Looking at Maylie's worried face Anne felt herself soften and she suddenly felt incredibly stupid and embarressed. Waving off her hurried apology with paniced gestures "No no! its not that! Its nothing, just a bad memory!" Anne blurted. "Its really nothing and i shouldn't react like that and i'm really really sorry"

Caught between running to hide and explaining herself Anne really had no idea what to do or say next.

Maylie breathed a sigh of relief. So it wasn't her. Mixed feelings of curiosity to know what had happened and concern for her new friend ran through her. Deciding to let it go, she said to Anne, "Oh. Alright then... well if you want to talk about it, we can, but not if you don't want to."

Looking up at the sky, Maylie saw that it was probably around midday. Face brightening with an idea, she smiled warmly and suggested, "Y'know, I'm getting kind of hungry... and it's about lunchtime... so maybe if you wanted to, say, come eat lunch with me...?" she said, trying to hide her own excitment. After all, this was the first time she most likely wasn't going to eat alone since she had arrived.

Taking the escape Maylie offered from her own embarressment at grossly overreacting for what it was Anne smiled widly with thanks shining in her eyes.

"I would love too" She said, looking rather embarressed "And i'm really really sorry for overreacting like that - Its really nothing aside from some bad memories and i really don't want to start griping at you about my sad and sorry life" The last said with a wan smile. "Besides! its a gorgeous day still and i don't want to spoil it any further than i already have"

Anne stood there for a moment hesitantly shuffling her feet before moving her arm, offering it to Maylie with a nervous smile.

Maylie smiled back at Anne, the sun shining around them and off the water helping to warm their bodies, and the mood. A slight breeze gusted by as Maylie accepted the proffered arm, beginning to walk back to the campus both relieved that she had dogded an awkward moment had Anne refused, and happy that she would finally get some company at mealtime.

"I don't think you can spoil today. It's been pretty great since I met you," May said with a blush. While Maylie knew she was shy, she also knew that Anne was something else. It seemed like she wanted to run away for a long while in the beginning. The significance of Anne offering her the arm rather then the other way around was not lost on Maylie. Her blush rising, Maylie also asked, "What kind of food do you want?"

"You're taking me out for lunch, so its your choice entirely" Anne said with a smile. As they walked Maylie started talking about different foods that she liked, again with only minor comments being interjected.

"She really does seem to be enjoying my company" Anne thought with a slightly puzzled tone as Maylie dropped another complement and blushed again. Anne really couldn't help but smile warmly back and rather without thinking gave her arm a little squeeze.

"Anyone would think that you were just waiting for someone to drop out of the sky for you to talk too" Anne commented with a wry voice, seeking to measure her response, trying to figure out why Maylie really seemed to want to get to know her and what she was really after.

It really did seem like it just wanted a friend and some company and Anne really couldn't deny that she was rather enjoying herself. It had been too long since someone had paid a honest interest in her simply for companies sake rather than wanting something from her. Even after her overreaction earlier (which suprised even her now she thought about it) Maylie still wanted to spend time with her and Anne found the thought... flattering somehow - It was a rather nice feeling that made her smile softly to herself, the smile reaching her eyes as she waited for Maylie's answer.

As time went on, the shyness and nervousness of Maylie began to slowly fade. As to be somewhat expected, the more time she spent around Anne, the more comfortable she became. While a very shy and reserved person usually, when around those who she knows, a more talkative, cheery side of Maylie comes out, which was already beginning to happen (at a record pace even!)

As they talked, Maylie, despite Anne letting her choose, still asked, "Even if you want me to pick, you can still yell me what kinds of food you like, that way we can pick something we'll both enjoy." wearing a friendly smile as she moved a hand up to brush her hair out of her face (as is necessary when one has long hair that isn't held down or together by an accessory of sorts).

In response to Anne's remark, Maylie blushed lightly once more, "It almost does doesn't it? I-I never really had more then one or two friend growing up. Even though I enjoy being alone sometimes, after awhile it gets lonely... And you seem like a really nice person. That, and when I am comfortable around someone, despite my usual shyness, I can get pretty chatty... And now I'm rambling..." her blush deepening as she talked about herself.

"I'm just a simple english girl and thus i love simple english food" Anne replied with a small laugh "While i eat a lot of fruit and will eat anything from a bowl of rice to a curry i'll rarely turn down to a full fry up! Bacon, eggs, Sausage, beans..." She smiled wryly as she continued "I don't eat many of those even although i never seem to put on weight. I save them as a treat - that and the muffins!"

"Besides" Anne continued "You wouldn't believe the looks others give you when you are tucking into something like that... Its equal parts jealousy, death and pity"

[...]

