Dangerously Sweet (MxM)

Chapter 13

If so, I wouldn't feel as crazy about these suffocating emotions I felt for him. I would feel a sense of relief because if he did care for me, there was a sliver of a chance left for us.

For my sanity, I ignored that possibility. I faced the hard choice and accepted it as fact. Sorren was over me. Sorren was moving on. I would never see Sorren again. Which meant I needed to move on and focus on other things.

Like the café, for example. My passion and ambition. My pride and joy. The very thing I've spent years learning and saving for. Without Sorren, I had fewer distractions and more time to grow and run the café how I always intended.

As I neared the café, only one more turn and three blocks away, a police car flew through the street past me. The siren caught me off guard, frightening me. The sound caused me to jump, bumping into a person walking towards me on the sidewalk.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" I exclaimed as I backed away from the man. I noticed he was wearing all black and kept his head down as I looked at him.

"Watch where you're going!" he barked towards me before he continued his hastened walk in the opposite direction as me.

"Jeez," I muttered as I straightened myself out. I picked up the bag I was carrying which had dropped from my hand when I collided with the other man.

Just as I bent straight again, I saw a few more people turning the corner of the block, moving in the same hurried fashion. Looks of panic seemed to be consistently etched on each of their faces. I picked up a snippet of conversation from a rather tall man who held a cell phone to his ear as he pushed by alongside the other people.

"Yeah. Yes- a fire, that's what I said. I don't know what building! I just know the entire road is blocked- I'll be a few minutes late..."

The conversation drowned out as he moved further from me, and a sense of panic set in. I continued my walk towards my café, in the direction the crowd was coming from. My anxiety and curiosity got the better of me as I moved with the same fury as the other people on the street.

A fire, I thought to myself, I mean how likely...?

My thoughts dozed off as I turned the corner and my eyes caught sight of the largest cloud of smoke I'd ever seen. The smoke was dark, rolling off the building in waves, but I couldn't make out what store in the row was the victim. I needed to get closer. 

I pushed against the crowd heading away from the scene, more than likely having to make a detour for their route to work. The road was blocked by two firetrucks, both of which were actively trying to douse the fire inside the building. There were cop cars there too, guiding people and the traffic back from where they came from, trying their best to control the scene. The lights from the vehicles were flashing brightly. As I neared, the noise of the fire, water hoses, and yelling grew louder.

"To think, that business hasn't even been around very long. What a shame," another snippet of conversation I picked up as more people passed me.

"Hopefully they'll be up and running again soon-"

"I tried that place last week and they had some of the best coffee I've ever tasted..."

The panic from before only grew as I closed in on the action. My feet moved on their own accord, soon breaking out into a sprint, to get a better look at the carnage ahead of me.

What was the chance?

How likely...how likely...how likely, I chanted in my head.

Apparently, it was very likely.

There stood in front of me, the enflamed remains of my life's work.

By now, the majority of the fire was out. A handful of firefighters walked around inside the building, inspecting the damage. Through the busted front windows, the same windows Sorren sat in front of each time he visited, I could see a fireman bent over, digging through the rubble. Another one was behind what remained of the counter, near the register. He was pulling at something under the remaining frame, trying to free it.

My attention shifted when a police officer stepped in front of me.

"Sir, I'll need you to vacate from the premises and relocate to a safe distance from the building."

I stared through him, eyes beginning to water.

"Sir?

"Th-that's..." I took a gasp of air, feeling tightness in my chest growing as I spoke. "That's my..."

Before I could finish, a sob escaped me. I dropped my head, shutting my eyes tight as I felt immense dread pass through me.

"Oh- oh no. Um," the police officer looked around uneasily for any sign of what to do.

"That's my store," I whispered.

The world around me became muffled, even the man standing in front of me. I could tell he was talking to me, but the words weren't real.

Each sob wracked through my body. I gripped my shirt with my hands and quickly fell in around myself. I was gasping for breaths, using what energy I had to keep myself standing.

It was gone.

Everything that I had worked for. Everything I had left. Everything that was keeping me going. The memories and sentiments of my mother. The new memories I've created with my employees and customers. All my money. All my time. All of it is gone- like that.

It was just gone.

I felt prickling pain under my knees, from what I would assume was the rough ground beneath me. I subconsciously pulled my shirt towards my face, covering and cleaning it of tears and snot.

I knew I was causing a scene. People were likely staring at me. I knew I was more than likely wailing into my hands, and I knew it was embarrassing.

But I couldn't bring myself to care. I couldn't bring myself to stand. I couldn't bring myself to stop.

I felt warm fingers dance over the back of my neck, pressing in gently and rubbing into my skin. It felt soothing, for a moment at least. Then, hands were pushing under my arms, pulling me upward. I was being made to stand, so I did my best to move my legs to offer any help but they weren't responding much.

Most of my weight rested against the person helping me, evident by the warm pressure against the side of my body. Normally, I'd feel embarrassed about that, and I would have adjusted myself to stand right but that wasn't much of an option right now.

A muffled deep voice vibrated around me, but I couldn't place it. I focused on trying to get my breathing slow and consistent so I could know what was happening around me.

It wasn't working very well.

My feet buckled but before I could touch the ground, I was being pulled back up again. This time, my entire body was in the air. The side of my head rested against something hard, and my feet dangled. With each movement, my body shifted, but whatever was holding me had a tight grip so I stayed in place.

I buried my face into the fabric beside me, shielding myself from the world around me.

"I got you," a small whisper passed through my haze just before I blacked out.

.x.

Sorry for such a long wait, as this chapter proved harder to write than anticipated. I didn't want to just throw another chapter out because of the schedule, so I've been working on creating this scene for a little longer than normal.

Anyways, what do we think?

Be sure to comment, vote, and follow for updates!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, to everyone who has read and will read this story. It means a lot to me. And, an extra thank you to the people who have been following this story for a while, you guys have made continuing this story worth it <3