Max Fuller's Maze

      

   
Chapter 9

"Where did it go? Where did it go!" Taylor's voice climbed several octaves.

Max swung the bird around looking for the Quetal. They were playing Ark again and had spent a good hour searching for a decent Quetal.

"It's down, it was shot." Taylor's dad's voice came over the headset much calmer than his sons.

"Okay, I'm dropping you, Taylor." Max said, his own stomach still doing flip-flops. The bird had gone down in thick trees and it would be an easy meal for a predator. As he dropped his friend, he descended to the forest floor himself. Between Taylor and himself they had a defensive fence set up before Taylor's dad landed.

"Looks like you to have everything set. I'm going to start dinner." Taylor's dad said as he checked their fence and took off.

Max smiled to himself. Taylor's dad rarely came on, but whenever they really needed a third player, he always made the time. It was nice.

"A little less than thirty minutes. I can watch it if you want to do something else." Taylor suggested.

"No, I'll stick with you just in case another player shows up." Max said hopping on his bird.

"Yeah, probably best," Taylor answered. "By the way, I'm coming to your birthday."

Max smiled to himself. "I'll tell my mom." He had handed out his birthday invitations to his classmates today. "I think you're the first to respond."

The two of them were quiet for a bit with the sound of the video game coming over the headsets. Then Taylor suddenly spoke up. "Are you and that Rose girl really boyfriend and girlfriend?"

A few days ago, Max would answer that question right away without any thought. Now he didn't know what to say. He opened his mouth but wasn't sure what to say.

After a moment of silence Taylor spoke up. "Max, are you there?"

"Um, yeah, my mom was just saying dinner's ready. Can you watch it?" Even to Max's ear's the excuse sounded terrible.

"Yeah, think you'll be back on?" Taylor asked.

"Not tonight." Max said making his bird take flight.

He slipped his headset off in case Taylor tried to ask him that question again. A few days ago, it would have been an easy one to answer, but now he wasn't so sure. As soon as he was back at the base he logged off and headed upstairs. The bedroom door was partly open. Closing it behind himself, he jumped on his bed and let out a sigh.

Jackson who was still working on his homework, "Rough day on the playground?"

"Sort of." Max said into his pillow before rolling onto his back.

Jackson put his pen down and came over on Max's bed. "What's wrong? I haven't seen you this down since we had that family intervention meeting about you saying `Holy chalupas!'"

"I maintain that it was a good catch phrase," Max said sitting up in bed. "But I do have a problem."

"Spell, my homework isn't going anywhere... unfortunately." Jackson said glancing at his desk.

Max appraised his older brother for a moment. `Brother secret?' A brother secret was usually when they have both done something wrong and didn't want anyone to find out about it. It was something that they had on a lot more when they were younger.

"Sure, so what's your problem?"

Max let out a long sigh. "I, well..." Max repositioned himself so he was sitting up on his knees. "Do you like the way girls look?"

Jackson gave him a strange look. "Um, Yes?"

Max grimaced. "I mean like you know when they don't have their clothes on?"

"What are you getting at?" Jackson asked.

Max shrugged his shoulders. "I saw Rose's, you know what they have between their legs? It was like well I didn't want to look at it."

Jackson's eyes lit up with understanding. "Oh, I see..." He scratched his head and looked a little uncomfortable. "Max, I know you don't want me to say you're still pretty young, but you are. I mean as you get older you get these things called hormones and they can change the things you find interesting. I'm not sure you should be worrying about it too much."

"But I like the way Taylor looks and I like the way you look. You know... your private areas. Did you ever feel that way? I mean you were the one who told me about sword fighting."

Jackson didn't answer right away. He shifted a little clearly giving it some thought. "I guess there were times I was curious what other people look like down there."

Max nodded. "You never got excited to see down there?"

"I wouldn't describe it like that." Jackson said.

 
Max nodded again. "I think I might be gay then."

