Falling By Design

16 | I Know It

To keep himself preoccupied and less embarrassed for being childish, Miguel retreats into his escape pod: the world of game streaming. With headphones securely in place and the volumes cranked to the max, he carves out his own bubble of existence.

So, when Thalia knocks multiple times on Miguel's door, she receives no response. She had texted him that she was dropping off the month's report, but her phone, typically buzzing with his notifications, had sat eerily silent.

Just as she contemplates calling it quits, the distant sound of cheers pierces through the closed door, and she recognizes that he's in the zone. She digs into her purse, retrieving an extra key he's shared with her, basically permitting her to come and stay whenever she feels like it.

She surreptitiously unlocks the door, slipping into Miguel's sanctuary with a cautious peek. Indeed, he's there, lost in his world.

The realization hits—three days have passed since their last contact, a hiatus that began since that minor accident.

Moreover, Lorenzo has taken Miguel's spot as the 'cover' person, reducing his visits (it also makes sense because he doesn't want to inherit the store anyway).

But why? Miguel possesses an intimate knowledge of the business' workings, from suppliers to the intricate details of running the enterprise. And on rare occasions, like when he had to defend the staff, he presented himself as the rightful owner. So, why doesn't he want to take over?

Oh, never mind that for now. Is Miguel still sulking over Lorenzo? She has cleared it up, hasn't she?

Thalia eases open Miguel's bedroom door, a slow creak muffled by the hum of his live stream. Another unusual thing for him to do: he's engaged in an occasional moment of interaction with his subscribers. He's actually showing his face!

A brief, furtive glance assures her he's doing well, and she decides to make a quiet exit.

"Huh? What? Someone's behind me?" Miguel mumbles. "Don't scare me like that, folks. I live alone..."

Miguel swivels his head, his heart jumping at the sight of Thalia. Hastily, she tries to close the door, but it's too late. Their lines of sight have connected.

Miguel removes his headphones, unplugging them from the computer. The game's soundtrack and the alerts from the comments section spill into the room, bouncing off the walls.

"Thalia, hey," he beams, shoving the past embarrassment to the back of his mind. She came to see him! On her own!

"Uh, hi," she says. "I'll go. You're busy. Bye."

"No, hold on," Miguel says, closing the gap between them with a giant stride. Thalia's expression becomes a kaleidoscope of emotions—confusion, anxiety, and shock. "It's nice to see you."

"I, um, I was just dropping a report. Sorry, I used the key."

"I gave you the key to use," he retorts, taking hold of her hand, the heat of his touch sending a startle through her. "Come, I'll introduce you."

"W-What? To whom?" she stutters.

"To my subscribers."

She drags her feet behind Miguel, chewing her bottom lip. Miguel has half a million subscribers. Canada has 38 million people. Edmonton almost has a million. Rationalizing it, she reassures herself that it should be fine—

Miguel interrupts her internal monologue, gently guiding her to sit on a chair, the camera focusing on her. Comments flood the screen; some are inquiring about her identity, while others are demanding Miguel's return to the game.