Strike | Xiuchen

21

"Chen, wake up, we have to get ready for church," Xiumin shook my shoulder, I shook my head. Any other Sunday I'd feel guilty enough going to church, now I'd feel the guiltiest, and I couldn't stand to see my parents.

"My mom says we still have to go."

"Everyone in town goes to that church and stuff spreads like wildfire."

"It'll be okay, Chen. I told you people are just stuck in their own beliefs, and you can't choose who you fall in love with, so god still loves us, okay?"

So much ran through my mind before even entering the church. Would my friends shun me like everyone else was, just to fit in? Was I even going to be safe going into church?

There was bouts of whispering when we walked in and it took everything I had to not run out. My dad glared at me with even more hatred than he had the day before. Xiumin's fists clenched, I couldn't tell if he was nervous or angry.

"They're probably just whispering because of the bruises on your face," Jongdeok said in an attempt to comfort me.

I kept my eyes on the floor to avoid both my dad's gaze and the gazes of strangers. Xiumin let me sit in the corner of our pew against the wall, I couldn't help but cry again. I hated how everyone was looking at us. I bet Xiumin couldn't stand it either, but he was better at hiding it. He was always my safe place whenever I was upset, but now he couldn't do as much as squeeze my hand just to let me know everything would be okay. In this moment, I knew nothing could be completely okay ever again.

Everything the preacher said was only gibberish, all I could hear were my thoughts. I tried to rush out of there as soon as it ended, but my mom grabbed my shoulder, "I prayed for you to get better, Chen."

"I'm not sick," I shook her off.

"Want to go to the field?" Xiumin asked once we got back home.

"That sounds awesome," I felt a little bad for making Xiumin walk all the way to the field in his walking boot but he didn't complain. When we got there Suho and Lay were sitting in the dugout.

"What are you just sitting in here for?"

"We're just talking," Suho looked at his feet.

"I'm sure you heard what happened."

"Yeah, are you guys okay? I'd be pretty shaken up if that happened to me in church."

"Imagine what would happen if they found out team captain was gay," Xiumin stifled a laugh.

"I'm not-"

"Don't lie, Junmyeon," Lay cut him off before he could say he wasn't gay.

I giggled, "Could you imagine the town's reaction if they found out our entire baseball team is gay?"

"Huh, all of them?" Lay's eyes widened.

"Chanyeol and Baekhyun, Kai and Kyungsoo, and we're trying to get Sehun and Chonglin together but Sehun thinks Chonglin's gross."

"I think Chonglin is gross too," Lay said.

"Yeah, I wouldn't want to date him either," Suho leaned back,"He kind of scares me."

We all laughed then fell silent again.

"So," Xiumin sat down, "Last game this week and I don't get to play. Then we graduate, Suho. I will have to limp to get my diploma"

"Don't bring that up Xiumin-hyung. I have cried a lot," Lay said, "And Suho won't tell me if he's making me team captain or not."

"I don't think Baekhyun or Chonglin are qualified," Xiumin mentioned.

"It's obviously going to be Lay-hyung," I smiled, "Then Lay-hyung will make me team captain the year after."

"I can't decide that right now," Lay laughed. We played two on two until it was starting to get dark, then we all walked home together, even stopping to get ice cream. I was afraid this would all be too good to be true when something hit me in the back of the head.

"God hates fags!" Another rock hit me in the arm. Almost immediately Xiumin was after whoever was responsible. It was a group of six, we were definitely out numbered. There was no way I would let Xiumin fight this alone.

As expected, I wasn't good at fighting, I had a little bit of hope having three other guys by my side though. Two of the guys pinned me against a wall. One of them pulled something out of his pocket. A knife?!

"Are you fucking insane?! Get away from me with that!"

"Do it! Kill the fag!" One of the other guys said, causing my friends to take notice.

"Hey! Take it easy!" Xiumin tried to approach the guy with the knife, but the closer he got, the closer he held it to my throat.

"Look at him cry!" Another one of guys snickered, "Kill him! The world is better off without him anyways!"

"I'm not gay!" I kneed the guy with the knife in the dick. The knife clattered out of his hand. While the guy who was holding me was caught off guard I elbowed him in the face.

I grabbed my bat that I hadn't even thought about using and hit the guy who was fighting Suho in the back of the leg. Xiumin grabbed the pocket knife and held the guy who almost killed me against the wall. He stuck the knife through his shirt and into the wall, somewhat trapping him. Suho grabbed his bat and held it out in front of him, he swung at anyone who came near him.

"Had enough yet?" I asked.

"Get out of here!" Xiumin shouted. Five of the guys ran, leaving their other friend trapped on the wall.

"A little help?"

"Fuck you," Xiumin spat in his face.

"Is everyone okay?" Suho asked, "Chen?"

"I'm fine," I wiped the tears and blood off of my face.

"No, I'm not okay! That hurt!" Lay cried.

Suho ignored Lay, "You fought good for being in a walking boot, Xiu."

"Yeah, whatever," Xiumin seemed a little shaken up, "Chen impressed me. Looks like you will be able to protect yourself without me here."

"Not if I get jumped again."

"Keep friends with you then."

"Okay," Since it was dark we tried to be quiet coming back inside, but Xiumin's mom asked us a million questions anyways. We told her the other guys looked worse.