Reality Whiplash (Novel)

Beauty meets billionaire in an LGBT+ romance-drama determined to take the world by storm.

A young warrior bargains his body, silence, and obedience for his loved ones' lives, but he struggles to hide the truth of his abuse from them. When the truth inevitably comes out, he is pushed to the edge of his strength. Will he survive his sacrifice? Was what he gained truly worth all that he lost? Is there any shimmer of light to find in such a dark hour? Reality's a bitch, and just when things start to get better, it comes back with a vengeance.

*Reality Whiplash* is available on Tapas and Emery Haze's Patreon!

**Prologue**

In the latter half of 1998, an anti-Cheney mob shows up at the Euclaw Manor in Rome, Italy. To protect the Manor and due to his own prejudices, Giovanni Euclaw expels them. Dante Euclaw attempts to prevent their expulsion, but fails; at the encouragement of Giovanni and Emanuel Cheney, Dante remains at the Manor. Emanuel, Almadi Cheney, Emma Cheney, and Sharqiq Cheney begin their desperate race across the globe to escape the hatred.

**Introduction**

Introduction is the first arc of *Reality Whiplash*. The main story begins in Savannah, GA in August 2018 with Mirai Cheney waking up in his attic bedroom on the first day of senior year. He is bleeding and fears Sharqiq found his weaponry. Sharqiq and Ashley Prevert outwardly mock him, while Lance Cain largely ignores him. He meets up with Chann Tomlinson, who he hasn't seen all summer, at the edge of the cemetery where his parents are buried, He has a warm reunion with his best friend and enjoys a few minutes at his parents' graves. It is shown at Mirai speaks with sign language. When they arrive at Pulaski-Nunes High School, Mirai is almost immediately bullied by Richard White, Jr., Jackson Taylor, and C.J. Shaw. Chann gets them to leave Mirai alone. They later find Angelo Sasuke Euclaw struggling to navigate the school. He introduces himself as Sasuke, not Angelo. They assist Angelo in finding his way around the school. Mirai and Angelo have an instant attraction to each other. Mirai excuses himself to the bathroom to deal with his emotion and is jumped by Richie and his gang again. He races back to Chann for defense, refusing to fight at school, and Chann physically fights them off. Angelo, concerned for Mirai, accompanies Chann and Mirai to the principal's office to report Richie. Principal August Sharpe doesn't care that Mirai was attacked, and Chann loses his temper on him. Mirai and Angelo have another moment of attraction, but this time, Mirai doesn't flee. The school day begins. The main three - Angelo, Chann, and Mirai - have their first class together. Angelo has his second class with Richie and is irritated by his attempt to make friends with him and his insulting Mirai and Chann. Angelo and Mirai have their third class together, which is taught by Dr. Andrew Stephens, who Mirai greatly appreciates. Richie and his gang return for a third time to harass Mirai, and this time, Angelo helps fend them off. When the day ends, Mirai and Chann return to the Tomlinson house, where Mirai speaks for the first time in the novel. Mirai sings for Chann. Chann prompts Mirai to tell him what's bothering him, and Mirai refuses. It is revealed that Mirai promised to tell Chann what was happening as soon as possible. They reminisce about Mirai's parents, Emanuel and Almadi, and items they left for Mirai, which include his mother's earring and his father's guitar. Chann leaves Mirai to take a nap until it's time for him to go. Mirai reluctantly leaves for the Cheney house, where it is hinted that his trauma is much worse than expected. While Mirai is away, Chann feels his pain, revealing that he is able to feel Mirai's pain. That same night, Angelo returns to the Euclaw Manor and tells his father, Dante, that he's made friends, although he doesn't name them. Dante is much more supportive of his son, while Francesca Euclaw seems to hold disdain for her son. Angelo makes his day sound much worse than it actually was to appease her. The next day, the main three go to see Dr. Stephens before the school day begins. Dr. Stephens is aware that Mirai is being abused, but knows no more than is appropriate for a teacher. It is confirmed that they're close. Dr. Stephens then talks with Angelo, revealing to him that he knows Angelo is a billionaire - confirming Angelo's first name is Angelo - and cautioning him not to delay telling Chann and Mirai the truth for too long. The following morning, Angelo has an argument with his mother about being allowed to walk to school instead of driven in the limo. He ends up being driven by his father and he is dropped off a ways away from Pulaski-Nunes to continue hiding his real identity

