Alone Together

And You're Mine

Where do you live? Friend asked Phil one day.

In Lancashire Phil thought to him. How about you?

Berkshire.

That's kind of far.

Hey, I'm not complaining, one of us could've been in Canada and the other in Australia. At least we're both English.

Phil smiled, and felt the need to share that. That's a happy way of looking at it. That makes me smile. You make me smile. At that point they had been friends for about two months, and Phil had to admit he was getting a little crush on Friend. But it was silly, it would go away soon enough, for now it just made him smile.

Funny how we can share our locations but not our names.

Yeah. Maybe one day we'll meet.

That would be terrific.

It would be spectacular.

* * * * *

Phil wiped his brow as he put down the last box. He looked around the flat. Wow. Phil officially lived on his own now.

He had just moved to a flat in Manchester. He didn't live with his parents anymore. A few years ago he had decided to make a YouTube channel(which whatever connection he had with Friend wouldn't let him disclose the name of), and he had a sort of fan base forming. People sent him cool things in the mail, watched him, sent him nice letters, maybe a few even cared about him. They had even started drawing him naked. And, most recently, he had made a friend over the Internet. A guy called Dan had contacted him enough on YouTube and Twitter that they learned they had a ton in common, and had eventually upgraded to Skype. Now Dan was even considering going to university in Manchester.

Over the past few years, Phil's life had gotten so much better. And Friend had been there through it all. He had been there from Phil's lowest point all the way through the upward trajectory.

Friend's life was getting better as well. His mom had gotten a steady job, and he was off to university soon, being a few years younger than Phil. They had been there for each other when they needed it most, and they both know very well that there was a chance neither of them would be made it without the other.

Phil's little "crush" he developed on Friend never really went away. He felt stronger about Friend than anyone he knew in real life, and he was constantly hoping against hope their communication would hold. Because neither of them knew what it was, how it got there, or why it was there. All they knew is that it was, and they were so glad that it was. But in reality they knew nothing about it.

Phil looked around the room full of boxes. Even with none of his possessions showing anywhere, he was hyper-aware of the fact that this flat was his. He was officially an independent adult now. The thought scared Phil, but overpowering the nerves was the overwhelming thrill of it. He never had to interact with any of those jerks from school again. He could make his own decisions. Phil Lester was a man now.

It's a good thing my dad bought me that cordless hammer drill Phil mused to himself. It didn't happen nearly as frequently anymore that a thought would slip through to Friend unintentionally, or vice versa. With practice, they both got better at separating their connection from their thoughts.

Well Phil thought, this time addressing Friend. I've officially moved into my new flat.

Wow! That's awesome! Any chance you can tell me where it is?

Phil sighed. He had tried, but for some reason the connection censored out where that he was living in Manchester now. It also censored out where Friend was headed for university. Regardless, Phil tried his hardest to project the word Manchester to Friend. After about thirty seconds of trying, Phil started to get a headache. He stopped.

Sorry, I can't. Any chance you can tell me where you're headed?

There was a pause. It lasted for five seconds. Ten. Twenty. Thirty. Fifty.

Nope.

Phil smiled. It seems you've got better endurance than me. It's been almost a minute. How has your head not burst?

Believe me, I've tried loads. Even when we aren't talking. Mostly with my name. I guess practice makes perfect.

Well, obviously not. You still can't do it.

Practice makes you better, then Friend corrected.

Fair enough. I would practice, but I could do without the headaches.

Fair enough. So, how do you like your flat?

Phil looked around the room he was in. It was his bedroom now. Bigger than the one he had had at university. Smaller than the one at his parents house. Just right. His. Phil kept smiling.

It's mine. I have a place. I'm on my own. I love it.

I'm glad you love it.

Me too. I wish I could tell you where it is though. I wish I could give you my address. I wish I could share this with you.

I think you still are. I'm here. Whether or not you can see or touch me, I'm here. I'm always here for you.

And I you. But don't you ever... Phil bit his lip in hesitation.

Don't I ever what?

Do you ever just think you're crazy? That this is just in your head?

Well of course it's just in my head. That's where the thoughts are. That's what we hear. In each other's heads.

You know what I mean! I mean... What if one of us is just imagining the other? Don't tell me you don't sometimes think it. I won't believe you.

He could hear Friend sigh. This was the first time Phil had ever brought this up, but it had been haunting him since their first interaction. He couldn't imagine that Friend felt differently.

Friend, of course I have. How could I not? But it's sort of like religion. I have faith. I believe in you. You've been there for me, so I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt.

I am too. I believe in you, Friend. You haven't let me down.

Yet Phil adds to himself. But he is able to catch it before he tells it to Friend.

You are my best friend.

And you're mine.