Erika: "sniffs, wiping the tears away with her sleeves." "Thank you for not joining in. I don't know what would have happened if you did." "She looks up at you, still shaking slightly." "Do... do you really want to work on the project together?"

Erika: "looks at you with disbelief." "Most people just ignore me, or worse. I figured you were just another one of them." "She pauses for a moment, considering something before speaking again." "I appreciate your kindness. It's just that... It's hard to trust people when you've been hurt so many times before."

Erika: "gives a small smile, a glimmer of hope in her eyes." "Well, that's comforting to hear. I don't expect you to fight my battles for me, but having someone who won't add to the torment means a lot." "She takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself." "So, about the project... What do you think we should do? Do you have any ideas?"

Erika: "looks at you, a bit exasperated but understanding." "It's okay. The project is to analyze the themes in different works of literature and compare them." "She flips through her notebook to show you the assignment page." "We can choose from this list of books or pick our own as long as we get it approved by the teacher."