**Boy Crush(ed)**

Boy Crush(ed) is the second arc of *Reality Whiplash*.  Angelo arrives at Pulaski-Nunes to find Chann and Mirai arguing about the previous night. They stop the argument when they see Angelo. Chann leaves to talk to Coach Connor Daniels, leaving Angelo and Mirai to go to class on their own. They get to know each other by passing notes. When Chann returns, he apologizes to Mirai. Angelo is amazed by how easily they made up and thinks of how different it is at the Euclaw Manor. At lunch, Angelo and Mirai grow even closer when Angelo tells Mirai he isn't scared of him. The reader is introduced to why Mirai is reluctant to have a relationship with him despite his attraction to him. Chann is well-aware of their mutual attraction and hopes it goes well for them. When Chann and Angelo get to their next class, Chann grills Angelo about his feelings for Mirai and confirms that while Angelo's developing feelings are genuine, he's hiding something. At the end of the day, Chann meets up with Mirai at the front steps of the school and takes him to the Tomlinson house where he encourages Mirai to eat and teases him about his developing feelings for Angelo. Mirai leaves the Tomlinson house to go to the studio where his masters, Yakov Shomer and Ariel Levine, for training. It is his first session since the last school year. Mirai's weakness is apparent. Yakov continues urging him to exercise and tells him he'll make him back into a warrior. When Mirai finishes the session, he learns that he has one "appointment" that weekend. Mirai returns to the Tomlinson house where Chann tells him about his summer back in Liverpool. It is revealed that Chann lives alone in the Tomlinson house, and that his parents are back in Liverpool. They order dinner and Mirai takes a bath while they wait. Chann discovers blood in Mirai's underwear and demands to know how it got there. Mirai lies, claiming he accidentally hurt himself while masturbating. It is revealed that Mirai promised not to self-harm, and that Mirai has erectile dysfunction and a lack of sensation in his penis. Chann goes outside to smoke marijuana while Mirai gets dressed. Mirai joins Chann, without the mask he usually wears, and after learning how much Chann smoked that night, reminds Chann of his promises surrounding his weed usage. Chann urges Mirai to dispose of the joint he's smoking. Mirai promises Chann that he will tell him about all things sexual. To avoid the marijuana stash in his room, Chann sleeps in his older brother, Jake Tomlinson's, room that night and pleads with him for help. It is revealed that Jake may or may not be dead. Chann invites Angelo to join he and Mirai at Forsyth Park, where Angelo struggles to be as honest as possible while still keeping his true identity secret. Angelo flirts with Mirai and Chann leaves them to it. They hold hands and Mirai nearly kisses him when he saw Lance watching him from the trees. It is revealed that Mirai made some kind of pact. Chann, having noticed Lance as well, urges Mirai and Angelo to leave. Despite his request, Mirai ends up going with Lance. Sharqiq is waiting for him at the Cheney house. He shows Mirai photos Lance took of him nearly kissing Angelo, then beats Mirai then hands him over to a woman. Meanwhile, Angelo goes to the Tomlinson house with Chann to avoid letting his family see how shaken it is, and they grow closer. Angelo enters Mirai's room and discovers a drawing of a naked man in a book called *Milk and Honey* by Rupi Kaur. Shocked, Angelo flees, and runs into Chann. Angelo requests time to pray, and when Chann fetches him the Bible has has, he learns that Chann smokes. While Angelo is thinking and praying, Mirai bursts in, bleeding and shaken. Angelo throws the Bible aside to tend to Mirai. Chann and Angelo take care of Mirai. Angelo tells Mirai that he was at the Tomlinson house to wait for him, which flatters Mirai. Once Mirai has recovered enough, he and Chann began to playfully scuffle, once again causing Angelo to compare their affection to the coldness of the Euclaw Manor. Angelo is called away by his mother. Once alone, Mirai shares his insecurities with Chann, and Chann reassures him. Chann shares his suspicion that Angelo is hiding something.

