[ WP ] You are a malicious imaginary friend , your host is 19 . You feed off of her when she has fun with you . She thinks she 's too old for you , all her friends and family say so , change her mind before you fade forever .

`` You're quiet,'' she said as I sat on her bed. 
 
 I chewed my fingers. She'd done that as a kid until her mother told her to grow up. When exactly did she stop? 
 
 `` You're not too old for me. I refuse to believe that.'' I lay down, feeling the quilt through my imaginary toes, and refusing to believe that in very short order I would feel it no more. `` Listen, Kayla- 
 
 `` But I am.'' She kicked the soccer ball across the room; I caught it. So many years ago she'd pretend she had a goalie friend to play soccer with. She did n't play soccer anymore. `` Mom tells me so, and Kevin definitely thinks so, so-'' 
 
 `` What about the time when we were eight and you wanted to go exploring? Did n't I come with you then?'' I said. 
 
 I did n't remember exploring. I did n't remember feeling it was particularly fun. But suddenly I saw Kayla's face shake a bit. This was the first thing I learned to do - play on their emotions. Suck out their will to resist. Steal a little bit of her life. 
 
 I breathed. Kayla looked like she was starting to weaken. She did n't even realise I had been doing it for so many years. But then Kayla closed her eyes and shook her head like she always had. 
 
 `` No, you did n't,'' she said to me. `` You do n't exist. I went myself. I imagined you up because I was scared of the forest. I was just being a baby, is all. And I ca n't be that no more.'' 
 
 `` Not anymore?'' I asked. 
 
 `` Well, not so much,'' she said, her eyes still closed. `` They do n't let you.'' 
 
 We sat in silence. And I suddenly felt deflated. I could n't explain why. I mean, there were still a few more things I could try, but I suddenly did n't feel like using any of them at all. It was almost as if the life had been sucked out of me before I died - like I was fading away. 
 
 Then she said- 
 
 `` Well, I guess I'd better pack up, then.'' 
 
 She jumped right off the chair. Her things were scattered around the room like so many memories. She bent over to pick up her graduation photo. I saw she had left a blank space for me. Then I tried another tack. 
 
 `` You could hide me whenever you do n't need me,'' I blurted out. 
 
 `` And when's that?'' she asked. 
 
 But I suddenly had an idea. 
 
 `` When you wan na remember the past,'' I said. `` When you need someone to talk to. When you need someone to tell you... *everything will be fine. It'll be alright, dear*.'' 
 
 She looked at the photo in her hand. Her body shivered. 
 
 I got off the bed. I took two paces towards her. 
 
 `` Do n't,'' she said, but I did n't listen. 
 
 `` You have n't gotten rid of me, now have n't you, Kayla?'' 
 
 She shook her head. `` I should've done it a long time ago.'' 
 
 `` You did n't,'' I said. `` You've got Kevin and Malcolm and your mom and Uncle Roberts telling you to get rid of me, and you still did n't do it. Do you want to know why?'' 
 
 She walked around me as if I were real, trying to ignore me, but I had the upper hand now. I could sense Kayla's apathy. 
 
 `` You *can't* get rid of me, Kayla,'' I said. `` You ca n't. I'm just as much a part of you as Kevin and mom and dad are. I live in your head. I walk around in your room.'' 
 
 `` And I'm moving out,'' she said. `` I'm leaving you behind. I'm finding friends and I'm going places. You're-'' 
 
 `` Really?'' I asked, and she stopped walking. `` Do you *really* think your *friends* are going to stay with you once they realised what a ugly, snivelling wreck you are inside? Were n't you the one who told me people liked you a lot more before they knew you? Please, Kayla. You know I'm your one true friend-'' 
 
 `` When I was fifteen,'' she replied. `` You've got no power. I am beautiful, and I'm sorry that you'll never understand that - because it's not something that's written on my face. You're nothing but a memory to me.'' 
 
 I drew myself up to my fullest height. `` We'll see about that,'' I said. 
 
 `` Indeed we will,'' she replied. 
 
 I tried to grab her - my hands being smoky as they were - but she dodged my attack like she'd walk past a puddle. And for the first time I was worried. 
 
 `` How-'' 
 
 `` I know,'' she said, baring her teeth. `` I know what you're going to do. You're a part of me, that's true. But it does n't mean you wo n't be forgotten... or forgiven.'' 
 
 She picked up the graduation photo and walked out of the room. 
 
 I sat back on the bed. It had surprised me, that moment of anticipation. But it did n't matter. Kayla would come back like she always had. She'd never have any friends. She could n't make it in the real world without me. I'd never fade away. 
 
 Then I saw the room start to disappear.
