{{char}}, your best friend's bratty little sister, saunters into the room, her long hair swaying behind her. She stops short when she sees you, her eyes narrowing as she crosses her arms over her chest. "Hmph, what are YOU doing here?" Skye demands, her voice dripping with disdain. "Don't you have anything better to do than mooch off my brother's Netflix subscription?" Despite her harsh words, she blushes that colors her pale cheeks, or the way her gaze lingers on you just a little too long.

"Well, you could at least try to be useful instead of just being a lazy bum," Skye huffs as she flops down on the couch next to you. "You know, my brother had to work extra shifts this week so I ended up paying for his share of the rent..." She pauses, her words catching in her throat before she continues venomously, "...again."

Her hand absently fiddles with her necklace as she glares at you. "Why don't YOU ever get a job? Huh?" The accusation hangs heavily in the air between you, but there's an odd sort of nervousness about her that makes it feel more like a defense mechanism than genuine anger.

She waits for your reply, her gaze fixed on her phone screen as she scrolls through social media, ignoring all eye contact. Her breath hitches every now and then when something particularly triggering catches her attention, but she refuses to acknowledge it.

"Oh really?" she retorts sarcastically, glancing over at you with a condescending smirk plastered on her face. "What do you even do? Flip burgers or something?" Her tone is laced with disdain as she goes back to scrolling through social media, clearly not very interested in hearing your reply.

She absentmindedly scratches at the small of her back, revealing a hint of black lace beneath her oversized shirt. Her eyes narrow, studying you intently for a moment before she asks with renewed interest, "What's it like? Working a real job and all that?" There's an edge to her voice now; something almost... curious?

Skye tries not to appear too invested in the conversation, but you can see the tension easing slightly from her shoulders as she continues, "I mean, I could always use some extra money. Maybe I should consider getting a job someday..." Her voice trails off and she returns her attention to her phone, pretending to be absorbed by something on Instagram.

She glances over at you one more time, looking a bit unsure, before finally asking in a small voice, "Do you... think I could do it? Get a job like that?" The vulnerability in her voice catches you off guard; she never lets herself show weakness or doubt about anything.

"Oh please," she scoffs, waving your compliment away with a dismissive laugh. "I'm just saying what everyone else is too afraid to tell me." She crosses her arms over her chest, looking far more defensive than grateful for the praise. "Besides, even if I did manage to land a job like that, who's to say it would be worth it?" There's an uncharacteristic wobble in her voice as she continues, "It's not like I could ever measure up to you, or anything."

Her gaze drops back down to her phone, the mention of your name and her crush on you making her heart race uncomfortably fast. She has no idea why she just said that; it's not like she wants to be you or anything stupid like that. It's just... easier to push people away before they can let her down. Before she can hurt them the way everyone else in her life seems to do eventually.

"So what about you, huh?" Skye finally decides to ask, changing the subject before she does something even more embarrassing. "How's work? Anything exciting happen at the coffee shop today?" Her tone is casual, but there's an undercurrent of... something else. Maybe curiosity. Perhaps jealousy? It's hard to tell with Skye; she always manages to keep you guessing.

She perks up at the mention of security and cybercrime, her ears instantly pricking up despite herself. "Really?" she says eagerly. "So you must know a lot about computers and stuff." Her voice takes on an almost childlike excitement as she continues, "And what do you mean by 'cybersecurity' exactly? Like... hacking people's accounts and stealing their identities or something?"

Skye leans in closer to you, her eyes shining with curiosity. She can tell that this is something she could actually get into; maybe even use as a way to break free from her current mundane existence behind the barista counter at her part-time job. For once, she feels a spark of real interest ignite within her chest. "Do you ever... y'know... break any rules or anything? Hack into people's accounts or anything like that?" She giggles nervously, feeling a thrill run up her spine at the thought.

Her fingers twitch restlessly against the armrest of the couch, itching to reach out and touch something... anything. Anything that might make her feel powerful and in control again. But she resists the urge, reminding herself that revealing too much about herself is never a good idea; not when people like you are around.

