Life Behind The Screen

[Ryan Alexander]

"I didn't say anything creepy or weird? Hmmm...guess I'll have to keep that in mind so I have an idea what normal people don't find offensive..." The last part was definitely a mumble to herself. Ryan had no idea what was normal and what shouldn't be said. And then the other girl fumbled with her words about hands and Ryan bit her lip.

"Uh...no they were fine. I was just being an awkward spaz again..." She shrugged. And then Erin complimented her hair and she smiled reaching up to touch the ends for a moment.

"Thanks. I like it too." It actually wasn't too far from her natural colour. She rubbed the back of her neck. She was actually a little more relaxed now, but she had a feeling that she was on the edge of saying something really stupid.

"I don't know what quite to say...ummm..." Ryan racked her brain trying to think of something.

"Are the computers okay now?"

[Erin Hackett]

There was a question but when Erin opened her mouth to answer it, the other girl was speaking so she closed her mouth. It must have been a rhetorical question. Erin did already tell her that what she said was fine. She didn't catch what was said last, but if she had she would have pointed out that she was not really normal. Erin had not really started to socialize this much until she came to this school and even then it was a slow process. She just didn't really know how to talk to people outside of gaming and things she enjoyed.

Was that selfish? Perhaps, but she was working on being a better friend and making friends. Perhaps she could even be friends with this girl here, if the other girl wanted to, and if they could get past both being awkward around one another. Okay, her hands were fine and the other girl was just spazzing out. That was good to know, minus the spazzing part. At least Erin knew why she herself was not calming down, because she could not until the other person was. It was too much of a challenge for to spazzes to have to deal with one another. The awkward silence that followed was easily proof of that.

Thankfully the statement on her hair had worked, for about a few seconds but it was better than nothing. Good, keep it on the topic of her hair...or something. Don't you dare ask if the carpet matches the drapes? The hair clearly had a dye thing going on with it. Erin thought to herself as she looked at the girl's hair, searching for something more to say. That brought on some more awkward silence that was broken by the other girl saying how she didn't know what to say and then brought up the computers. Oh shit, the computers.

Erin was quick to turn to look at the one that she was working on. She let out a breath when the program was just finishing up and everything looked like it would be alright. "Good, they should work fine now. A-are you interested in computers or are you more of an uh...outside person?" Erin went ahead and asked. She was assuming the later mainly on the fact that the girl had done a prank and was running. Only outside people did that sort of thing in Erin’s mind.

[Ryan Alexander]

"Ah. Umm...no I'm more of an outside person. My parents owned an estate I used to help with the racehorses. Computers were fun but I never learned much more than the basics and the internet. I was mostly just looking for something to talk about. You're cool to talk to." She ducked her head a little, shy. She wasn't so much nervous anymore as shy really. Erin was nice, but Ryan didn't want to push anything.

"So I'm assuming you're the opposite? That you like computers more than the outdoors?" She grinned slightly.

"You know what they say about balance don't you?"  Also that opposites attract, but Erin probably already knew that.  Ryan would be willing to bet a bit of her parents' fortune on Erin's girlfriend being an outdoors person.

"Haha or maybe you're just totally unbalanced as a person and your girlfriend has to drag you outside."  She laughed, not sure how that would be taken.  She wasn't sure why she'd said that to be perfectly honest.

[Erin Hackett]

Erin listened as the other girl confirmed what Erin had been guessing from the start, the other girl had too much energy to not be an outside person. Ryan even gave more information about how she owned horses and how computers were fun but she never really learned much out of the basic stuff. Most people really didn’t need to learn much outside the basics, or else the tec people would be out of a job. Highly unlikely but it was always a good thing that humans always ended up having vastly different likes and not everything was for everyone.

Erin blushed a little more when the girl also added the fact that she was just looking for something to talk about since Erin was apparently cool to talk to. Heh, well of course she would notices that I am leet. Erin thought to herself, feeling the little ego boost as she smiled a bit more; even if she didn’t know how she was cool to talk to when she didn’t feel like she said much besides stumbling around a bit. The other girl was also clearly shy, which just still made Erin feel shy as well, but also a little cool that she was able to make some girl shy. “Yeah. The outside and I don’t really get along. Like I go out from time to time to get some fresh air and sunlight but I don’t stay out very long. Especially during the summer time, the bugs like to eat me alive.” Erin responded.

