Falling By Design

16 | I Know It

"Folks, this is the first time I'll be sharing something personal with you," Miguel declares, his arm casually draping over Thalia's shoulder. She musters an awkward smile, torn between directing her attention at the camera, the screen, or Miguel himself.

"This is my girlfriend," he states excitedly. "She's kinda shy... Thalia, say something."

Panicked, she begins, "Uh... Something?"

Laughter overflows in the comments section, accompanied by a few confused emojis.

"I'm sorry. I'm not prepared," she admits, blushing. "Um, hello, my name's Thalia. I know nothing about gaming, but I know... Miguel loves it, and so do you, guys." She glances at Miguel. "I hope you continue to support him. Thanks."

Thalia tugs at his shirt, then leans in to whisper, "I'll kill you."

Politely waving her hand, she swiftly abandons the chair.

"Wait, Thalia, I'll end the stream," he says. "Wait for me. I'll take you home."

Without waiting for her reply, Miguel returns to the screen, pandering to the awaiting crowd, while Thalia collapses on the sofa in the living room.

They've just broadcasted their relationship to thousands of people. Wild. Thalia typically prefers to keep things private, but Miguel's enthusiasm to showcase her to the world is... Kinda adorable. How can she deny him when he looks at her like that? And again, will this help reduce his tendency to be jealous?

Ah, this man. He's wrapped around her fingers, yet he still won't admit it. Thalia is gonna have a lot of fun, waiting for him to give up and confess.

But this game... Is it worth risking his heart?

"Thalia," he calls out, taking a seat beside her. "Ready to go?"

She nods, disregarding her conscience. She has to think about herself, her status, her family.

She'll worry about Miguel later. It'll be alright. He won't be hurt. He'll get bored of her at some point and file the divorce himself.

"Sorry, I probably caught you off guard there," he says, his expression lacking any hint of regret. Evidently, he's ecstatic. Like he's proud to date her.

The thought makes her internally squeal.

"Not sure if my cameo would help you with anything," Thalia quips, rising to her feet and pointing to the sheets of the report to calm herself. "Those are the goods, okay?"

"Well, my subscribers are currently recovering from the shock that I've got someone in my life. Perhaps I've given them the impression that I'm a loner," he explains. "Or it's just a stereotype about gamers in general. That we have difficulty engaging in romantic relationships."

"Because you guys are usually socially challenged?" she teases.

Miguel shoots her an impish glare, also getting up. "No, because we typically have nothing in common with most women."

"Ah. Like you and me," she notes.

"Yes, but I... I don't mind. I like that we're different." He envelops her hand with his. "Don't you agree?"

She nonchalantly shrugs, deliberately avoiding his earnest gaze that has a peculiar way of softening her.

The two head out to Miguel's car, and in about ten minutes, he's parked by her apartment. Though she insists he shouldn't bother walking her upstairs, he remains persistent.

"We haven't seen each other in three days."

"And whose fault is that?" Thalia counters.

"Yours," he mumbles.