Promise of the Rainbow

The Hansen family breathed a collective sigh of relief when the summer following Jaden's suicide attempt had passed uneventfully. Although everyone who loved him had felt some responsibility for the near-catastrophe, Jaden's father, Donnie, carried the heaviest guilt. He professed a determination to guide his son through adolescence in a more positive way. Jaden's mother, Alice, was relieved by her husband's change in attitude, but concerned that issues in his past would re-surface and make his acceptance of Jaden's sexual orientation impossible. The new school year was about to begin, and the twins, Jaden and Jenny, their older brother, Brandon, and Jaden's best friend, Devon, would all be in high school together. Jaden had resolved to make this a better year, and toward that end, had talked his boyfriend, Trevor, his friend, Ricardo, and Devon into joining the swim team with him. This experience changed everything for him. When Jenny and Devon tried to get an anti-bullying club started, they never imagined the showdown they would face when bigots and zealots turned out at a school board meeting. Brandon had troubles of his own when his ex-girlfriend, Emily, would have nothing to do with him. He started hitting the parties trying to get over his lost love, until Emily's secret threatened to turn his life and his future upside down. For the first time, Jaden find friends who are out, accepted, and popular. He begins to see that not everyone who is gay struggles with it. As Jaden becomes more comfortable with himself and his new friends, he questions his relationship with Trevor. Perhaps there is someone he likes more. Follow Jaden and his family through a new journey toward the promise of the "rainbow".