"Well, I'm not sure if that's the only option," Jackson said. "I mean... considering some of the stuff we've been doing maybe it's just sort of what you like now. I mean you didn't like the idea of a blowjob.

Max considered for a moment. "I don't like the idea that you pee from there and then stick it in my mouth. Maybe if it was washed first? I mean I suck on my fingers sometimes after I eat some things. Cinnamon sticks for example and my fingers get into a lot of dirty things. I mean I remember this one time..."

"Max," Jackson interrupted. "I think you might be jumping the gun. I mean when I was your age the idea of having a girl just as a regular friend was weird. I know if you are gay that's fine. I'm just saying I think there's more to it than just not liking girls now. Anyway, it's not really a big deal."

Max didn't answer for a long moment. "Yeah, it is. I don't think I can be Rose's boyfriend and I don't want to lose her as a friend." He felt his eyes start to tear up.

"Max," Jackson tucked his little brother into his arms giving him a tight hug and Max was all too happy to throw his arms around his big brother. "It's okay. It'll be okay. You don't have to say anything."

Of course, it wasn't. Max wasn't the most comfortable with telling a lie. It was one thing to make a boast and another thing to lie to a friend. As his birthday approached, he felt an unusual amount of dread because he knew Rose would be there. His party took place in the backyard and it was a nice one. There was a bounce house with a couple of other activities. Everyone from his classroom had been invited and because it was a Friday, they pretty much all arrived at the same time. Rose was the last to arrive carrying a shoebox-sized present. He greeted her with a hug, and she gave him a kiss on the cheek and that just made his heart sank and a few girls giggle.

"Thanks for coming." Max said.

"I've been looking forward to it. Think I can meet some more of your friends?" Rose asked while handing him his present.

Max couldn't help himself and gently shook the present. It sounded like Legos which was something he liked. "Yeah, sure but can we talk first? In private?"

"Sure," Rose said with a smile before glancing over his shoulder. "Your friend Taylor is giving me a dirty look."

 Max turned around to look, but when he turned around all he saw was Taylor climbing into the bounce house. "Sorry, let's go into the house."

Max let her through the kitchen having to dodge his Aunt Stephanie who was probably supposed to be preparing food but was having a quiet argument with her boyfriend. Going into the family room Max sat her down onto the couch and he sat next to her. Even though he knew what he had to do he still hadn't really figure out a good way to do it.

"Max, we've been sitting here for almost a minute, is everything okay?" Rose asked sounding a little worried.

Shrugging his shoulders, Max shook his head. "No, it's not. I have to tell you something and I'm afraid you won't want to be friends with me afterward."

Rose was silent for a moment. "Then just tell me."

It took an effort for him to look her in the eye. "Okay, I don't think we can be boyfriend and girlfriend anymore."

"Why?" Rose asked.

"Because I don't think I want a girlfriend, as in ever."

It felt like Rose didn't say anything for hours. "So, you don't like girls?"

"Well I like you. Like you're one of my best friends but..."

"You don't want to kiss me again?" Rose supplied.

"I'm sorry."

"Max, is there anyone you do want to kiss?"

Max felt his cheeks flush a little as he thought of Taylor. "Kind of."

"And it's a boy?" Rose said letting out a little giggle

Feeling a little reassured Max smiled and nodded.

Rose thought for a second. "Taylor then?"

"Why do you think it's him?" Max was genuinely surprised.

Rose shrugged her shoulders. "Well, he's always been pretty rude to me. If he thought you were having a crush on him or he had a crush on you that would make sense. It's hard to see you being friends with a jerk."

 "He doesn't mean to be." Max said trying to defend him.

"It's okay and we are okay."

Max smiled. "So, we can be friends?"

"You are a great boyfriend to Max. I don't see why we can't be great friends."

 Max didn't know what to say so he just gave her a hug and she hugged him back.

End of chapter 9.

Comments are welcomed at: samtheham2235 _at_ gmail.com