Towards the beginning of July 2019, I was having a conversation over Snapchat with my cousin regarding my housing for the upcoming Fall semester at my university. I had paid extra to have a single room in my residence hall, being the introvert that I am. I prefer to spend a lot of time alone just because that's my nature. He asked me about normal things like having friends over, decorating, etc. He then asked me a question that not many have asked me before: "Won't you be lonely?"

To be honest, I never though about it much. My freshman year, I only had a roommate for the first half of the semester and I had been alone since, so I never really though about it much. I responded, "Why would I be?" This is the moment in time where he decided: he would make me a friend. Sounds a little weird, right? Well, it was. It was so fucking weird.

Let me explain.

For the months following, I would occasionally get Snapchats asking me questions about my "friend." The conversations started with asking who my "friend" would be. The running name for them was Sarah for a while, but somehow, it evolved to Steven. And thus, I was stuck with him. Steven was now this weird character in the history of my Snapchats with my cousin (and yes, I dug through them recently to accurately compile this story). Surely that's where he'd stay right? On Snapchat? Oh hell no. Wrong again.

The conversations kept going with me and my cousin. He kept telling me he was getting supplies to make him. A Styrofoam head, a variety of paints, hair, etc. It really hit me now that he was actually contemplating doing this. And I wanted no part of it. To be fair, having a creepy Styrofoam head, voodoo looking doll watching you as you sleep wasn't my idea of a "friend," but to each their own I suppose.

By the time the conversations fizzle out on the topic, December is here and Christmas is right around the corner. I thought, for sure this time, the conversation was done and the topic was over with. You guessed it: I was wrong yet again. At our Christmas gathering at our Aunt's house, we all opened our presents. It was such a fun, relaxing time filled with laughter and lighthearted banter. Then, I was told I forgot a present. I sat back down and everyone stared at me. It felt weird to say the least, but I rolled along with it. Then, my cousin walks in holding a box (you probably know where this is going) and sets it down in front of me. He told me to turn it around. Him and my grandma were snickering to each other.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sweating uncontrollably and mentally shitting myself at that moment. I had no idea what was going on, but I suspected it wasn't good. Everyone else is laughing at this point. After internally panicking for a few minutes, I finally turn it round and am met with the face of my new best friend: Steven.