Searching For Simplicity

Acceptance is the Key

"Acceptance is the key to be, to be truly free."

Chapter 2:

Connor's POV

I regret nothing.

The disgust on my father's face made me want to laugh. His voice was calm yet stern. It scared me. "What does that mean?"

What does it mean! It doesn't have to mean anything. It doesn't matter what it means. You know what it means? It means that you're so stereotypical that you just assume that my best friend is gay. And that even doesn't matter. What matters is that your so stuck on your rules and tradition that you won't even give Jude a chance when you are only assuming.

I sat in silence, looking up at him. He stormed out in anger.

Jude's POV:

I was staring down the hallway of the hospital, staring out into space when Stef nudged me. I look and see Mr. Stevens walking towards us. His face looked angry but yet he strode almost casually, very odd.

Stef, Lena and I all stand up. "How is he?" I ask. He flashes me a look of total disgust and anger, but it disappears in a second.

"May I speak to you, please?" Mr. Stevens asks Lena, not a hint of hate in his voice, extremely odd. They both step aside to talk, their voices not audible from where I'm standing. Lena throws her hands in the air and looks at us. Now that's more like it! Lena walks back to us.

"He said that Connor told him that the whole thing was your idea." Lena tells us. I can't believe this!

"Is that true?" Stef questions.

"No" I answer instantly. How could he do this to me?

A Couple Days Later

Connor's POV:

Taylor walks in with her dad. She looks over to my dad who was currently holding my cell phone. He took it right after I said I snuck out to see Jude. She runs up to me, she whispers because my dad is in the room. "Jude needs to talk to you. I'll give you my phone to text him since I saw your dad with yours."

My dad exits to get a drink. I motion for Taylor to give me the phone, but she puts her up, signaling me to hold on. "First I need to ask you something."

"Okay." I state, scared out of mind with the possibilities.

"Do you like Jude?" She asks simply. But this is anything but simple. Worst. Possible. Question.

"He's the best friend I've ever had-" I stated acting obliviously.

"Not what I meant. You know what I mean." She interrupts. Taylor is too smart, she knows the answer already.

I take a breath. "I love him." I tell her. She smiles. But then quickly gives me a serious expression.

"Then please, don't make him suffer. Tell him, tell all of them. He deserves that. If you love him, tell them." She tells me. I know she's right, but I've been dreading thing ever since the day I liked him.

"Okay." I say. Right on cue, my dad walks in. I sit up.

"Do you want me to tell Daria?" She whispers in my ear. I nod and she starts texting. I feel awful that I'm breaking up with her over text, but what else can I do.

"Dad. I have something to tell you." He turns around and looks at me.

"What?" He boomed.

I took a deep breath, and finally said "Dad, I'm gay."

An Hour Later

Jude's POV:

Why?

Why does he always do this? First he is always leading me on and now he is saying that I was the one whose idea it was to sneak into Taylor's house!

My phone buzzes, it's Taylor. I stop thinking about what has happened and focus on if Connor's okay.

Me: How is he?

The seconds that it takes her to respond are killing me.

Taylor's Phone: I'm fine.

Confusion falls over me. Another text shows up.

Taylor's Phone: It's me.

It's Connor. I should want nothing to say to him, I should want to ignore him. But I don't, I won't. Ever. I can't ignore him.

Me: Connor?

Duh, idiot! Who else would it be? But what happened to his phone?

Connor: Yup

Connor: Taylor gave me her phone

Me: How's your shoulder? (AN: I know it was his foot, but in the last chapter I said it was his shoulder so... I'm just going along it.)

Connor: hurts like a bitch

I need to ask him if what his dad said was true. That Connor had said it was all my fault. Because suddenly, I don't believe it anymore.

Me: Why did you tell your dad it was my idea to sneak out?

It doesn't take him long to respond. I look at it quickly.

Connor: What? I didn't

I am flooded with relief. I should have known that he wouldn't have done that. Something must have happened. Mr. Stevens might have disguised his anger, but he certainly was. I started to panic

Me: Really? Are you okay?

Once again he didn't respond for 30 seconds or so. But each one dug into me and added to the growing pile of questions in my mind. But yet somehow, they were all answered with his response.

Connor: I told my dad I'm gay.

Six words. Six words never made me feel so many emotions at once. I had no idea what to think. I mean, sure, it's great for me, he can break up with Daria! But I worried about Connor. As soon as he gets home from the hospital, I don't know what his dad will do. His absence from there could be short. He really hurt him.

I didn't know how to feel, what to do, what to think, what to say. It only took six words to send my world spinning in both sadness, guilty ness, and happiness. Barely knowing even how to breathe, I just sat on my bed, gazing at the wall.