I glanced at the picture on my dresser. It was a picture of my best friend, Wil, and I. Before he went missing, and before he was reported dead. I miss him, but at this point it's like how you miss a dead pet. My mourning stopped abruptly when I heard a noise in the kitchen. Worried for the safety of Zazzles, my cat, I snuck in. But what I saw was more frightening than any murderer, or robber. It was a supposedly dead guy.
“Sup, Josh.” He spoke first, mouth full of lucky charms.
“Oh. Oh god, uh… Hi?” I spoke, trembling a bit at the thought of zombies really existing.
“So how are things? Who’s this?” Wil pointed to Zazzles, dropping some cereal on his back as the cat scampered away in terror.
“I'm... I'm good. Just... One question, aren’t you dead?” I was frazzled.
“Oh… Ha, sorry ‘bout that. No, I’m not dead, I just wanted to see how long I could fake my death before someone I knew found me.” he sighed “but, Hayley found me in back of Whole Foods dumpster diving... Are you angry?" He looked nervous.
            “WIL! WHO WOULDN’T BE ANGRY? YOU STOLE MY CEREAL AND FAKED YOUR DEATH FOR THREE YEARS.” I let all of my anger out. As much as I missed him all this time, I couldn't help but be mad. He abandoned me, left me alone to slowly become a recluse cat person. 
             At this point, my other two cats had woken up from their respective spots on my bed to see what the yelling was about.
            "Wow, you've really taken a liking to cats, so, when can I move back in?"
            "Who said you could?" I challenged "I just so happen to like it here with my cats, alone."
            "I thought we discussed this before I "died", without me, you're basically a hermit. Remember that summer you didn't leave your parents basement, and I caught you reaching out to that one single ray of sun that came through the window?"
          "We don't speak of the summer of no sun. Remember that one summer you spent climbing into my basement through the window well because you missed curfew by at least 4 hours, every night, and I covered for you the whole time."
          "Okay, so we're even, can you do me a favor and let me stay here until I get back on my feet..." I interrupted before Josh could finish.
          "Or that one time I was interrogated by police, because I was a suspect in your "death". I was the last person you were in contact with, the last person you talked to for weeks, so I was the only suspect."
         "Wil, I didn't know, my scheme was meant to be all in good fun. I'm sorry." Josh sounded utterly confused, and sorry.
        "You know what, move back in. Standing in this kitchen talking isn't going to get me the full story, and mostly I really missed you. you're my best friend." I confessed, not knowing what I was saying, but not regretting it in the slightest.
        "Can you spot me some money for furniture, I'm guessing you got rid of mine when I "died"." Josh was clearly a little guilty.
        "C'mon." I spoke, beckoning for him to follow me. I opened the door that had not been opened in almost two years, since Josh was declared dead.
        "Why do you still have everything, I was dead."
        "Why do you think I haven't called the police yet for a "dead" guy in my apartment. I knew something was up. The great Josh Blakemore wouldn't just disappear without a trace." I patted his shoulder.
"I knew you wouldn't forget, I just didn't trust myself to stay." Josh started "things so in balance, like our friendship, can never end well. I was selfish and didn't want to go off the deep end, so I left. But apparently that sent you off the deep end. I can't forgive myself for that, but you forgiving me would really help." He finished.
How could I not forgive him, I mean he was my best friend. I was debating with myself whether to deny forgiveness, because of what he did to me, but I decided against it. He seemed truly torn up by the guilt. I really didn’t know how to word my forgiveness. But, sometimes words aren’t the only form of communication.
In the time it took me to process his words, Josh had sat down on his old bed, and was fiddling with the sheets trying to look busy. I built up the courage to go over and sit next to him.
“I’ve made my decision, Uhh…” I awkwardly pulled him into a weird sideways hug thing. I think he got the message as he sighed, out of relief.
“Thank you so much, Wil.” I could feel our old connection sparking, our knowing of each other was almost magical. Almost.
“I was really hurt when you left, but thing that hurt most was not having you here, not having someone to talk to. I am not going to take a chance and lose my best friend again over a petty grudge. So what if you faked your death without telling me, I…”
Our heart to heart was cut off my a loud knocking on the door.
“Bellville Police, Open up” I rushed to the door. Just because I wasn’t surprised to see my dead best friend alive and well, doesn’t mean other people weren't. I blame Hayley.