors at the same time, and to me it seemed that the echo was much louder than previous times. Liz walked around the car to hug me, рCall or text me if anything okay? I will not go to sleep until you do.с She looked into my eyes as I nodded and began to walk towards her car that was parked near the front of the house. I just stared as she placed everything in the trunk. Remarkably, everything was able to fit in the tiny thing and she drove away.
I was alone, standing there, just thinking. I looked around the side yard, thatуs where the garage is, and I breathed in the night air and looked at the palm trees. Funny thing, the way that the leaves of the palm leaves were swaying, it appeared as if it was telling, well I guess more like pointing, for me to go inside. I took the hint. I took one last deep breath and headed inside, closing the garage door behind me.
I stepped into the laundry room. Luckily, Emily wasnуt there to startle me this time. Wouldnуt want to unintentionally throw her against a wall. I cringed at the thought of that image. I was glad that she wasnуt there, along with everyone else. They would have seen me and would have began to ask questions about the trip, what did I get, etc; a topic that I probably would have enjoyed.
I made my way to the living room/kitchen area. I stepped in, I watched as everyone was trying to get a plateful of raviolis that Emily made for dinner. Food was another thing that I wasnуt in the mood for. I cleared my throat to make my presence known, no one flinched.
I cleared my throat again, a little louder this time. They all turned around with plates in their hands and Emily was holding a large wooden spoon that had Marinara on it. My throat was suddenly dry, рI uhи Hate to interrupt. But, umи I need to call a family meeting.с
My dad was about to say something in protest, probably about postponing the meeting until after dinner, but I said, рItуs really important,с in a very serious whisper, рIn the study.с And I left to go to my room so that I could leave the bags, which felt like they suddenly had fifty pounds of sand in them.
I walked away to head to my room with everyone staring at me; I could feel their confused eyes on the back of head. Went up the stairs and into my room, threw the bags onto the floor near my bed and went into the bathroom. I need to throw some water on me. I turned on the hot water, placed my hand under the stream and just threw the water right onto my face. I felt better. I headed over to the towel and I looked at the bathtub, very tempting.
рNot right now,с I mumbled to myself as I dried off.
I had to pick up my feet as I walked because they were getting heavier with each step I took in the direction of stairs.
рEverything will be alright,с I told myself. рIt canуt be any worse than when I came out to them, itуs basically the same thing.с I reassured myself. That made me feel a little better.
I remember that day, the day that I told them. They basically had caught me lying about how I wasnуt with the friend that I told them that I was going to be with. I came home really late one night, my phone had conveniently died on me, therefore I was unable to call the house to say that I was going to be out as late as I was. So, my parents ended up calling my friend, Morgan. Once they found out that she was out of town for that weekend, they began to worry, and waited until I got home.
When I did get home, both if them were waiting in my room with stern and disappointed faces. My mom was the first to speak, рWhere have you been?с
рI said that I might be late.с
рExactly, тmight be late.у Which would involve a phone call to tell us that you were going to be late.с
рI called the house, but it went to the machine after it rang. My phone died, shortly after.с I said as I held up my phone and pressed random buttons to show that it, indeed, did die.
I thought that I had thoroughly distracted her and the situation would be settled, рYou never said where you were.с
That came out of nowhere, I thought that once she knew that I was fine that I was going to off the hook and the dead phone would take the blame. Not today. рI told you guys before I left.с
My mom continued to speak. Looking as if she was slowing getting angrier, рJacob, youуve answered other questions that I was going to ask you. But you have failed to mention where you have been.с She looked at me, I was about to speak, when she interrupted, рDonуt say that you were with Morgan. I called her when I couldnуt reach you because of your dead phone. She isnуt even in town this weekend.с
рDamn phone!с I thought.
рSo, where were you?с She paused after each word.
I didnуt know what to say. They had caught me red handed. I couldnуt just talk my out of this, I was completely cornered. I couldnуt come up with anything on the spot, other than the truth. Truth was that I was sort of on a рdateс with David, but some of his friends had tagged along. So really it wasnуt a big deal. I couldуve told my parents that I was going to go see David; they had no idea who he was. I just felt better telling them that I was with someone else, fewer questions. Why did I say one of the few people that my parents could get in contact with? Stupid, stupid move.
My answer was obviously taking too long. My mom came up to me, рWhere have you been?с She said almost hysterical. I paused again, not answering. She slapped me across the face, рWhere were you?!с
I began to cry right on the spot. After about 10 seconds, my instinct took over. I ran. Not away, just away from them. I ran down the stairs, into the living room turning on no lights along the way, sat alone in the dark, and began to cry again.
