Transgender Jay : A Ninjago Story

11 - Tension

(Warning. This chapter contains brief swearing.)

Just as Jay had thought, the rest of the bounty had already seen the article. It was hard not to, considering that people were reposting it on social media, other news sites were coming out with their own stories, and the whole internet was in uproar.

"Jay! Thank god you're here, have you seen it?" Cole asked, frantic and worried.

"Seen what?"

He decided to take the oblivious route at first.

"The... the thing about Lloyd? The news story?"

Cole showed him his phone screen, holding the same article that Lloyd had shown him.

Jay pretended to read it, then forced a grimace.

"Are you serious? That photo is awful. It could be any old blonde guy." he said, sighing loudly.

"I'm pretty sure that it IS Lloyd. The height and the style of clothing point towards him at least." Zane chimed in. Jay sent him a glare that clearly said 'please shut up'.

"You know how the press is. They'll do anything for a good story." He countered, then looked to Kai, wondering what his opinion was.

"... what do you think Kai?"

"... I... I don't know. If it's true... why the hell didn't he tell us he was a f*g?"

"Kai! That's a slur!"

"But it's true isn't it!"

Even Cole looked disgruntled.

"Dude... you really shouldn't say that."

Kai rolled his eyes, impatient.

"Fine then. If he was gay, why didn't he tell us?"

Jay crossed his arms, now very pissed off.

"It's not any of your business what somebody's sexuality is. Even if he is the guy in the picture, people can chose when they come out."

"But what about his friends? It's like he's been lying to us!"

"What? Kai... Lloyd has never once said that he's straight so how is it lying?"

They continued arguing about it to no avail, and it eventually got quite heated.

"It's none of your damned business who Lloyd kisses!"

"It is my business if he's kissing other bloody guys!"

"No it isn't!"

"Well, if it wasn't my business then why is it all over the f*cking news?!"

Lloyd stormed into the room, looking ready to kill someone.

"It's a lie. That isn't me."

Everybody fell silent and looked at him.

"... I haven't left the Bounty after dark for months, and I've certainly never kissed anybody in an alleyway. It's not me. It's made up for public attention."