"Um...Maya" John fumbled after seeing me and Chai kissing.

"What are you doing here?" I screamed at him.

"Who is he?"

"Nobody"

"Um...um," John started. "You weren't in the apartment and your mom was worried, so she told me she to drive around. It seems like you didn't go far though."

I looked down at my phone, mom was calling.

"Yea."

"Maya where are you?" She yelled.

Weird. She never yells at me.

"At the park...John is here."

"Thank god you're safe," She cried, then yelled. "You get in that car and come home now".

Whoa. Mom was really upset.

John nervously leaned against his car.

"But mom."

"Please Maya," she said before she started crying.

"Ok, I'm coming," I assured her before hanging up.

"Um...um" John kept fumbling, "I can give your friend a ride home...make sure she gets home safely."

"I'm okay," Chai said, backing away, "Text later?"

%%%

I sat in the passenger seat and crossed my arms. John silently started driving.

"Are you going to tell my mom?" I asked.

He tapped his fingers on the wheel, "No...but um why haven't you told her?"

"That's none of your business" I bit.

He nodded, "True...it's up to you. But, just so you know, I think you're a cool kid and it doesn't matter to me. And I don't think it would matter to her either."

On the outside, I rolled my eyes and looked out the window.

But inside... I kind of appreciated it.

%%%%

John and I walked into my apartment. The kitchen was a mess. The sweet potatoes were bunted. Cranberry sauce was spilled all over the floor. And the turkey was still raw. Mom stood there in the kitchen covered in mashed potatoes.

"Whoa, what happened?" I asked.

John went up and hugged my mom, "Hey Katy bear, how about I order Chinese and clean up around here? So you and Maya can go talk."

She nodded and kissed him. She took off the apron and went into her bathroom. I followed her and stood at her doorway.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"I'm trying Maya," she cried. "I'm trying so hard. I have been in the kitchen all day. Trying to cook this great dinner for you and you don't care."

I nervously snatched my shoulder.

My mom turned on her sink and tried rinsing her hair, "What am I doing that is so wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just..." I trailed off.

Mom rinsed her arms, "Just what?"

I took a deep breath, "John. Nothing is wrong with HIM. It's weird having HIM there."

Then she said the weirdest thing.

"Oh, so you're the only one who is allowed to date Maya."

I dropped my arms, "Was is that supposed to mean?"

She turned to me. The water still running.

"Oh, that was a boo-boo," Mom said. "I'm supposed to wait for you to tell me about Chai."

"What?" I whimpered, sitting down on her bed."Did the Matthews tell you?"

"I know you I don't think I notice anything. But I do. Wait? " She stepped out of the bathroom. "The Matthews know?" She flipped hands up. "Of course. Of course, you would tell them before you told me."

She looked down at the floor. I can't believe I hurt her feelings.

"I didn't plan it that way," I said.

I heard the water stop and felt my mom sit next to me.

"Maya...please talk to me."

I pushed back my hair, "I found a purse in the cafeteria. And I liked what was inside and I brought to Matthews, they figured it out. "

"And this purse was Chai's?" Mom asked.

I nodded "But even before we...you remember that Halloween party?"

Mom nodded, combing her hand through my hair.

"That was the first time we kissed."

I couldn't help to smile thinking about the first time I had kissed Chai.

"I was scared to tell you, because of Riley..."I trailed off again.

"Is that why you and Riley were fighting?" Mom asked.

The pressure in my eyes become heavy, "She called me disgusting."

Tears fell down my face. Mom put her arm around me.

"You're not disgusting," She whispered to me. "You're not disgusting."

I really needed to hear that.

"Mom...l'm a lesbian." I choked out, looking down at the carpet.

My nerves were shaking and my chest tighten. Like I was being lowered into the pit of hungry sharks.

I finally looked up at Mom. She didn't even blink. She smiled and brushed my hair back.

I realized that was the first time, I had ever called myself a lesbian. That I was a lesbian.

It wasn't a shark pit. It was a breakthrough.

"You feel better?" She asked, noticing my realization. "You know, I love you right?"

I nodded.

%%%

"Then I said, 'Mom, I'm a lesbian'," I told Chai as we walked down to the subway. "And...she was amazing. She completely accepted it."

"Maya! That's awesome." Chai cheered.

I grabbed her hand and we walked together through the subway station.

But something was wrong.

We walked by Crazy Hat's bench. And she wasn't here.

Please Review!