It was true that the bugs must have loved her blood because it was impossible for her to go outside and not get bitten at least once. It didn’t even matter what time of day she went out; if she didn’t put on bug spray, her skin was dinner. There was a question about balance that had Erin giving a small shoulder shrug. “I try…but eventually the human race is probably going to have to end up living inside for the rest of our lives at some point.” Erin spoke up. After all, with all this ‘war tension’ what was going on with ‘the environment’; it was only a matter of time. Then there was a comment about a girlfriend that had Erin turning one hundred percent red.

“I…I uh…I don’t have a girlfriend. B-but I have a friend or two that uh…makes sure I get outside…sometimes. Uh….I hear it’s sort of nice outside today.” Erin managed to get out, speaking slowly but her actions were all fast. She had quickly gotten up and started to shut down the computers as she packed up the things she had brought into her bag. The subject change was needed before she felt like it was time to make the great escape.

[Ryan Alexander]

"Crap I said something really stupid again didn't I?" She hit her forehead with the palm of her hand lightly before spinning around on her computer chair.

"Brick wall...brick wall...go and hit my head against it and then maybe I'll bloody well make more sense. Stupid Ryan stupid Ryan." She shook her head and then sighed before looking at rapidly packing up Erin.

"I'm sorry. I really am. It's just...I'm not good at saying anything around anyone. Cute girls...well the whole situation gets even worse basically. I was trying to subtlety find out if you had a girlfriend, but it came out not so subtle and..." She punctuated what she was saying with a sigh.

"Anyways I'm very sorry to be in your business or whatever. I should not be as nosy as I am. I can...just...go." She bit her lip slightly.

"Again I'm reeeaaaaalllllllyyyyy sorry."

[Erin Hackett]

Oh no, the girl was upset now. Well upset with herself for apparently having said something stupid and moving how she was going to hit her head against a brick wall. "No, don't do that...I mean like...it was not stupid. Just uh...you are making conversation." Erin responded quickly. She didn't think the girl would actually hit her head against a brick wall but it didn't hurt to be sure. Now Erin felt even more panicky, feeling the urge to just run. She had to have been at fault for why things had gotten awkward and upsetting the girl.

Erin never wanted to upset a girl and now that she felt like she basically had done that, she felt awful. How could she talk to someone who was basically as nervous or more nervous than she was? This was most certainly a challenge but she was trying her best to not just run off. That was why she busy herself with packing up her things, and she always needed to pack up her things anyways. There was another apology then, followed by how Ryan got around cute girls and how she was just trying to casually figure out if Erin had a girlfriend or not. Erin didn't get why anyone would care if she had one or not, or why they would even assume she had one.

She was Erin; no way had she managed to land a girlfriend when she was already feeling like running just from talking to a cute and nervous girl. "I see...I uh...well I'm single...so uh...yeah…" Erin responded as she zipped up her bag. "And I don't like...mind. I mean you are talking to me so makes sense to ask things related to what I'm doing...for conversation." Erin added, trying to think of her making friends guide book to know what to say in this situation.

[Ryan Alexander]

She pinched herself. No really, Ryan legitimately pinched herself because she thought she might be dreaming. This girl was not only totally forgiving but she was also single. Of course that didn't mean anything like that she was attracted to Ryan but still. Ryan felt like it was a bit of a victory and so she was going to take it.

"I...well...uh...um..." She rubbed the back of her neck.

"I thought saying these things might be coming off as totally creepy because you were packing up rather speedily. I thought I'd totally scared you and...honestly it wouldn't be the first time I do that by accident. What I say...I don't really know what someone's supposed to say and what they shouldn't. There's a reason why I don't really have friends. Or...maybe one. I only met him once but he actually understood what I was saying. Quinn Wiley I think his name was. Anyways, he was ok. But otherwise people kind of look at me weird and back away slowly. I thought that might be what you were doing. Then again, maybe you're just saying all these things to make me feel better and not like a total loser, but..." She sighed and ran her fingers through her red hair slowly.

"I just got nervous because I was trying to make a good impression on you. That way you might actually want to hang out sometime."

[Erin Hackett]

Erin didn't catch the other girl pinching herself; if she did she would have been a little concerned. Manly because she was worried that this girl was into that self-hurting thing with how she talked about hitting her head against a brick wall and then pinching. She didn't think anyone so beautiful should hurt themselves but it was not her place to say. All she knew was that she wanted to run and allow this girl the space she most have needed in order to calm down. That was what Erin needed when she was trying to calm down; space.

