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Sp6 skips into the room and shuts the door behind them. They’re holding a few empty cupholders, and one with one last milkshake in it. They had already delivered the rest to everyone else, but they weren’t able to find Sp8 almost all day. Sp8 was one of the last few people they were pretty sure still didn’t like them. It scared them a bit, to be honest. They had this nagging fear that they had to move quickly to be in everyone’s good graces, otherwise conflict would arise and it would be their fault.
“Hi! I brought you something!” they announced, moving in quick strides towards the other side of the room. If you looked closely enough, you could notice their jerky movements giving away the panicked thoughts racing in their head.
Sp8 was leaning on the counter, elbows resting behind them. They glared at Sp6, standing up to look down at them.
“Why do you act like there’s nothing wrong with you? You’re not going to bribe me into making me like you,” they hissed, narrowing their eyes.
Sp6 looks their way with a startled expression for a second before darting them away just as quickly, trying their best to keep appearing cheerful. Sp8 noticed in that split second how the swirls in their eyes had stopped spinning. Sp6 placed the milkshake on the counter, and then tried to continue the conversation like normal. “Sp7 told me you liked cookies & cream.”
“Stop ignoring me, asshole.”
Sp6 froze, looking back for a second but refusing to meet their eyes again. They suddenly broke out into a sprint into the opposite direction, before a hand quickly reached out and tugged on the neck of their sweater.
They tried to set themselves free, but to no avail. Sp8’s grip tightened. Reluctantly, Sp6 turned their head to look behind themself. The hand moved from the back of their collar to the front, and their face paled.
“Talk to me. Give me one reason I should trust you.” Sp8 said, narrowing their eyes again into even smaller slits.
This time, Sp6 couldn’t turn away. Their eyes darted around the room, before they gave up and tried to reply the best they could.
“I wouldn’t- I didn’t- I don’t mean any harm!” they sputtered.
“That’s bullshit! Why are you trying to bribe everyone into liking you? Are you so selfish that you have to pretend to care to feel secure?!” they cursed, leaning in closer to look intimidating.
Sp6 feels an abrupt flash of anger as they struggle to back up. “Why are you being so harsh anyways?!”
“I don’t fucking trust you, that’s why!”
“Why not!?”
“You can’t keep trying to butter up to everyone, there’s no way in hell you have any good intentions!“
Sp6’s shoulders unexpectedly slump, and they give a smile that doesn’t quite reach their eyes. Getting a closer look at their face, Sp8 can see the way their already large eyes had expanded into wide circles and the lines underneath them showing their exhaustion.
“I just don’t want anyone to resent me,” they say. It was clearly only a fraction of the truth. There had to be more to it.
Sp8 lets go of the neck of their sweater and folds their hands behind themself. They assume that maybe Sp6 could become someone trustable if they try to spend some more time figuring them out. They take a long breath, and then they hold their hand out.
“I’ll calm down. Walk with me, okay?”
They hesitantly take their hand, and they both walk out the door on the opposite side of the room that Sp6 walked in from.
—
Sp7 opened the door, one milkshake in hand.
“Sp8, have you seen-“
They cut themselves off after they realized that Sp8 is not there, but instead, they saw So3 and Sp9 splitting the unattended shake into two cups.
Sp9 put a finger to their lips, shushing them.
“Be quiet!” So3 whisper-yelled.