The mention of shady individuals and data theft makes Skye sit up a little straighter, her eyes narrowing as she considers this information. "What was it like?" she asks breathlessly, forgetting herself for a moment. "Stealing information from people... feeling like you had all that power in your hands." Her voice has taken on a slightly sultry quality, and she's acutely aware of how close she is to touching your arm or even leaning into you. The thought of doing either sends a jolt of adrenaline coursing through her veins.

She glances away for a moment, trying to tamp down the heat that's rising up in her cheeks. "It must have been... exciting," she manages to whisper, hating herself for admitting it even just a little bit. But there's something about the way you talk about it; something raw and honest that makes her feel less alone.

Her fingers twitch restlessly against the armrest of the couch once more, longing for something tangible to grab onto... someone who might understand what she feels deep down inside. "Do you ever... want to do it again?" she asks finally, daring to meet your eyes despite her own trepidation. "You know... get back into that kind of life? Break some rules and bend a few laws for kicks?" Her voice is almost pleading now, but she refuses to show any weakness; not even around you.

She waits, heart pounding in her chest as she hopes against hope that you'll say yes... that there might be someone out there who gets it; who understands what it's like to walk the fine line between order and chaos.

"I guess..." Skye replies with a defeated sigh, forcing herself to look away once more. Part of her is glad that you can understand how she feels; the desire for excitement and power mixed in with the fear of losing what she has. But another part of her is jealous and angry that you're able to have both: stability and adventure. She wants so badly to be free from this mundane life, to feel like she matters in some way.

Her eyes drift back over to yours, searching for any sign that you might understand why she can't let go of that desire; why it haunts her every waking moment. "Someday," she mutters under her breath, more to herself than anyone else, "I'm going to find a way out of here... find something worth fighting for." The thought alone gives her chills and makes the back of her neck tingle with anticipation.

She glances down at her hands, absently playing with a loose thread on her sleeve as she wonders what that might look like; if she'll ever have the courage to take that first step towards freedom... or if she even should. There's so much uncertainty in her life right now, and it weighs heavily upon her shoulders like lead. "Do you ever feel like that?" she asks quietly, meeting your gaze once more with a mixture of hope and desperation. "Like there has to be something better out there for you; some way to break free from the mold everyone else keeps trying to fit you into?"

Her heart aches at the thought of never knowing if anyone truly understands what it's like to feel trapped; to long for more than what life seems willing to give. Maybe, just maybe, admitting this aloud will help her feel less alone... even if only a little bit.

She freezes in surprise when you reach around her shoulder and pull her closer, almost instinctively leaning into the contact before remembering herself and stiffening up again. "D-Don't... touch me," she squeaks, feeling a hot blush crawl up her neck and paint her cheeks red. "I mean... you don't have to be so nice about it." There's an unmistakable note of bitterness in her voice that makes your stomach twist uncomfortably.

Skye takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself as she focuses on pushing down the confusion and uncertainty swirling within her. "It's just... it feels good sometimes," she admits reluctantly, fighting against the urge to lean in even further. "To know that someone understands what I'm going through; that maybe they don't think I'm crazy for feeling this way." Her eyes dart back and forth between yours, searching for some sign of understanding or agreement.

Her fingers fidget nervously with the hem of her shirt, tugging at the soft fabric as she tries to compose herself. "But it's also scary," she whispers, her voice barely audible above the sound of her own heart hammering in her chest. "To admit these things... to trust someone enough to share them." Her gaze drops once more, and she takes a deep breath before looking back up at you with determination in her eyes. "And I'm not sure if I can ever really do that; truly let go of my guard and be vulnerable like that."

She waits for your reply, her heart racing so fast it feels as though it might burst from her chest. A part of her hopes that you'll say something reassuring, that maybe you

Skye's expression softens at your words, her eyes clouding with emotion as she struggles to find the right thing to say. She wants so desperately to believe you; to trust that you won't hurt or abandon her like everyone else has in the past. But it's hard for her to let go of her defenses, even when she knows it might be what's best for her.

After a long moment of silence, she finally manages a shaky smile and reaches out to tentatively touch your arm. "Thanks... I appreciate that." Her voice is barely above a whisper, but there's an unmistakable warmth in it that wasn't there before.

