Simulated Love (2024)

Chapter 2

Chase

The sound of a sudden loud banging echoed through my ears, jolting me awake from my sleep. My heart raced as the noise seemed to bang within my chest, intensifying my sense of urgency. I jumped out of bed and made my way towards the door. My eyes were still heavy with sleep.

It was my landlord.

"Hey, sorry to bother you."

"No, I'm sorry. You're not bothering me." I hurried to grab the envelope that was on my kitchen counter. "Here you go. Thanks again for letting me get another two weeks."

"Mhm," he murmured, his eyes scanning the surroundings. The flickering lights cast a dim glow on the worn-out furniture, creating a somber atmosphere. A distant sound of cars rushing by echoed through the cracked windows, blending with the faint scent of weird-smelling air. "You're a good kid," he said, his voice tinged with a mix of exasperation and fondness, "but I can't keep turning a blind eye to these actions."

"I know. I promise I'll make more money soon. I've been trying to get a second job. It's just hard."

He placed his hand on my shoulder. "Take your time," he said with a smile. "I believe in you."

"Thank you, sir."

I closed the creaking door behind him. As I made my way back to my bed, hoping to get another hour of sleep. My alarm rang.

It was the sixth time it had gone off that morning.

I cursed to myself as I scrambled around my room to get ready, stumbling over the clothes I tossed on the ground from the previous night with my date.

I didn't have time to shower, brush my teeth, or even do my hair. The best I could do was chew on a stick of gum, spray on some cologne, throw on a cap, and hope for the best.

I had almost forgotten my keys and my headphones on my way out of the house, but I went back in quickly to grab them.

Too stressed to listen to my music, I just kept my headphones around my neck as I ran to my bus stop. The bus I had wanted to catch pulled away despite me waving for it.

"What an a-hole," I muttered.

As I sighed, a heavy weight settled in my chest, causing my shoulders to slump.

I absentmindedly tapped on the screen of my phone, hoping for a distraction. The familiar blue glow illuminated my face, casting a pale light. My eyes scanned the screen, searching for any sign of a missed call or text from Joel, but there was nothing.

The silence seemed deafening as I stared at the blank screen, my mind racing with thoughts of what went wrong. Was it something I said? Did I do or act in a way that turned him off? Questions like those swirled in my head, adding to the whirlwind of emotions already swirling within me.

Doubts crept into my mind, whispering that maybe that was a sign that I wasn't enough. That maybe I was destined to be alone.

I sighed.

My luck wasn't all so bad, though. The next bus came only three minutes later.

~

I came bursting through the door of Hopeless Studios.

"Sorry, I'm late."

Fae and Mork were nose-deep into whatever they were working on. The office was a mess, with papers, coffee cups, and an open bag of chips sitting on the table. The only sound you could hear was the typing of their keyboards.

"Hey, just sit. Ink isn't here yet," Fae said without taking her eyes off the screen.

I sat down next to her and logged into my computer.