The Calm Before The Storm

Exposed

~Chloe~

Time seems to freeze for a moment as we all stop and look down at Max, startled by what she just said. My eyes widen at the fact that she just outed herself and me in a fit of rage, trying to convince her parents of just how much I mean to her. I look up and see Ryan's face has gone beet red, while Vanessa's face is filled with anger and disgust.

"No. No no no no no," she says, "No daughter of mine is gay. You're confused, Maxine. You strongly like Chloe as a friend, nothing more,".

"How would you know?!" Max snaps back, "You can't tell me how I feel! You don't know what Chloe and I went through together! I love her, Mom... and you can't take her away from me again!".

"No! If anything you've given me even more of a reason to take you back. You're not a... a lesbian, Maxine. You never were as a child and you aren't now. That is gross, vile behavior that I will not tolerate! I forbid it!" Vanessa yells, now turning her attention to her daughter who takes the yelling without a single flinch.

"Well, tough shit, I'm in love with Chloe Price and there's nothing you can do about it!" Max yells back.

As if to prove her point even more, she turns to me and grabs my shoulders, dragging me down and smashing her lips against mine. I, of course, kiss her back, trying to match her surprising amount of passion.

Vanessa screams at the sight of us and immediately grabs Max, desperate to get her away from me.

"Stop this... stop this right now, Maxine!" she snaps, dodging Max's hand as she tries to pry her hands off her arm.

"Get away from me!" Max yells, keeping a steel grip on my shoulders.

Ryan blinks and jumps into action, pulling his wife off and away from us. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Vanessa! We've talked about this, Max is old enough to make her own choices and if being with Chloe is her choice... then I support it,".

I'm baffled to hear this coming from Ryan, I honestly didn't think he supported this kind of thing.

"Are you serious, Ryan... how can you approve of this, just look at them... it's disgusting!".

"You know what I see what I look at these two," Ryan says, gesturing towards Max and I as we try to recompose ourselves, "I see us, V... or what we used to be. I can't believe you would deny your own daughter love,".

Max pushes away from me and hobbles over to her mother, "Do you know what hell we've been through just to be here right now?" she asks, "Chloe and I almost die in a tornado, then in a car accident and when we finally get some time to ourselves you have to show up and try and take me away again! What... what kind mother does that? You... you've hurt me enough! Now get the hell out of my house and the fuck out of my life!".

"Maxine Caulfield!" Vanessa snaps harshly.

"My name is MAX!" She screams, now seeming to have a hard time catching her breath. "Please..." Max wheezes as she sits back down, her small body shaking slightly, "Please just go,".

I blink and ignore the other adults, putting all my attention on Max as she continues to tremble, coughing painfully every so often.

"Take it easy," I say as I sit back down beside her, rubbing her back gently, "Deep breaths".

I half expect Vanessa to rage at us again, but Ryan distracts her by speaking up again. "Max is right, Vanessa, you need to go. You've done nothing but tear our family apart!" Ryan yells, trying to hold his own anger down.

"Fuck you, Ryan. It was a mistake thinking this would work," Vanessa says, grabbing her purse and storms to the door, "Fuck you... fuck all of you!" She says, slamming the door behind her.

Max flinches visibly when the sound reverberates throughout the small apartment and wraps her arms around herself as if to make herself smaller.

Once Vanessa's gone, it's like a thousand pounds of negative energy has been lifted from the room.

"It's ok, it's ok, take deep breaths," I instruct, seeing that Max is still having a hard time breathing.

"I'm fine, Chloe... j-just give me a second," she mutters, pushing me away slightly.

I sigh and obey, looking back up at Ryan who is still standing in the middle of the room, processing what just happened.

After a moment he turns to us and sighs, "You alright, Max?".

She begins to nod, but then shakes her head, "Not really,".

Ryan gives his daughter a concerned look as he walks over and kneels down in front of her. They look at each other for a moment before Max sniffles a little and wraps her arms around his shoulders before beginning to cry again. Ryan immediately holds her, trying to give Max as much comfort as he can.

I watch, an odd feeling rising up in my chest. It's not exactly jealousy, it's more of a... longing for something I once had and will probably never get again.

I subconsciously move away from the small family, not wanting to make this situation any more awkward than it already is.

Ryan notices this and smiles softly, opening his arms up to me.

I blush and carefully lean in, surprised when he pulls me into a bear hug.

"So... care to share what's really going on between you two?".

I stiffen up a little and see that Max has done the same when we both pull away.

"I um,... I'm gay?" Max says, her statement sounding more like a question.

"Surprise..." I say, quickly earning a swift elbow to the side from Max.

Ryan chuckles slightly and shakes his head. "Well, I think you've made that pretty obvious. What I want to know is when, where, and how did all this happen?" He says, sounding genuinely curious about our recently newfound relationship.

Max looks away trying to avoid her father's gaze, "Why do you want to know? *sniff* don't I disgust you?".

"Max, sweetie... you're my daughter, I could never hate you. You've discovered a new part of yourself and I still love you no matter what, okay?" Ryan says, giving Max's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

She nods and smiles timidly, still weary from her mother's attitude towards this whole ordeal, "Okay".

"Good. Now, tell me everything".