BONDED

Chapter Two

“Michael, wake up.” Maurice called as he shook him awake.
“what?” Michael growled, fully awake but with his eyes closed as he did not want to lose the image.
“Dude, wake up. It’s 8 in the morning. you are going to be late for work” Maurice replied.

Michael bolted up, eyes wide opened upon hearing the time. He looked out the window and was momentarily blinded by the morning sun rays. He hurried off the bed, out the bedroom and into the living room.
“Why did you not wake me sooner?” he’d asked Maurice as he moved.
“Sorry.” She answered following him in his every step.
“I did wake you multiple times, but you grunted and told me to leave you alone.” She continued
“Then you should have slapped me” Michael retorted
“I did.” Maurice said as she stopped when Michael turned with a wtf look. “And it worked! Yay?!” Maurice continued as she took a step back, trying to avoid any hand that was to swing her way in the form of revenge. but Michael was too busy searching for his apartment keys to care. He found them on the floor where yesterday’s failure still laid, scattered on the rug. It was easier to find since the keychain had multiple keys on it.

They jingled as he picked it up. He tried to not step on any of the screws or wardrobe frames as he hurried out the door into building hall.
“Oh and before I go,” he said, as he leaned in between the door and its frame. His head poking out looking into Maurice's apartment, with the other half of body out in the hall, “I’m not going to slap you back. I’m 23. I’m too old for that, but since it’s your fault for not waking me up on time, you’re my ride to work.” And with that he was gone. He didn’t even give Maurice a chance to protest.

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Michael had taken the stairs to his floor since his apartment was just a floor above Maurice’s. He had showered as fast as he could, and worn his work appropriate clothes; a white long sleeves shirt tucked into a pair of black trousers with black boots. With wrinkled clothes, he'd walked out of his apartment with a banana in his hand, and his bag slung over his left shoulder, resting on his right thigh.

He’d found Maurice in her ash BMW, waiting by the entrance of the apartment complex. Maurice had taken a jab at his wrinkled clothes but Michael ignored it as he hopped into the front passenger seat.

On the car ride, they listened to some music and bopped to the radio.  Michael would usually sing along to Whitney belting

I get so emotional, baby
Every time I think of you

But this time, he was lost in the words. Who was he getting so emotional over? His mind, ever since he’d woken up, had been wandering off to the dream that he’d had. The feeling behind it, of who he’d thought it would be and who he wanted it to be, and how confused he felt in the moment.

Though it had occured to him that this could be an upgraded version of Enigma's voice, his mind couldn't help but wander. Why had he considered a voice without a face as an option? He already had someone that he liked. An actual real human being.

"Michael, be logical”. He muttered to underneath his breath

“What’s with that face?” Maurice asked, “are you cussing me right now?” She said with side-eye look on her oval face as she drove the car.

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At work, Michael thought of the many reasons why he did not hear Enigma voice the previous night, and came to the conclusion that it had to do with the time that he’d slept which was around 6pm. To be sure, he needed to test his theory out.

It wasn't that there was anything bad about Enigma. It was just 5 years of hearing the same thing over and over again had gotten tiresome for Michael. He needed something different. He needed a change.

It was going to be difficult to prove the theory, especially since he worked a 6-day, 9-5 job. And maintaining it as a daily routine was going to prove impossible but he had to try. he needed to test out the theory.

He had already made plans that Wednesday so he decided to have his first attempt on Thursday. It did not work out as quite as he thought it would. Conversation after work hours with colleagues delayed him, with the traffic piling on. He got home almost 2 hours past the 6pm deadline.

The second attempt was a burst as well. As there was a windy rain that made it harder to leave work on time. And as he knew, massive rain usually comes with massive traffic. Most people would either leave before or after it had rained. It usually created traffic as I did that day.

Failing to get home early the past few days, confirmed something that he already knew. He needed a 5-day job with a good salary and a favorable location. Not all the hindrance was the fault of his job but they contributed to it. Especially since he had to work on Saturday as well. He definitely needed a change.

Luckily he was successful -ish on Saturday but had to do a little cardio to ensure that he would arrived on time.
He managed to get into bed at 17:55pm.

On the bed, he snuggled underneath the blankets, closed his eyes and calmed his breath. Sleep came quickly.