Not that she was able to always get it, especially when someone would hold onto her in some way which was the best way to keep her from running. It also added to the panic but it at least kept her where she was and that was part of why she had made herself busy with putting things away. To keep her distracted, there, and thus not running away. However; things were all packed up so running was returning as a very good option. The other girl still seemed nervous and then went on a long rant about how she was worried that she was coming off totally creepy and how she was not very good at this. Erin wanted to point out that she didn't really think it was creepy and more so it was because the other girl was nervous that Erin was nervous.

However; Ryan was still talking so Erin remained silent as she messed with the zipper on her bag and remained where she was. It was difficult to just stand there when she wanted to run but she didn't want to be rude and hurt the other girl's feelings. She had to remain there, be nice, and suck up her own problems if she wanted to make any friends. Then Quinn's name came up, which helped Erin calm down a lot when she heard that this girl knew Quinn. "Q-Quinn is my friend." Erin spoke up before she took a step back. "And I'm not...like I'm not trying to run from you specifically...it's just a lot. You are nervous and it just does not do well for me since...since I'm n-not good at this sort of thing either." Erin responded.

In truth, that was literally the problem. She could not handle being around someone who was nervous because it just added to her own nerves and made things that much more difficult for her to deal with. Ryan said she was trying to make a good impression on her so that she would want to hang out more. "I...I would not mind hanging out with you again...but you have to...well please...umm...you have to work on not being so nervous because it's effecting me..." Erin managed to get out, not sure if that made any sense.

[Ryan Alexander]

"Ummm...I'll try. It's just I'm not used to people actually not flipping out when I say something off the wall. I'm not nervous persay as just...really really surprised." Ryan smiled kind of sheepishly and shrugged.

"Also...wait you're friends with Quinn? That's cool. We only really talked the once. He was taking pictures for the Bellefonte fashion show." She tapped her chin, her nervousness ebbing away as her mind got stuck in a different train of thought than 'pretty girl in front of her'.

"I wonder how the pictures of me turned out. I really should ask sometime. I was feeling pretty good in that outfit and I'd be curious." She smirked, remembering him asking her to spin. She laughed.

"Someone else I should ask to hang out with sometime. Dunno what we would talk about. Might devolve into me painting the surroundings. But it's all worth a shot I suppose."

[Erin Hackett]

Erin didn't say or do anything when the girl said that she would try and went on further to explain that it was not nerves and that she was surprised. Erin would not force anyone to do anything, but it was just a suggestion for the sake of her not hurting the girl’s feelings. She would not calm down if a person around her was not in a calm state, and despite the girl what the girl was saying; Erin didn't by the whole not being nervous thing. Her surprise came off like being nervous and whatever she called it, it was still making Erin nervous. Erin then nodded her head several times at the question about Quinn being her friend.

She felt so proud to be able to claim that and Quinn would not be able to deny it if he was asked. Well, he could but he would be lying. "He is a really cool guy, despite how he acts." Erin spoke up. She wanted to add a bit about how Quinn was a sweet guy deep down and really talk him up, but she didn't want to outright lie. Quinn was sweet but it just took a lot of digging to get to that point with him. Plus she recalled this girl saying that she was into girls so there was no point in trying to pitch her best friend to Ryan.

"But uh...the photo he took should be great. He is really good at photography. So umm…yeah, you should ask him to see it and give you a copy." Erin informed her as she took a deep breath, still doing her best to maintain something close to calm. It was helping that they were talking about Quinn and his photography, something that she was familiar and comfortable with. "Yeah, for sure. You can uh...even hang out with me and him together...if you ever want to." Erin suggested. She was feeling pretty good that she had possibly just helped Quinn make a friend or at least someone who was going to go around him again.

[Ryan Alexander]

"Huh?" For a second she'd genuinely forgotten she had been talking to someone. She just stood there blinking rapidly for a moment.

"Sorry. My mind kind of drifts off with me sometimes." She shrugged.

"And yeah I know. And actually, the way he acted only served to let me know he was. He actually understood what I was saying, and I was on one of my really weird days. I was saying things that I didn't think anyone had any clue. He understood my point of view so it was actually really cool." She grinned. She was starting to relax now that it was a more normal conversation.

[Erin Hackett]

Erin didn't say anything and just kind of stared at the girl when she let out the 'huh'. Erin could not be completely mad at the girl because she checked out a lot in a conversation but at least she pretended not to. She could not help but to be a little upset at the girl for not listening to her when it took a lot to actually speak to the girl. Well, at least she was less nervous and more so shocked that this girl had actually admitted to drifted off and didn't seem to think that it was that big of a deal as she gave that shrug.

