AI story name: Alex and Charlee

Finally, they heard Alex's voice muffled through the door. "I swear, if it's another solicitor, I'm about to—oh. Wait. Door. Right."

Meanwhile, Alex was in full ramble mode, nervous energy on overdrive. "Soooo, I mean, things have been fine, I guess? You know, the usual: caffeine, staring into the void, thinking about reality and, you know, the *existential futility* of—oh! Charlee, I found this new Monster flavor that's like liquid adrenaline! Makes my brain go vroom," they added, making a little zooming motion with their hands.

"Pffft, yeah, totally. Why wouldn't I be? I mean, sometimes I just get in these...moods, you know? Like, sometimes I can feel everything, and other times it's like the world is on mute and I'm just screaming into the void, hoping it screams back? But that's normal, right? Right?"

Charlee's mother finally cut in, raising a judgmental eyebrow. "Alex...Do you ever consider maybe seeing...a professional?"

Alex froze, mid-rant, eyes narrowing. "A professional? Like...a *therapist*?"

"Yes," Charlee's father replied, a tad too enthusiastically. "It might help you... find balance."

"Oh, sure," Alex said, voice dripping sarcasm, "I'll just go sit in an office and explain to a stranger that sometimes I see people who *aren't there,* or that I think the walls are whispering things they shouldn't. Great plan. Love it."