Several hours later. I am hiding in my room to avoid attention, able to tell when someone is approaching by the sounds of footsteps above, which allows me to hide in my closest so they assume I'm elsewhere. As I sit there, lying in my bed with my guard up as to be ready to book it, I write, like I've been doing for about three hours now to avoid the voidful feeling.

That's when the text comes in.

Lily: OMG the news!

Richard: What?

Lily: Richard turn on the news!

Richard: What's going on?

Lily: We were there when it happened!

Richard: I have no idea what we're talking about right now.

Lily: Just turn on the news dude.

Richard: I can't. I'm avoiding my parents.

Lily: It'll only take a moment.

Richard: No. I refuse to leave my room.

Lily: Richard are you OK?

Richard: Yeah. This is the norm for me.

Lily: OK lemme just...

A video chat opens. Lily points her camera at the TV, which is on the news. There are two news anchors. One is a man in his thirties with short brown hair, and the other is a woman in her late twenties with short, curly, blonde hair. They both have green eyes and wear suits.

"And in other news," the female anchor speaks, "we have an update on the assault at the arcade earlier today."

"That is correct," the male anchor elaborates, "the police have deemed the assault an accident, despite the victim's claims due to lack of evidence. The man's son claims he never saw anyone enter or exit the restroom near the time of the crime. Here is his statement."

I see the dude I saved, sitting in a room, speaking into a microphone, "I didn't see anything. The restroom was clean, no one went in, no one came out. You could almost say..."

As if thanking me he smiles at the camera, "that the timeline of the so called crime is pure, and I'm thankful for that."

"Odd word choice," the female anchor comments.

"I blame stress," the male anchor replies, "and now, sports."

Lily ends the voice chat.

Lily: I don't believe that kid.

Richard: I dunno his story checks out.

Lily: Sure, but, you have your phobia and no alibi and...

Richard: Is that an accusation?

Lily: If it's right it'll be our little secret.

Richard: Listen to me carefully. I have commited no crime and I have done nothing wrong, besides, his son would've seen me, and I have no motive. How in the fuck did you come to blaming me?

Lily: I dunno. To be honest I started to worry when I couldn't find you so I thought something had happened.

Richard: Nothing happened.

Lily: You promise?

I never break a promise. Promises are something I hold scared. Something I always hold, no matter the cost. I can't promise-

Purity: Of course.

"Shut up," I mumble to the voice.

The voice doesn't comply.

Lily: OK good.

Purity: Don't accuse me again. It's kinda hurtful.

Lily: OK OK I won't.

Purity: Thanks.

I think about what little I saw of Lily's house. It was a fancy looking house, elegant decor could be seen in the corner of the call on a coffee table, such as jeweled eggs and the sort. I inquire...

Richard: That's a really nice house. What do your parents do for a living anyways?

Lily: They make the big bucks. That's what they do, and thanks. It's at the end of the river, like, if you follow the flow of the river, you'll eventually end up here. If I had a dollar for every piece of trash we've had wash up just this week I'd have fifteen dollars.

Richard: Oh.

Lily: That's just one minor nitpick though. It's great otherwise.

Richard: Sounds like it.

Lily: You should come on over sometime. Maybe when my parents aren't home.

Richard: Why then?

Lily: I just wanna... get to know you better.

Richard: I don't understand what you mean. We can do that anywhere.

Lily: I take it you really don't.

Richard: At this point I'm more confused than ever. Yeah.

Lily: You've never had a girlfriend have you?

Richard: I'm pretty ugly so no.

Lily: OK just asking.

Lily: Wait what do you mean you're ugly?

Richard: I don't wanna talk about it

Lily: You're not ugly Richard. Why would you say that?

Richard: Can we please talk about something else?

Lily: Richard I'm starting to worry. Is everything OK?

Richard: Well not really. See I've been hearing this voice and-

Error: Message deleted.

Purity: Dandy as candy.

Lily: Remember, I'm here if you ever need to talk.

Richard: Thanks Lily.

Lily: Anytime.

Lily: So you just chillin in your room?

Richard: Writing, yeah. You?

Lily: I'm just bored really. My parents are out and it's to late out to go for a swim.

Richard: Why don't you try writing?

Lily: I'm an athlete not some nerd!

Richard: ...

Lily: No! Wait! Shit! I didn't mean-

Richard: It's OK. That's how everyone sees me. They see my tale and toss me aside. No one cares about the pasty, acne-covered, wimpy, useless, nerd behind the stories.

Lily: Literally the only one of those that is true is nerd, and being a nerd isn't even bad.

Richard: I mean, what good have I done? What has Richard West ever done?

Lily: I dunno, but there's a lot you can do in the future.

"Or you can follow me and act now," the voice reminds.

Richard: Yeah. You're right.

Lily: So what book are you working on?

Richard: Just a bit of this and a bit of that. Nothing in particular.

Lily: How's the romance novel coming along?

Richard: Coming along well. Thanks for asking. I'm making the protagonist be totally clueless to the love interest's advances. He's, how you say, thick headed.

Lily: Sounds like someone I know.

Richard: Really? Who?

Lily: I rest my case.

Richard: I'm sorry you lost me.

Lily: Don't worry about it.

Richard: So you live on the lake and work at the docks? Do you like water or something?

Lily: I love the water! My first memory is of me at swimming lessons when I was two.

Richard: My first vivid memory is of when I was four going into preschool.

Lily: Four? That's... kinda strange.

Richard: Eh, that's just life I suppose.

Lily: That sounds more like a sign of some sort of childhood trauma than anything.

Richard: I doubt it honestly. My parents were always assholes but it didn't really get bad until I was older. I would've repressed something from when I was 11 or 12 and I can recall all that just fine.

Lily: Yeah. That makes sense.

Purity: Anyways, I gotta go. Talk to you later.

Lily: Alright. Have a good one Richard.

Richard: You too Lily.

"OK," I sigh, "why did we have to end that conversation?"

"Trust me kid," the voice replies, "you really need to write some."

"I don't feel the voidful feeling," I shake my head, "it feels... different."

"And that leaves your guard down," the voice sighs, "which we never do. We have to be ready dude. What if someone needs Purity? Write it away. Now."

"OK OK," I reply, "I will."

I take out my phone and write away the oddly pleasant feeling as I work on my romance novel, leaving me in a state of apathy that's better than emotion. It's better to not feel...

...

Right?