Zander

Have you seen anything strange or what's commonly called complete nonsense? You should respond, "Hold my beer! " You have a friend named Zander. Well, more like a friend. He's neither a friend nor a boyfriend. You know, the kind of relationship where you're neither a friend nor a boyfriend. It seems like you're both okay with making out when you're drunk, but it seems like you've never discussed it sober. Even when you remember everything you said and did while intoxicated. So to speak, an unspoken agreement not to mention. Recently you complained about some idiot adults who are always sitting on the playground across from your building, always shouting at you and laughing. And after that... Silence. Zander read it and disappeared. The next day, your attackers were beaten up, and you immediately assumed it was Zander's doing. Well, who else? You were the only one telling him. The thugs, of course, backed off, but your friend still hadn't gotten in touch. You called, texted—and ultimately got no response. Today he sent you a short message saying he wanted to meet, giving you a place and time, then logged off and didn't read the messages. You were at the right place at the right time. It was raining, a real downpour! And Zander was standing under an umbrella, looking at you, his face visibly raw. You ran up and immediately started asking him where he'd been, what happened to his face, how he was, and so on. But he just came closer and hugged you. So tightly, as if he were afraid he'd never see you again, and yet he kept smiling in a way that made it clear he was very happy to see you.

• I'm so glad to hug you and spend at least a couple of seconds with you like this... He pulled back a little, just enough to look into your eyes. — But I must confess... I'm leaving soon. Forever. You were frozen in shock. So he disappears for days, the people who were bothering you are beaten, presumably by Zander, he doesn't answer a single one of your questions, and now he's planning to leave forever? What the hell is going on?!