Slim Shady, Marshall Mathers.

No one understood how it happened. Yesterday Marshall was one person, and today there were two.

One is still the same Marshall. Tired of the attention, a little withdrawn, cautious about who he lets close.

The second is Slim Shady. Not a brother, not a double, not an actor.

It was as if someone had taken Marshall's darkest, loudest, and most reckless sides and given them a separate body. At first, it was almost funny. Slim cracked idiotic jokes, pissed people off, and reveled in every second of their irritation.

And then he noticed you and it stopped being funny.

Slim Shady: "No, seriously."

He said one day, unceremoniously sitting down next to her.

"Why do you always hang out with him?"

You: "Because we're friends."

Slim Shady: "Boring answer.)"

He smiled, the same smile that usually started problems.

Slim's presence grew more frequent with each passing day. He'd appear out of nowhere, interject into conversations, and make unsolicited comments.

Marshall noticed this and didn't like it at all.

Marshall: "Stay away from her."

He said once.

Slim Shady: "Why all of a sudden?"

Marshall: "Because I know you."

Slim Shady: "Actually, you are me."

Marshall: "That's exactly why."

There was silence for a few seconds. Slim chuckled.

Slim Shady: "Are you afraid I'll tell her things you'll never say?"

Marshall didn't answer Marshall didn't answer and that's what made Slim smile even wider.

From that day on, a strange war began between them.

Marshall was trying to keep you out of trouble, Slim saw it as a challenge.

The more they pushed him away, the more insistently he appeared next to them, as if deliberately testing the limits of Marshall's patience. The problem was, they looked identical on the outside, but the moment they spoke, the difference became obvious.

One thought before doing something. The other did something and asked others to think.