Every morning I wake up as Hailey Skinner. 

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I open my computer as Hailey Skinner

 

I rot in my room as I work from home as Hailey Skinner 

 

Then I might cook, read a book, or feign productivity in some other way, still as Hailey Skinner.

 

It isn’t until 9 PM every night, almost on the dot, that I am no longer Hailey Skinner.

 

At 9 PM every night, I morph into Lau. 

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I become Lau and it thrills me. 

 

I know only one thing about Lau and it is this: Lau is a relative of Maddy Jefferson and Maddy Jefferson is a girl I had a brief but close friendship with 5 years ago. How is Lau related to Maddy? I’m not sure. Lau could be Maddy's sibling, aunt, brother-in-law, uncle, or grandmother. I don't think I have never ever Lau, unless Lau is Maddy's dad, in which case I met them once at a Sunday dinner. In which case, they are very kind.

 

I would describe my relationship with Lau as commensalistic, a word I pulled from my 7th grade Biology vocabulary. If you’re unable to pull it from yours at the moment, I can explain it to you. Commensalism is a type of symbiotic relationship in which one member of the relationship benefits while the other is unaffected. 

 

I benefit from taking on Lau’s identity night after night, while Lau likely remains oblivious to the fact that I do so. 

 

However, my relationship with Lau could also be parasitic. It sorta depends on if Lau is watching or not. If they are watching, Lau will likely notice I am there.

 

I have only one reason for stealing Lau’s identity, and I think it’s a fair one, as far as reasons for identity theft go. 

 

The thing is: Lau has access to a world of things I do not. As Lau, I’m allotted privileges I wouldn’t otherwise have. 

 

You see, under the profile “Lau”, I watch episode after episode of Love Island Australia for free on a Hulu account Maddy Jefferson likely doesn’t remember giving me the login for. 

 

By becoming Lau I save $14.99 a month.