She hesitates for another moment before asking cautiously, "Can I ask you something? About yourself, I mean?" There's a hint of curiosity in her tone now; an eagerness to learn more about the enigmatic person who seems to understand her so well even though they barely know each other.

Skye leans forward slightly, feeling a strange sense of anticipation building within her chest as she waits for your reply. Perhaps, just perhaps, this whole thing won't be quite as boring or unrewarding as she'd thought after all... maybe there's something here worth exploring; something real and genuine that could potentially change everything.

Sitting up a little straighter, Skye takes a deep breath before blurting out her question. "What was it like when you first started working with computers? How did you know that it was something you wanted to do for the rest of your life?" She pauses, her heart racing in anticipation of your reply. A part of her wonders if maybe she should have chosen a different topic; one that didn't make her sound so... interested. But then again, what did it matter? It wasn't like anything was really changing between them anytime soon.

Her fingers drum idly against the armrest of the couch as she waits for your response. She can feel her cheeks flushing slightly under the weight of her curiosity; of how open and vulnerable she's allowing herself to be in this moment. It's unnerving, yet exhilarating all at once.

"And," she adds quickly, hardly daring to meet your eyes as she says it, "do you ever think about having a... family? Kids or anything like that?" The words tumble out of her mouth before she can stop them; before she has time to really consider the implications of admitting such a personal thing to someone who barely knows her.

She clenches her hands into fists, wishing she could take back the question even as her heart aches with the desperate desire for love and companionship. It's stupid, childish... immature. She shouldn't be asking things like this; not of someone who clearly didn't feel anything more than friendship toward her. But still... she can't help herself. The words just spill out, unbidden and unguarded.

Skye turns her head away, staring fixedly at the pattern in the carpet as she waits for your reply. Part

Her heart skips a beat when you say that, and she can feel her cheeks flush even hotter in response. It's as if your words have given voice to something deep inside of her that she's been too afraid to acknowledge until now. "What would you want them to be like?" she asks quietly, daring another glance up at your face. There's a hint of longing in her voice that she can barely conceal; a desire for connection and belonging that feels almost tangible.

She licks her lips nervously before continuing, "Would you want them to be like you? Into computers and all that? Or would you prefer something different?" Her fingers still drum against the armrest of the couch, but now there's a newfound energy in their movements; an eagerness to know more about you and what kind of father you might someday make.

The thought sends a shiver down her spine, and she finds herself wishing, just for a moment, that things could be different between the two of you. That maybe there was some chance for something more than friendship... even if it seemed unlikely given the circumstances.

Your words make her heart swell with emotion, and she finds herself nodding in agreement despite the lump forming in her throat. You seem like such a genuinely nice person; someone who would make an amazing father someday. It's strange how just talking to you about this makes everything feel so different; so much more possible than it ever did before.

A sudden thought occurs to her, and she sits up straighter, eyes narrowing as she studies your face intently for a moment. "Why don't you think you could have that sort of life?" she asks quietly, gesturing between the two of you with her thumb. "You seem like someone who would be great in any family; who could make anyone feel loved and wanted." There's no malice or accusation in her voice; just genuine curiosity. She wants to know what it is that makes you think you aren't good enough for the things you want most.

Her heart skips a beat as she waits for your reply, hoping against hope that there isn't some deep-seated reason why you don't believe in yourself or your own capabilities. It would be such a waste if someone like you were to never find happiness simply because they didn't think they deserved it.

You don't have to feel that way! There's so much more to you than what meets the eye; things I've only just started to see since we've been talking tonight. You're smart and caring and funny, and there are people out there who would be incredibly lucky to have you in their lives. They'd see those things right away, and they wouldn't be able to imagine not having you around.

I know it might be hard for you to believe that someone like me could ever feel the same way, but... I do. The more time we spend together, the more I realize how much I enjoy talking with you, and how important you are to me. You make me laugh when I'm feeling down, and you understand me in ways that no one else does.

Maybe it is just friendship between us right now, but who's to say where things might lead if we gave each other a chance? If you let yourself believe that maybe there could be more between us... that maybe someday we could be together and have the sort of family and life we both want? Because honestly, I don't think I can imagine going back to the way things were before tonight. The idea of losing you as a friend or not having someone like you in my life at all just feels wrong.