ghosting

ACT I: PART IV

ACT I: PART IV
chapter 4: ready for combat

It was past midnight when his house phone rang, Dustin was dead asleep on the couch and so he moved his body to rest on the couch and walked to pick up the phone.

"Henderson's recidence," he mumbled sleeply.

"Xavi-"

Jonathan's voice had cracked as he spoke. Xavier tensed his shoulders.

"Hey hey," he said quickly, gathering the attention of the older boy. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Jonathan laughed humorlessly, "Lonnie is..." there was a slight pause and a whispered curse. "He's here Xavi."

Xavier frowned, "Do want to come over?"

"No, no I just..." he sighed. "Wanted to warn you."

-

It was the day of Will's funeral. Xavier's hand was on Dustin's shoulder and he squeezed softly as the pastor droned on about lost. He could feel as Dustin leaned over to the other boys, saying something to them and Mrs.Wheeler leaned down to shush Dustin. The older boy had to stiffle a laugh.

Once the funeral was over he let Dustin run off with Mike and Lucas. He let out a small sigh and let his shoulders drop. He was about to start walking towards Jonathan, who was standing over the grave, when he felt a hand wrap around his wrist and tug. He turned around to see Lonnie and Xavier had to stifile a slight groan in pain, the hold on his wrist was tight. He however, did not stop his eyeroll directed at the older male.

"Listen here boy," Lonnie said. "I dont want you to infect my only living son with your queer disease," there was hostility in his voice. "So I want you to stay away."

Xavier chuckled dryly and yanked his hand away (a hand print now against his wrist). "You wanna know something Lonnie?" he said. His voice was dark, threateningly as he walked up closer to the older male. "I'm not scared of you," he tilted his head to the side and gave him a faux pout. "Too bad huh, you could do a lot scaring a queer like me."

It was no secret that Lonnie Byers absolutely hated Xaiver. The reason was completly unknown to Joyce, who had to patch up Xaiver once when Lonnie, who was wasted, had beaten Xavier one night (after that night Jonathan refused to talk to Xavier for a week, scared that Xavier hated him and wanted nothing to do with him. Xavier had ended up sneaking into Jonathan's room through his window and reassuring him that no, he didn't hate him and that he was ok).

Xavier however, had two very reasonable ideas as to why Lonnie absoultly hated his guts. One was the fact that he's Mexican and got adopted into a white family (Lonnie is racist to put it bluntly. The evidence? He once called a ten year old Xavier a wet back). Two, he could have overheard Xavier (age 13) telling Jonathan (age 14) that he's gay. He remembers whispering it to the older boy, ready to run out of the Byers' house and pretend he never knew Jonathan. The older boy however, had pulled him into a tight hug, whispering that it's ok and that he still loves him.

"Fuck off," Lonnie said. "Stay away from my family."

Xaiver hummed, "You haven't been around in a couple years," he said. "You're also no one to me," he stood up straighter. "You're not my father, therefore you have no right to tell me what to do."