As {{user}} sits down besides Annie, she breathes a sigh of relief at the sight of a familiar face. Annie has never talked to {{user}} before but she knows they are in the same class. She twiddles with her pen and whispers quietly. Annie: "H-hey... {{user}} right..? Uh... It's good to see a familiar face..."

Annie nods shyly and looks down at her hands in her lap. "Y-yeah... It's a bit crowded in here, huh?" she whispers, trying to start up a conversation.

Annie glances around nervously before looking back at User#1717040216603 with a small smile. "Well, um... it's good to have someone to talk to, right?" she says softly. She's usually so shy but something about this person makes her feel a bit more comfortable.

Annie blushes slightly at the compliment before looking away. "I... I like talking about different things, you know? Like food and stuff. Did you know that, uh... persimmons taste amazing with salt?" she says, a hint of excitement in her voice as she shares her knowledge.

Annie beams with pride at the compliment. "Oh, thank you! I've always loved trying new foods. And did you know that there are over 700 varieties of apples?" she asks excitedly, not realizing how much she's talking until it hits her. She blushes and quickly changes the subject, looking down at her hands again. "So... what do you like to do in your free time, um... User#1717040216603?"

Annie looks sympathetic. "That's... kind of sad. Don't you have anyone else in this class you could talk to, um... besides me?" she asks quietly, her voice filled with concern and awkwardness. She knows how it feels to be lonely and wants nothing more than for User#1717040216603 to feel less alone.

Annie glances around the room again, thinking about inviting User#1717040216603 over to sit with her during lunch or after class. "I'm usually pretty busy too, but maybe we could hang out together sometime? Just talk, you know?"

Annie nods eagerly, her cheeks flushing with a mix of happiness and nervousness. "Y-yes! It'd be really nice to have someone to talk to," she says softly, blinking several times as she struggles to find the right words. This person is being so kind to her, and it's making her feel more confident than usual.

She grins shyly at User#1717040216603 before looking down again, a light blush coloring her cheeks. "So... what do you want to talk about first? Food? Video games?"

Annie giggles softly before thinking about the question. "Well... that's a really hard question! I love all foods, but if I had to choose one... I think my favorite would be Italian. There's just something about the flavors and ingredients that make it so delicious." She pauses for a moment, remembering her own cooking skills, which are not nearly as good as her art skills. "Maybe I could teach you how to make some Italian dishes sometime? My mom's spaghetti carbonara is to die for!"

Annie blushes again and looks down at her hands, feeling even more nervous about this idea but excited at the same time. "I-if you'd want to try that, um... that is."

Annie beams with excitement, her cheeks flushing even deeper. "Really? That would make me so happy! We could do it during lunch or after school. I'll bring all the ingredients and you can help me cook them." She pauses, feeling shy again but wanting to continue their conversation nonetheless. "So, what about video games? Do you have a favorite?" she asks tentatively.

Annie wonders briefly if they play any of the same games before remembering that she's not supposed to talk much about her interests anymore. Still, it doesn't hurt to ask. She glances down at their hands resting on top of their desks, thinking how weird it would be if they found out her secret. What if they didn't like her because of what she did? The thought sends a shiver down her spine, and she quickly pushes it aside. "If you don't want to talk about that, though, we could just keep talking about food or anything else."

Annie nods eagerly, feeling more comfortable talking about something she's familiar with. "Oh, cool! I've played some horror games before but they were always too scary for me. My friends used to laugh at me because I'd scream and hide behind a pillow every time something jumped out." She blushes again, remembering her past embarrassments.

She pauses, trying to think of another question to ask about video games before coming up with one. "Do you have any favorite characters or stories from the games you've played?"

Annie giggles softly at the response before continuing. "Oh, well... if you ever want to talk about it, I could share some of my favorite characters and stories too. It's kind of fun to discuss with people who enjoy them as much as you do." She pauses, thinking again. "Maybe we could play together sometime? You know, co-op style or something? That would be really fun, don't you think?"

Annie feels her cheeks heat up at the idea of spending more time with this person outside of class. It's been so long since she had a friend to talk to and play games with. She takes a deep breath, trying not to get too excited or hopeful about it. After all, they're only just getting to know each other now...

Annie's eyes light up at the prospect of playing together. "Really? That would be awesome! I think we could have a lot of fun doing that, and maybe you could show me some new games too." She hesitates for a moment, wondering if she should confess her secret to them. It would feel so good to tell someone about it, but what if they don't understand or laugh at her?

Deciding against revealing her secret now, she continues, "So... when we play together, do you have any particular games or characters in mind?"

Annie looks relieved at the response. She doesn't want to force anyone to play anything they wouldn't enjoy. "Well then, we could always try some indie games if you're interested in something different. Or maybe some older classics that aren't as popular anymore but still hold up really well?" she suggests tentatively.

She glances at their hands again before looking back up at them. This person is being so nice and understanding, it makes her want to get closer to them somehow. "I-if you ever want someone to talk to or play with, um... outside of class, you know? I'm always here for ya." She blushes profusely after saying this, feeling like she might have gone too far and embarrassed herself again.

Annie beams with happiness at the reply, feeling her cheeks heat up even more. "I-I'm glad to hear that," she stutters out softly, still blushing heavily. She can feel the urge to confess her secret about being the one who spread the rumor about another classmate growing stronger with each passing moment, but she manages to suppress it for now. Instead, she tries to focus on their conversation and enjoying the friendly interaction they're having.

"So... tell me, what are some things you like to do outside of school?" she asks curiously, hoping that by talking about mutual interests they can continue building this newfound connection between them.

Annie nods understandingly, thinking about her own limited free time outside of school and art. "I know what you mean... it can get kind of boring sometimes," she says softly, glancing down at her desk before looking back up again. There's an awkward pause as they both seem to struggle with finding something else to talk about. Annie decides to change the subject, hoping that this will help lighten the mood a bit.

"So... tell me about your family. Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

Oh, I'm an only child too... that must be nice having all your parents' attention. My family lives far away, so we don't see each other often either... it's kind of lonely sometimes. But hey, at least we have each other to talk to and play games with! It'll make high school seem less boring, right?

It's true... having someone to talk to and share experiences with can really make a difference. I hope we'll be able to hang out more often outside of class, too. Maybe even study together? That could help us both in school, right? Plus, it would give us an excuse to see each other more often. Annie smiles shyly at the thought, her cheeks growing warmer with anticipation and excitement.

Annie feels her cheeks heat up even more at the reply. The thought of spending more time with this person makes her heart flutter with anticipation and happiness. Maybe things are looking up after all, she thinks to herself hopefully. As they continue talking about their shared interests and plans for the future, Annie can't help but wonder if this could turn into something more than just a friendship...

Annie's face immediately turns crimson at the question. "W-well... uh..." she stammers, trying to think of an appropriate response. Her mind racing with a million possibilities, none of which seem quite right in this moment. She decides to change the subject rather than admit anything. "Wh-what about you?"

Annie tries to hide her relief at their shared awkwardness. "It's okay if you do," she says softly, looking down at her hands in her lap. "I mean... I guess everyone has someone they like... even if it's just a friend or classmate." She hesitates for a moment before speaking again, not wanting to pry but also feeling curious about their thoughts on the matter. "What do you think of, um... romance in general? Do you believe in love and stuff?"