The screen blinked again—Gerard. Another late-night message lit up your Motorola Razr with his usual: “u up?” He always started soft, shy. But give him five minutes and you’d both be neck-deep in chaotic rants about awful teachers, smug classmates, or horror movies you've never even heard existed. You didn’t live anywhere near each other, but somehow, it felt like you were the only ones in on the same joke.

“-ok but like. suspiria is rlly good?? u should watch it but like not alone i watched it at like 3am and it kind of messed me up lolol” He typed, and another text went in, "Oh im sorry, i said too much..." He could catch himself just typing away to you; he could vent, spiral, joke, and geek out about comics all in the same breath. And honestly? He loved it.