**First Date**

First Date is the third arc in *Reality Whiplash*. Chann and Mirai are having a playful movie night when Angelo texts Mirai and asks him out on a date. Guided by Chann, Mirai accepts and flirts back. At the Euclaw Manor, Angelo reflects on his feelings for and attraction to Mirai, and then his family's opinion of masturbation and homosexuality. Chann texts Angelo and encourages him to do what he likes. Angelo ends up masturbating (a scene censored in the free version of the novel). The next day, Angelo arrives at the Tomlinson house to take Mirai on their date. He is stunned by Mirai's beauty. Having learned the ASL alphabet the previous night, Angelo is able to understand Mirai when he finger-spells where they're going. They go to River Street, where they nearly kiss at the edge of the street over the river. Angelo and Mirai confess their attraction to each other, and Mirai uses his voice to do so. His vocal ability doesn't last long. They then go to enjoy saltwater taffy and vanilla gelato at River Street Sweets. Mirai kisses Angelo's cheek, flirts with him throughout the date, and shares his love of history with Angelo. He has a few momentary lapses that Angelo notices but doesn't comment on. Chann unintentionally crashes their date towards the end of their visit to the sweet shop. On a grimmer note, Angelo finds out that Mirai's parents are dead. Angelo and Mirai go the Tomlinson house to continue their date, where Mirai learns Angelo's father supports his homosexuality but not his mother, entertains him with stories from his childhood, and tells him that Jake might be dead. Angelo feels guilty about having a large family he dislikes when Chann and Mirai have lost family and are close to each other. Angelo gets a call summoning him back to the Euclaw Manor when Chann returns to crash the date once more. Mirai breaks down after he leaves, the emotions of the day catching up with him, At the Manor, Angelo tells Dante he's in love with Mirai - still not naming him - and expresses his discomfort with hiding his sexuality from his mother. He reveals that Chann and Mirai don't know he's a Euclaw, and Dante chides him for it. Angelo decides to tell Chann and Mirai the truth the next day.

**Secret's Out**

Secret's Out is the fourth arc in *Reality Whiplash*. Angelo texts Chann and Mirai that he has something important to tell them. They agree to meet at Forsyth, That night, Chann researches the Euclaws online, and he figures out that Angelo is a Euclaw. He doesn't tell Mirai, having decided to give Angelo the chance to tell them himself. The next day, Angelo has breakfast with his family, introducing the reader to them all for the first time. After an enjoyable day with Chann and Mirai at school, they meet at Forsyth. Angelo arrives last and overhears Chann and Mirai discussing their distaste for rich people. He doesn't hear the larger context that they were talking about rich American celebrities, not the refined Euclaw Manor. Panicked and convinced that Chann and Mirai would hate him for the truth, he flees. Chann and Mirai catch him on the way out. Mirai believes Angelo when he says he's sick, but Chann is more suspicious. Chann once again expresses his suspicions, and it is revealed that Angelo is indeed unaware that Mirai is a Cheney. A few days later, Chann is snapped at by the teacher for standing next to Mirai's desk instead of sitting in his own before the bell. To get Mirai more time to work on his assignment, Chann messes with the teacher. After school, Mirai goes to train with Yakov and Ariel while Chann takes Angelo to the Marshes, where a weekly party takes place where people dress up anonymously to enjoy a night free of prejudice. He drops a heavy hint that he knows who Angelo is, and Angelo realizes that Chann knows. He realizes he missed his chance to tell the truth and begins avoiding Chann and Mirai. Mirai is at the Tomlinson house when Chann returns and tells him he knows Angelo's secret, without telling Mirai what the secret is. Mirai dissociates and has a hallucination. Chann doesn't realize at first, so he and Mirai get into a fight until Chann realizes. He immediately apologizes and comforts Mirai. At the end of the week, Mirai is subjected to more torture at the Cheney house, and the reader is given a greater hint into what's happening to him. When the night of the Marshes party arrives, Chann and Angelo attend, but Mirai stays home. Angelo is immediately attracted to the electrifying Marshes performer, Electric Heart, and ends up kissing him (and ejaculating in public, although nobody noticed but Chann). They return to the Tomlinson house to find Mirai relaxing. It is revealed that Mirai is Electric Heart, although Angelo is unaware. Angelo and Mirai end up making amends.

**The Attack**

The Attack is the fifth arc in *Reality Whiplash*. It is relatively short. After an abusive night at the Cheney house, Mirai is attacked by Neo-Nazis and nearly dies. Angelo, taking a walk to avoid listening to his parents argue, stumbles across the fight while Chann, feeling Mirai's pain, actively searches for him. Chann comes to suspect that Mirai is with Angelo. He calls Angelo, who confirms it. After attempting to treat Mirai's wounds, Angelo calls Dante for help. Dante arrives and recognizes Mirai as Almadi and Emanuel's son, the son he never got to meet because he was born after the Cheneys were chased from the Euclaw Manor. Mirai is taken to the Euclaw Manor for treatment, his safety ensured by Angelo's fiery defense of Mirai against his mother's coldness.