Being Different Isn't Normal
Chapter 6: Telling them "Nothing they'd expect"
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Josh rooted through his drawers to try to find something decent to wear for the dinner tonight. Since Megan had wrecked his favourite shirt with her tomato trick he had to try to find something else, which was not going to be easy.
Drake walked into the room, still in a bad mood for some reason or other, Josh didn't know why. He thought Drake should have been in a good mood, being that he had news to tell and all. He didn't even seem to be getting dressed up for it at all, which was unusual for Drake who normally went through at least six outfit changes before he headed out to school in the morning.
Josh finally pulled out a half-decent blue shirt and black slacks, he didn't know why his mom wanted them dressed up for a measly piece of news but she obviously thought it was important, so what he was told to do, as always he did.
Drake sat on his bed strumming a few chords on his guitar humming a new song he'd obviously written. Josh listened quietly as his voice slowly got louder, it wasn't usually like what he would write normally, it was more angst ridden "you say that I suck and I'm lousy, you say I can't write-my pet, you always told me how to be, and now I'm sick of it, sorry doesn't make it ok…"
"What" Drake asked, Josh was staring at him in awe, still buttoning his shirt
"N-Nothing, Just a good song is all" Josh went red; he had to work on his little staring problem
"T-Thanks?" Drake offered
"So, um, what are you gonna tell us at the dinner tonight?" Josh asked, desperately trying to change the subject
"Nothing you'd expect" he smiled jumping off his bed and walking downstairs
Josh was confused, one minute Drake was all angst and now he's completely happy - what was up with that? Josh had no idea
DOWNSTAIRS
Drake walked into the sitting room, he was still annoyed with his mother for arranging this whole evening. He was really hoping that he would have the nerve to say that nothing was wrong and he had no news to tell. He was going to- he was, but then Josh complimented him on his song, something that no member of his family had ever done before. what this had to do with telling his family, he had no idea, but it really helped him believe that at least one person would be there to help him, when everybody else was still trying to figure out why he was who he was.
"Drake" his mother called
Drake rose from his seat and headed into the kitchen, still lost in his thoughts. "You rang" Drake asked
"Honey, I need you to know that, I'm really sorry for butting in and causing all this stress for you, but I think its nearly time" she smiled kindly giving her son a push out to the dinner table
Drake gave a short smile before walking out to the dinner table, Josh and Megan already seated. He could feel his heart skipping beats, like when he went on stage for the first time, but this, this was so much more important for him, it may have been too soon to tell, but he had no choice now.
His mother and Walter joined them at the dinner table, it was uneventful as usual, Drake planned to tell them at the end of the dinner, when they weren't so hungry , so that maybe if they had a problem with it, they wouldn't have the energy to argue with him
"That was gorgeous dear" Walter smiled planting a light kiss on his wife's cheek before collecting the plates at the table.
Josh and Megan went to get the desserts, there were that many of them that it would need at least three people to carry them out.
It just left him, and his mom. It was slightly awkward as Drake had no idea what to say, and as much as he wanted to keep cool, he was silently having a miniature panic attack.
Josh and Megan arrived back in with a tray on each arm, each one looking more delicious than the last one , Walter arrived out with a fresh bottle of champagne, as if Drake was about to tell them he had gotten into Harvard.
Drake smiled shortly at this, but he soon thought that the only thing that would be popping was the vein on Walters forehead.
Silence overtook the room once again, until Drake fumbled his way to a standing position, clearing his throat "I um, have um something to um tell all of eh you" Drake fidgeted with his hands, this was do or die time.
At that moment, he would just have loved to run away from the whole situation, and pretend that he still liked girls, just to avoid all of this crap; he knew Josh would be okay, but he wasn't too sure about Walter, because, well, frankly he didn't know him very well at all.
"Drake you were saying?" Walter asked confused
"Oh, right, yeah sorry, momentary lapse" he was beginning to be able to hear the loud, fast thumping of his heart
"Well then don't drag it out" Walter laughed
Megan gave Walter the eyes, never before had Drake seen Megan react like that before, usually she was the one who was laughing, and Walter was the one giving out.
"As I was saying, I have something important to say, and if you give me time I'll say it," he sneered the last part turning his gaze to Walter
He felt a new lease of confidence that hopefully would get him through this before he puked up the wonderful dinner that his mother had cooked
"Say it then" Josh piped in
"Alright, no more dragging it out, here goes" he winced "I'm gay"