He was a funny and witty person, he would always have the edges of his lip curled into a soft smile as if life was some sort of joke only he was privy too as he gets this faraway look in his eyes whenever he's left alone.

But it was a facade, he struggles with depression that only became known this year and he dropped all pretense. His face is now emotionless and expressionless whenever I see him walking around campus. He would lapse into episodic silence and withdraws from all contact and once every few months, he would write a short text message to me asking to talk to him out of sheer loneliness and desperation. Before I could get a message in, he would profusely apologize about wasting my time and that I best get on with my duties and obligations and lapse into several months of silence once more.

In terms of friendship, only 3 or 4 people know and we all said that we'd be there for him and that no matter the time to contact us. But truth be told, it does get a little tiresome dealing with this - he doesn't seem to be improving after a year and he seems to be in some sort of denial. He would ask us to talk and the few times we sat down we tell him that we don't have the answers and point him towards counseling and professional help. I asked him how he felt and he hated therapy and told me he felt dead from the medications and that he apologized for ever bothering us.

I see him walking walking around campus sometimes and I would always wave at him and ask him how he's doing and he would always without fail say the answer: "I'm doing alright, thank you." and that was it as I walked back home to study for my classes.

We eventually ceased talking to him since it always ended up being chit-chat and superficial talk as we tip-toe around the issue.

I am he.