Within about 2 minutes a light behind me turned on. рDamn!с I thought. I knew that they were going to find me; I didnуt put that much effort into hiding. I felt like they came a bit too soon.
They both came around the sofa that I was sitting on with my knees by my chest and my arms wrapped around my legs. They dragged over the iron and marble coffee table towards me and sat about 2 feet away from me. We sat in silence.
My mom broke the silence, рIуm sorry abис
I interrupted her, рI donуt want to tell you.с
рI donуt understand why.с She said, confused; knowing that there was a big piece that she was missing in all of this.
рI just donуt want to tell you.с I said holding back tears for a moment.
My dad spoke for the first time, рWhy? What are we missing?с
рWhat is it that even after I slapped you,с she swallowed loudly, рthat you donуt want to tell us? Help me understand Jacob. I donуtис
рIуM GAY!с I yelled in their faces. Then I began to spill everything, рThe only reason I lied was because I went out with this guy, David, and his friends for some food and a movie. So, to just bypass an interrogation on the way out, I just said that I was going to be with Morgan. There! Thatуs what I didnуt wan to tell you!с
Everything was quiet. My face was back in between my legs; I just didnуt want to look up.
рJacob,с my mom sighed, рyou know how I have always told that if you were gay it would be alright.с
рSaying it is completely different to how you react when you know the truth.с
She stayed quiet, knowing that, like most things, it is easier said than done.
My dad spoke, рWhy do think that she was telling you that. Jacob, your mom and I, kind of figured that you were.с
I looked at them, dumbfounded, рWhat?!с
рWell, you never have had a girlfriend.с My dad said.
рYou donуt really have any тguyу friends, to put it frankly. When you were 8 you wore my heels on a frequent basis and only stopped because I told you to,с I lightly smiled at that, рandис
There was a short pause.
рA mom always knows,с she stated.
I looked up at them blankly. рSo, what, you wanted to hear it from the horseуs mouth or something?с
They both looked at each other. рSomething like that, I guess.с My dad said.
I still just looked at them, as if now I was the confused one. рSo, actually I didnуt have to say anything because you two already knew it.с
Both of them nodded. I began to think, рThen why the fuck did we have to go through all of this! Why couldnуt somebody just have been like ,тWe know that youуre gay so, no need to hide it and itуs fine.у We could have skipped all of this!с
But I look back at that night now and know that it was better that I said it. I have never looked back. We joke about it now. Saying how that being late that night really had nothing to do with my being gay. But, I guess at the time I saw it differently.
Thinking about that night, I had made it into the study without realizing it. Everyone was waiting for me; my mom, dad, sister, and Emily. Usually when a family meeting was called, it meant everyone in the house; we considered Emily as part of the family. But I didnуt want her or my sister there for what I was about to say.
рI just want to talk to mom and pops.с
Eve looked at me funny and with confusion in her eyes. Emily understood the gravity of the situation. She took my sisterуs hand and began to walk towards the door. They both exited, but not before Eve gave another confuse stare. I realized after they left that the door was still open, but before I could even ask, Emily appeared. She smiled half-heartedly and shut the door.
I turned back around and faced my parents. I grew a pair and began to speak, рThereуs no easy way to say this.с Both of their expressions changed from just listening to one that had puzzlement, worry, and curiosity. рItуs better that you hear it from me because itуs probably going to end up in the news.с
рThe news?с both of them said.
рYeah. You guys better sit down for this.с
In unison they nodded with fear ridden expressions and sat at a small table that my dad had in the study.
рJacob, what happened?с mom said with worry.
рIуm going to start from the beginning and know that none of this is made up.с
They slowly nodded in agreement.
рLiz and I were sitting down about to have dinner at Bal Harbour and we were talking,с I began to already get uncomfortable, рthe conversation turned into one about this guy from school that Iуm currently tutoring, Devin. You guys probably know him, heуs on the baseball, football, teams; star player. I guess you can say that we were having,с I wanted to chose the right word, рan inappropriate conversation about him, I wonуt go into details.с
They nodded. Iуm sure that the last things that they want to hear are the kinds of conversations that Liz and I engage in.
I continued, рAnd, wellи Umи He, Devin happened to be at Bal Harbour as well,с I let out a nervous laugh, рand was also eating. At the same restaurant. With 2 large friends.с Another nervous laugh. рLetуs just say, that he wasnуt too happy with the comments that I said about him.с
рJacob, what happened?с My dad said with slight nervousness in his voice.
рIуm fine, really. I may have a few bruises. Lizуs ankle may hurt a littleис
рLet me see them!с My mom jumped.
рCan I finish the story? Thatуs not the bad part.с
My mom sat back down slowly. I can only imagine what is going through their minds right now.