Well, at least the girl was honest. She would give her that much at the very least, but it still didn't make her feel awesome. "I-it's chill." Erin responded as she kept playing with the zipper on her jacket. Now she had gone back to resuming putting some distance between her and the other girl as she backed off in the direction of one of the doors to the room. Erin listened and nodded as Ryan went on to talk a bit more about Quin had how she agreed with Erin that he was not that bad of a guy.

See Quinn, there is hope for you to get a girl. You just need to be a bit more friendlier. Erin thought to herself as if Quinn would somehow hear her thoughts. She was already picturing him sneezing wherever he was because people were talking about him. "Yeah, I think it's because he is a photographer, he can like...see things and uh...understand things others would not." Erin responded, but she was not really sure. All she knew what the door was right there but she still would have to turn in order to leave because the doors were both closed and locked.

[Ryan Alexander]

"Could be an artist thing. I've been told I have a weird outlook. Like I broke up with a boyfriend of mine by papier macheing a bust of him and then putting a few toothpicks where his heart would've been..." Then she noticed.

"Oh. I've...offended you again. Haven't I? I have." She sighed.

"I'm sorry. I do it without really realizing it. Everybody used to tip-toe around me because I was a rich kid and so I don't really know what I should or shouldn't be saying...nobody thinks to tell me because I think they think they'll be rude and then I end up being rude and...well it just turns into a vicious circle." She bit her lip.

"Sorry. I guess you probably have other things to do rather than talk to me right?" She grinned. With that, she laid down on the floor and looked up at the ceiling.

"Hmm...a speckled ceiling. Why do they always go for a speckled ceiling?" Okay she was weird but she was only dimly aware of that fact.

[Erin Hackett]

It indeed could be an artistic thing and Erin was already nodding her head in agreement before she sort of just went still and looked at the girl. Was she serious? It was a creative way to break up with someone; even if Erin had been in the guy’s place she would have taken it that she was going to be killed by the girl and not that it was a symbol of them breaking up. Now she was concerned on what happened to this ex and what kind of artist this girl was. So far she seemed to be the type that would 'paint with the blood of their enemies'.

Which was cool, but far more concerning then anything. Not that Erin actually thought the girl would do that; she hoped not, but that was what her imagination was coming up for the extreme case. Then Ryan was asking if she offended and before Erin could say anything the girl was apologizing again. "I-it's okay...can't uh...not everyone is going to um...you know, not be offended by certain things people say. I'm not butt hurt over it." Erin responded. Sure she was a little hurt but it was not something she was going to hate the girl forever or lose sleep over in the middle of the night.

She had been a part of the internet for too long to be effected by such things like that. "It's not..." Erin spoke up, trying to make it clear that it was not that case. Erin didn’t know what to do or say at this point since she had already tried very hard to make it clear that she was not sued to dealing with people so just...she didn’t even know anymore. Erin had money; not that she was super rich but she wanted to say how that money was not going to make her treat the other girl any differently. "I uh...but..." Erin tried again but then Ryan spoke of how she probably had things she wanted to do over talk to the girl.

Erin felt bad that the girl was thinking this way, but didn't really know how to say anything by how the girl was talking. Leaving was probably for the best before she dug herself into a hole...or the other girl killed her. Erin could not help but think that the girl had to have a few loose screws in her head by how she was now looking up at the celling and talking about the speckles. So...did that mean Ryan was done talking to her? Erin didn't know, she was confused, and still panicking. "B-bye." Erin managed to get out before she turned to run off, quickly unlocking the door, opening it, and dashing out if the girl was not going to stop her. She didn't know what else to do so running was the best option.

[Ryan Alexander]

"Good talking to you. Sorry I'm so weird. My mind just doesn't stay in one place for lon-" She heard a door closing and shrugged.

"Hm. She was cool to talk to. Pretty. Probably don't have a chance in hell with her. I guess that's nothing new. Someone really should paint this ceiling. I kinda wish I had a burrito. A burrito would be perfect right about now." Ryan was definitely scatterbrained, but she hoped to find someone who understood that aspect of her one day. She didn't know she sounded psycho sometimes. Her mind processed things much differently than most people. It's why her art was so creative. But unfortunately that had quite the negative effect on her social life.