Sinners Are Winners [bxb]

Chapter Twenty-Four

Am I not gay or straight? Is it just Xavion? What's happening? For the rest of the walk, I contemplated what was happening and tried to force myself to feel something for every stranger we passed. If Xavion noticed me staring at everyone intensely, he didn't say anything.

After walking a while, I started recognizing things. I felt like I needed to take a left turn onto a street and went for it. Xavion didn't correct me, so I felt that I must have been right. Some of my tension dissolved as I felt the pride take over. I was finding my way to Granny Gert's-- on my own.

When I finally turned onto the familiar street, I frowned.

Granny Gert's neighborhood usually didn't have all these vehicles, flashing lights and making loud noises.

Why are those yellow-suited guys spraying water everywhere?

Wait-- why is Granny's house up in flames?

From behind me, Xavion let out a shrill,"What the fuck!" and jogged himself over to the mayhem. I picked up my own pace and followed quickly behind him. Closer to the house, Granny Gert, Jessica, and Grant were standing on the shoulder of the road. Grant's eyes swiveled to us and narrowed. "What the hell, guys?! We leave for a few hours and you burn a house down?" His glare narrowed. "You do realize that we've lost two houses in one month, right? And why the fuck were neither of you answering your phones?!" When we got close enough, he latched onto my shoulders and pulled me into a hug. "You had me so fucking worried."

I was shell-shocked in his embrace. What was happening?

Grant held me tightly to him. One of his hands stroked lightly through my hair. "You're okay." He whispered. I wasn't sure if it was to me or to himself.

Either way, I softly rested my hands around his waist and squeezed him back. "Yeah. I'm okay."

"Do I also get a hug?" Xavion asked, sounding annoyed from behind me.

Grant's arms shuttered as he held me. "One second, Xav. I'll hug you next." He sighed and let his head rest on my left shoulder for a moment. I slowly lifted my hand and patted his back, not sure how to comfort him.

He finally let me go and Xavion spread his arms, awaiting his promised hug.

Grant grunted and rolled his eyes before also sharing a hug with Xavion.

"Yay, you're also alive," Grant said, sounding sarcastic this time.

Xavion scoffed. "Some friend you are."

I tuned out their squabbling and turned my attention to the charring building I had just started to recognize as a home. Flames licked the sides, eating it away. From in the windows, I could see that the fire was all over the inside. I let my eyes fall from the house and I looked around me, at the people watching. My eyes found Granny Gert, my heart squeezing as she watched with glassy eyes. Jessica was nervously talking to a yellow-suit man.

Grant and Xavion's playful argument caught Jessica's attention. She looked at us and relief overtook her. "You guys are okay!" She exclaimed. She turned to the yellow-suited men. "They aren't in the building!"

One of the yellow men nodded and talked into one a machine he was carrying. Suddenly, some other yellow men came out of the front door.

"I told ya they were fine." Grant chuckled to Jessica. Although his words were calm, I noticed him visibly relax. He sighed and suddenly grabbed me, pulling me into a hug. I blinked, feeling odd in his embrace.

Jessica walked over to us, rubbing tears from her eyes and beckoning for her grandmother to follow.

Xavion pulled out his phone, whistling. "Lotta missed calls." He scrolled for a bit. "Now I gotta start looking for a place to live." He glanced up at Granny Gert. "How do you feel about cheap motels that don't ask for forms of identification?"