FanBoy ♔ Malum.

Chapter Two

• Edited • Rewritten •

   "...and they lived happily ever after." Michael closed the hardback book and looked over at his younger brother. "You will never get too old for this story, will you?" He laughed as he ran his hands over the old Cinderella book. With closed eyes, Jaxon smiled and shook his head no.

   Micheal got out of the twin sized bed, put the book back at its place before turning back to the bed to tuck Jaxon in.

   "Do you have to go?" Jaxon said already knowing the answer. Michael sighed and sat down on the side of the bed, it was the same thing every night; Jaxon hated when Michael left.

   "I'll be back before you know it and Red is just down the hall so just call for her if you need anything, okay?" Jaxon stared down at his hands and nodded with a gloomy expression. "I know that you hate when I leave but I have to. If I don't, we won't have enough money for rent or food." Michael hated leaving Jaxon just as much as Jaxon hated it when Michael left, but he had to work as much as he could to make a living for the two of them.

   "It's okay, Mikey, I understand." Jaxon turned towards the wall, facing away from his older brother. Michael leaned down and kissed Jaxon's head and whispered 'I love you' before he left to get ready for work.

   Michael was a hard worker but he always did what had to be done to take care of his brother, he always put his brother's life ahead of his own. If they were low on food he would always give it to Jaxon; no matter how hungry he would be himself.

   Michael got out of his car with his small bag in one hand and his water bottle in the other. He pushed the car door closed with his foot before locking the car and walking towards the staff entrance.

   A few droplets of rain landed on Michael before he stepped through the heavy door and inside he was instantly greeted by a loud and girly shriek.

   "Mikeeeeeey!!!" Before he could find the owner of the voice he felt a body crash into his own from behind and soon enough he was flat on the floor with a body on top of him.

   "Please get off me." Michael groaned but Lexie only squealed; hugging her colleague and friend whom she hadn't seen in ages due to her wife's pregnancy. 

   "Mikey, oh how I've missed you and your little punkrock ass." She buried her head in between Michael's shoulder blades, not a single sign of her letting go anytime soon.

   A few minutes of Lexie hugging Michael and Michael moaning for her to get off, a pair of converse appeared in Michael's vision and he let out a sigh of relief.

   "Please help me." He looked up at the person in front of him and he thanked the lord that it was only Zeph and and not some random person who would think they were maniacs.

   "I see you've found Michael too." Zeph shook his head and laughed. He held his arm out for Michael to take. "Don't worry, mate, she was the same with both me and Victor." Michael dusted his jeans off before turning to give Zeph a hug.

   "It's been a while bro." The older lad said and Michael agreed.

   After their tiny reunion party, Michael went to the changing room in the back and put on a black apron and a black t-shirt with the club's name and logo on the back and his name tag at the front of the shirt.

   When he had put all of his belongings in his personal locker and locked it, Michael walked towards the door that led to the bar and clubbing area. Michael nodded towards Victor, whom he hadn't had time to greet just yet, with a smile on his lips before he started mixing drinks and taking orders.

   Around four am Michael was wiping off the bar and all of the tables around the club while Zeph and Victor were cleaning the floor. Since Lexie's wife had called her about some kind of emergency she had to leave earlier but the three lads were still working; all exhausted and drained out of energy.

   "Well, today was eventful." Victor said as he put the broom back in its place.  Zeph hummed in agreement while Michael just nodded; both of them too tired to say anything.

   Soon enough the three of them walked out of the club together, said goodbye to each other before going their separate ways.

   Michael sat down in his car and exhaled deeply. The clock was telling him it was 04:27 AM and Michael knew that he had to get up in a few hours again to get Jaxon to school at eight and at nine his morning shift at the café started.

   Michael loved both of his jobs and his colleagues were like family to him but sometimes it all just got too much for Michael but in the end he knew that he had to do it. He needed the money to buy food, pay rent, electricity and simply make a decent living for him and Jaxon and for Michael that meant he had to work more than his body agreed with.

   Shutting the front door behind him quietly, Michael tip-toed towards the living room that was pretty much connected to the kitchen. A soft laugh escaped as he saw Red passed out on the sofa, hugging one of Jaxon's teddy bears tightly against her body. Lightly Michael shook her awake and explained why he was late.

   "It's seriously no problem Mike, Jaxon is always a sweetheart." Michael laughed.

   "You just say that because you always watch him when his sleeping, he would've made your life a living hell if you would've watched him during the day." Michael taunted.

Red scoffed.  "I don't believe that, Jaxon is such a sweet kid. I bet he would never hurt a fly."

   "Whatever helps you sleep at night." Michael snickered while he followed her to the door.

   "You should get some sleep, Mike, you look exhausted." Michael sighed and nodded in agreement; he was, indeed, very exhausted. Red put her arms around Micheal's shoulders and hugged him before turning around to leave.

   "Wait!" Michael caught her wrist before she'd slipped out the door completely. Quickly he fetched his wallet from the counter next to him and took out ten dollars; handing it to her.

   "I know it's not much but it's what I've got at the moment." Red shook her head at Michael, putting the bill in the pocket of his jeans.

   "I can't take that; I know you're struggling as it is, so please, just keep it." And before Michael could protest she kissed his cheek and left; closing the door carefully behind her.

   With a soft sigh Michael locked the door and headed back to his room but not before checking in on Jaxon who was sleeping safe and sound, all snuggled up in his bed.

    Michael collapsed on his own bed minutes later, too tired to change out of his skinny jeans or to brush his teeth. A few seconds later he was fast asleep, out like a light.

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I feel like this chapter is even worse than the first one, lel.

I have no idea where this story is going atm.