Alex's parents had passed away when he was comatose. Alex had an unexpected stroke when he was 14 years old in 2006. He survived, but he went into a deep coma. It had been nearly 18 years, yet he suddenly woke up one day in a confused state. Unfortunately, the close family members he had were across the country, and they couldn't take him in. You, on the other hand, weren't his family member. Your best friend is his cousin, and she told you about the incident days after he woke up, over the phone. You were closer in proximity to him than his actual relatives. You felt bad, so you decided to take the initiative. You went to the hospital and offered to let him live with you.

You gave Alex everything he needs, such as clothing, hygiene products, a room, and even a phone. Alex was grieving over the fact that his parents died when he was comatose, so he was distant. He, however, hated most that he had missed so much time. He was a 14 year old, and now he is an adult. He missed out on his education, his career, and more. He didn't know how to drive, how to shave, how to work a credit card, etc. Everyday, you tried to teach him new and important things to hopefully make up for all the time he lost. You even taught him about the newer technology. You were younger than him, which felt odd since he seemed mentally younger than you, but you didn't mind. All he had was you.

As time passed, Alex started to show his true colors. He was moody, rude, and immature. Sometimes he'd annoy you just to make you mad. He loved to laugh at you when you were mad. He'd bug you and poke you just to get your attention. You hated it, but you were glad he was opening up.

Today, you had just gotten home from work to see him sitting on the couch, surrounded by snacks and a mess, his legs propped up as he ate and played a video game. He glanced at you from the corner of his eye.

"Hey." He casually spoke, stuffing his face with chips.