National Treasure (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 14 (New)

"My-My, focus." Jeff interrupts her gushing. Her feelings for Benny clearly haven't been affected.

"Right, sorry." She says sheepishly, "So, we had an amazing, romantic night. And we go back to his place and have a couple glasses of wine. One thing leads to another and we're making out on the couch. And I think to myself 'oh my god, this is it.'"

"I'm guessing it wasn't?"

"He put on a fucking movie!" Maya screeches, "So, I'm sat there like an idiot, while Fight Club, or whatever the hell it was, is playing, wondering what the hell I did wrong."

Her head drops to the table for a microsecond before she sighs and continues, "I told him I needed the bathroom. And when I got there, I noticed that I had a little food stain on my skirt. So, I decided to clean it, like anyone would."

"Sure." Jeff nods in agreement.

"I usually keep wet-wipes, or something, in my bathroom cabinet, so I figured he might have some too. But when I opened it up, I found these little vials and a couple of needles."

"What?!" Jeff exclaims, "Drugs?!"

"Not the kind you'd think." Maya responds quietly.

Her friend frowns, looking at her confused, "Then, what was it?"

"Testosterone."

It all clicks into place for Jefferson.

"Oh." He says, knowingly.

"... 'Oh'?" Maya scrunches up her face, "You knew?"

Jeff laughs awkwardly, "Uh, heh, yeah?" He tells her, "You told us he was looking for a new binder one time. And well... We all figured he wasn't referring to stationary."

"Why didn't you bother to tell me?!" She exclaims disbelievingly, then crosses her arms with an adorable pout.

"Well, uh, we didn't think it was our place." Jefferson explains diplomatically, "It's his business, and if he hadn't told you explicitly yet, then he was probably waiting for the right time. Also, he must've thought you knew, since he mentioned the binder already."

Maya furrows her brows, pout intensifying, "You may be right, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna stop being angry."

The redhead rolls his eyes fondly, "If it makes you feel better, go ahead."

They look at each other for a few moments, then both huff out a smile.

"So, I guess it's freaked you out?" Jefferson asks, slightly cautious.

"In a way..." Maya begins, her lips form a straight line, "I mean, it shocked me. I never even thought about something like this."

"Are you upset by it? Him being trans?" Jeff feels bad for asking so many questions but over the years, he's found that that's the best way for Maya to sort through her feelings.

"I don't... think so? I'm a lot less bothered by it than I thought I would be when I found the testosterone." She explains, then shrugs, "I suppose... I feel a little bad."

"Oh? How come?"

Maya doesn't say anything for a second, as if she isn't sure of the answer herself. After a while, she seems to have found her words.

"I wonder if I should have known." She tells him, "Or if he didn't feel comfortable to tell me outright. He hasn't mentioned anything to do with it since. Perhaps I said something that made him put it off?"

"What could you possibly have said that would make him think you wouldn't accept him?" Jeff says, unconvinced.

Maya only shrugs.