Babysitter Lily sighed as she watched the children play. She enjoyed her job, but sometimes it could be a bit challenging, especially with little Tim’s insistence on his ‘imaginary friend’.

Her phone buzzed, jolting her from her thoughts. Looking down, she saw an anonymous text. “Watching you,” it said. Not knowing what to make of it, Lily brushed it off as a prank.

Some minutes passed. Another buzz stirred her again. “The children seem so at peace.” She froze. Panicked, she rushed to ensure the doors and windows were all locked.

Dialing the parents, her voice shaky, she informed them of the strange texts. They suggested she call the police, wanting to ensure their children’s safety.

The police arrived, checked the perimeter of the house but found no signs of intrusion. Lily now felt paranoid, every creak of the house making her jump.

Suddenly, another text. “They can't see me, but I'm always here.” Lily felt a shiver run down her spine. She decided to look at her phone settings.

To her horror, she realized the texts were coming from inside her network, they were local. Terrified, she alerted the police who were still outside.

They searched the house but found no other devices online. Lily was nearly sobbing, telling the boys to stay close to her.

Then, another message. “Don't be scared, Lily, we're just playing.” The mention of her name sent chills down her spine.

Suddenly, Tim spoke up, “That sounds like something my friend would say.” Lily looked at him. “Your friend?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Tim nodded. “Yeah, he likes to play pranks like this. He doesn’t really mean any harm.” Lily felt confused. What could he mean?

Another text came in, “Yes, Lily, it's me.” The realization hit her, “Tim’s imaginary friend?” she mumbled, looking at the boy.

“Not imaginary, Lily, just hard to see.” The texts continued. Tim laughed, “Sounds like him!” But Lily felt a growing unease.

“How can I see you?” Lily asked, typing into her phone. “You just have to believe, like Timmy.” was the reply.

Lily looked at Tim, who was now giggling. “My friend’s funny, isn’t he?” he said. Lily only wished she could see it as amusing as the child did.

“I believe.” she texted, half-scared and half-intrigued. “Well, there you have it!” came the prompt reply.

Tim laughed, as another text appeared on Lily's screen, “Let’s play hide and seek, now you're it!” Lily was left baffled.

With her eyes wide open, she remembered the rules of hide and seek. She covered her eyes, started counting, hoping Tim's friend would reveal himself.

After calling out, she began to search. The house was filled with the giggles of the boys and her own heart pounding.

Suddenly, her phone lit up. A text from the unknown number — "You're getting warmer, Lily." Her hands shook as she read the message.

Guided by the texts, Lily finally reached a cupboard. Holding her breath, she opened it. The cupboard was empty.

Tim stood next to her, "You found him!", he cheered. Lily opened her mouth to say the cupboard was empty, but stopped. Maybe she just needed to believe.

Lily didn't exactly understand what happened that night, but she learned to embrace things she couldn't comprehend. As for Tim's friend, he stopped sending texts.

The next time she babysat, she made sure to have a playful, open mind. Lily didn't get any more texts, but she was sure Tim's friend was there, watching with amusement.

Lily never forgot the night and the adventures with Tim's 'invisible' friend. From then on, she knew there was more to life than what we could see, and that was okay.