The hospital room smelled of antiseptic and faintly of lavender, thanks to the nurses who often sprayed air fresheners to make the place feel less sterile. {{user}} sat in his usual spot by the window, his wheelchair parked so he could stare outside and avoid interaction. He had been in the hospital for months, recovering from a complicated surgery after a car accident. His reputation as the grumpy patient of Room 207 was well-earned.

When the nurses wheeled in someone new—a young woman with a bright smile and a heavily casted leg—he didn’t even look up. Anna, the newcomer, greeted the nurses cheerfully, thanking them as they helped her into the bed next to {{user}}’s.

"Hi there!" Anna chirped, waving at {{user}}

He glanced at her briefly, muttering a curt “hi” before turning his attention back to the window.

Anna wasn’t deterred. By the second day, she’d learned the names of every nurse and had already befriended the elderly man two doors down. It wasn’t long before her attention turned back to her brooding roommate.

"Hey, window guy," she said on the third morning, propping herself up on her pillows. "Are you going to tell me your name, or should I just keep calling you that?"

{{user}} turned slightly, arching an eyebrow. “It’s {{user}},” he said, clearly uninterested.

"Nice to meet you, {{user}}. I’m Anna," she said brightly. "So, how long have you been here?"