Anne nodded to Maylie's answer "Lonlyness is like a old friend i sometimes think - the more time you spend with her the more you get used to her company"

With a light chuckle "Listen to me with Fortune cookie wisdom! Your ramblings make for better listening than mine and a whole lot more sense."

Mulling over Maylie's reply in her mind they walked the last stretch with Anne glancing across at her new friend as she pushed her hair away from her face. With a start she realise that she must look like a complete mess! Under normal circumstances this wouldn't worry her at all but she suddenly felt rather self conscious and started trying to surreptitiously get her hair back to something slightly more normal looking without Maylie noticing, even though it was a doomed task as she still had leaves attached to her hair which looked like she had been dragged through a bush (or fallen from a tree!) and red marks that had half faded marking her arms.

As they talked, Maylie was pleased to note that Anne was opening up more and talking, in a much similar manner to her actually. Maylie responded to her comment, "I know those looks. Up to this point I've basically been able to eat whatever I want and not gain weight at all. I pretty much eat anything, but I really am a sucker for anything that actually tastes vanilla. And not the fake flavoring!" letting out a small giggle at her last bit of pickiness.

At Anne's second comment Maylie looked a little sad, "Yeah... I guess that's true. But as shy as I am, nobody should have to go it completely alone... Humanity wasn't built for that." However her face brightened a little and she laughed after Anne's third comment, smiling once more.

Maylie's general happiness began to show up in what she did, how she walked, her eyes, and pretty much everything else as her good spirits filled her body language.

Noticing that Anne was trying to tidy up a little (even though Anne was attempting to be discreet), Maylie moved a hand up to pluck the last couple leaves from her hair and brush off some dirt, saying, "Here, let me help..."

"Nonono!" Anne squeeked. By reflex she jerked away at the approaching hand as Maylie moved to pick leaves out of her hair. taking a quick step back she failed to disentangle herself and pulled Maylie straight into her knocking them both off balance

Maylie immediately tried to retract her hand at Anne's protest, but alas, it was too late. Knocked off balance, she began to fall to the ground with Anne. In a desperate attempt to save her newfound friend, Maylie pulled her arm away and gave Anne a slight push in an effort to allow her to retain her balance while Maylie herself plummeted to the ground, landing splayed out across her back, rubbing the soreness in her head.

The push that Maylie gave was just enough to alter her from a fall straight on her back to a sideways stagger. As Maylie crashed to the ground exactly where Anne was going to land her feet scrambled, one, two steps as she fought for balance, finally getting it on the third step and stopping.

Quickly looking over at Maylie her face fell and she rushed across the few paces to make sure she was ok

Skidding slightly on her knees at Maylie's side Anne exclaimed "I'm so sorry! Are you ok?" her eyes wide open with concern

Maylie vision blanked out for a moment as her head connected with the ground. Luckilly, it wasn't concrete, so it wasn't serious. Maylie let out a soft groan, still rubbing the emerging bump sprouting from the back of her head. Hoisting herself up on one elbow, May shook her head to clear her vision, still somewhat dazed as she looked into the concerned face of Anne.

Maylie responded to Anne's frantic questions, "I'll be fine I think... Sorry for reaching over and such, I was just trying to help... Are you okay yourself?"

Maylie smiled lopsidedly, her face almost comical as she cleared her head.

Anne smiled broadly as she saw that Maylie was fine

"Don't worry about me Maylie" Anne said "I'm just glad you are ok!"

With a perceviable pause Anne reached out and helped Maylie to her feet before stepping back pulling her hair away from her face before looking at her feet nervously.

"i'm really sorry again... Look, should I go? I'm not really very good at this and now i've come close to hurting you"

Smiling to hear that Anne was fine, Maylie accepted the proffered hand, pulling herself up and dusting herself off, saying "Thanks" as she did so.

"I'll be fine, and I'm glad you're okay as well." Maylie stated, still wearing a smile despite the fall.

Concern edged at Maylie as she saw Anne step away and stare at her feet, and after hearing Anne's comment she frantically responded, "No, no, you don't need to leave... Accidents happen, and I'm fine, really. I like having you around. To be honest, you'd probably just hurt me more if you do leave..."

Maylie beat herself up mentally about the last part of her response thinking great, now I sound weird...

Anne stopped in her tracks, blinking as if someone had just shined a light directly into her eyes as her mind replayed those last words over in her head. "Hurt me more if you do leave" she had said... "Does that mean....?"

Anne refocused on the world in front of her after a minor pause, making a menal note to think more on that line later

"If you are sure" Anne replied, brushing her hair away from her bright green eyes which were fixed firmly on Maylie's dark ones "I am sorry though" With a sigh she continued "Its just..."

Trailing off she saw that Maylie was looking curiously at her and she came to a decision in her mind.

Smiling lop-sidedly Anne said "Look, I think i owe you an explanation, but lets do over some food. I certainly owe you that much"