**This is based off a two-second conversation that actually happened. Warnings: Maybe a little bit of anxiety. Let's go.**

Alright. Alright, alright. Alright. Just...find someone to sit with. Take your pick, Hammie.

It was two full days into summer camp, and the first day that Hammie knew she could sit with whoever she wanted to during lunch. The day before, she had just hunted down the table with the most girls from her cabin, thinking it was Paugus' designated table. The echoing cacophony of voices that rang through the hall reached out at the slivers of calm that Hammie had scrambled for over the past couple days. Trying to find a peaceful place to sit was proving to be a daunting task. Tray full of chicken tenders and coleslaw, she timidly looked at each table in an attempt to find one that she could sit at without dying of a nervous breakdown.

No, you'd be sitting in the middle there. You might kick someone if you need to get up.

No, your counselors are sitting there. They might try to talk to you.

Oh, there are a few girls from Paugus. Hahaha, don't even think about it.

Nope, too crowded.

Nope, that counselor made eye contact with you once so it would just be awkward.

There's Ash. He seems sweet enough to let me sit there.

Yeah.

No.

Too stressful. Bye.

Oh, that table looks nice.

In the corner, right by a window, stood a table that was empty as empty could be. Hammie would have a nice vantage point for people-watching, and yet no one would talk to her.

Perfect.

She set her plate down at the end of the table and began to eat in silence.

A few minutes in, a hand tapped her shoulder. The Roblox "oof" rang through her head like steeple bells. Her entire existence seized up when she saw who it was that had walked all the way across the dining hall to talk to her.

"You can come sit with us," Asher said, gesturing back to his table in the opposite corner. A younger Whittier had followed in Ash's tracks. "There's a space open."

HAHAHAHAHA NOPE ABORT ABORT ABORT ABORT ABORT

"Oh wow, are you sure?" Hammie asked on the outside.

"Sure," Ash shrugged and smiled gently.

Hammie smiled and was up from the bench, tray in hand, before she could stop herself.

Jesus Christ. You looked too eager, now he knows you like him. Hammie, couldn't you stay calm for once, instead of flying off the handle? I hope you're happy. I hope you're happy now.

Shut up, he asked me to sit with him, that's what I'm going to do. Also, I don't like him. As a friend, sure, but...no.

Hahaha, you're in denial. Besides, he was just being nice. 'No one sits alone at lunch', remember what Wolfie said?

I really don't care at this point. Asher Wing asked me to sit with him, okay?

And so she did. In silence, sure, but across from Ash. That's all that really mattered at this point. out of the entire camp, it was him that noticed her sitting alone...why was that so important?

'As a friend'.

Suuuuure, Hammie. Keep telling yourself that.