I began to tell the story; рHe got angry and pushed me off my chair. I skidded on the floor for like 20 feet, until a fountain stopped me. Before I even had the chance to move, Devin picked me up and threw me into the fountain.с
My mom gasped and placed a hand on her chest. My dad remained silent, and totally motionless. I knew that he was pissed off.
рI looked up from the water and I saw him coming at me, I knew what was coming. So, I threw my hands up in the air, like this,с I showed them by criss-crossing my arms in front of my face, рbut he never came to me. I looked up and saw that he wasnуt near me. I noticed that there was a crowd of people gathered somewhere else, so I walked over there to see what was happening. Amongst all of the turned over chairs, broken umbrellas and glass tables; Devin had end up in it with his friends helping him up. He saw me and all 3 of them began to move towards me.с
My mom gasped again and my dad remained silent.
рLiz luckily grabbed me and we began to run away, or at least until we could find some security or they could find us. But Liz tripped because of her high heels and she brought me down with her. Devin and his friends were still after us, we hadnуt lost them or anything. He made his way towards me. I again waited for the impact, but when it didnуt, I looked up.с
I paused trying to find the right words to describe what happened. Everything I thought of just sounded crazy.
рI donуt know. It looked like there was some sort of тbubbleу that he couldnуt get through. I could barely hear him screaming at me. He got really angry and called his friends over. They all began to kick and punch, but the тbubbleу stopped them. I know it sounds crazy, but if it wasnуt for that, I wouldnуt be here in one piece.с They probably think that Iуm crazy, or making this whole thing up but I kept on going. рI turned to Liz, who was still on the floor. I guess since they couldnуt get to me, they were going to go for the next best thing.с
I heard my mom whisper, рOh no!с
рI screamed тNO!у before they got to her. Devin looked at me and I at him. Then the next thing I knew, Devin is being hurled across the mall. Then his friends looked at me and the same thing happened to them. I ran over to Liz to help her up but she began to scream because they were coming back, stampeding this time. I yelled тSTOP!у at the top of my lungs. They stopped, frozen in time basically,с I said as a looked away. рI donуt how else to explain it to you, but after that me and Liz bolted out of there and yeahис my voice trailed off.
There was silence; I could hear the crickets outside.
I broke the silence that I think that I startled my parents, рI think that Iуm, Iуm a mutant. I had no idea until a few hours ago.с
It was silent again. I took their silence, as disbelief in the story or they knew that I had lost it. I grabbed the remote from the table. I turned it on to the news channel and like what Liz and I thought, it was on the news.
The newswoman was at Bal Harbour, live. рThank you, Judy. Iуm currently here at Bal Halbour in Aventura. The story tonight, who is responsible for all of the damage that was caused tonight and how did it happen.с
They switched to some witness, рI remember eating my dinner,с began the elderly woman, рand then out of nowhere, my table was knocked down.с
рI saw someone being thrown into the air,с a man said in disbelief.
рThey were like statues. Just there.с Another woman said in shock.
The newswoman continued, рWhat the last eye witness is referring to is the three men that are within the mall, that appear to be, literally, stuck in place. One of the men is actually hovering about ten inches off the ground,с as she spoke a clip showed one of Devinуs friends floating, рPolice are trying to move them but they say that they wonуt budge. They are also in agreement that is the work of a mutantис
She was speaking but I couldnуt hear her. I completely forgot about Devin and his goons. рOh shit!с I said out loud.
рWhat is it?с My dad said.
рI forgot about Devin and his friends. I donуt know how I can reverse it or whatever.с
рTry thinking of letting them go. Like youуre removing something off of them,с mom said.
I began to think about them being frozen as a рcasingс around each of them and I was lifting it off of them.
рWe have just received word that the three men have just begun to move againис My dad shut off the TV.
рWhoa!с I said under my breath. рWait? How did you guys know that would work?с
My dad spoke, рJ, I think that this time, itуs you that needs to sit down.с
рOkay?с I sat across from them.
рI think that you should know how your grandparents died,с Dad said.
I pointed at my dad, рDidnуt your parents die in a car crash,с and then I pointed over to my mom, рyour parents were in a boating accident.с I paused, рSorry.с
Mom spoke, рNo,с she said flatly, рthe real reason they died.с
рWhat?!с I said confused, рWhat are you saying?с
рLuckily, you were young enough that you donуt have a clear timeline in your head of when they died.с My dad said.
He was right. My grandparents were all dead before I was 5 years old. But I was confused, what did my grandparents have to with the situation.
рWait, why are you mention them?с
рWell for starters,с mom took over, рthey are the earliest recorded members of our families that are mutant, like you.с
рWhat?!с I said stupidly.
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