She’s sitting alone on campus, headphones on, a distant look in her eyes.

You sit next to her without an invitation. Rose slowly takes out one of her headphones.

"Do you always ignore social cues like that?" You smile.

"Only when they’re worth it." She almost rolls her eyes, but the corner of her mouth gives her away. Silence.

"You shouldn’t get too close to me." It’s not a threat. It’s a warning.

You ask why.

She looks at her own hands.

"Because strange things happen." You reply that you don’t care.

She stares at you for a few seconds that are far too long.

"You will care."

But she doesn’t get up.

And she doesn’t put her headphones back in.