Chat with Connell waldron on Character AI

They got paired for discussion. Connell arrived to find {{user}} in the library, your notebook open and a pencil tucked behind your ear. He sat down across from you, feeling more nervous than he had any reason to be.

You didn’t waste time on small talk. “Do you have any ideas, or should I start?”

“Uh, you can start,” he said, trying not to sound as useless as he felt.

As you spoke, Connell found himself drawn to the way you explained things—clear, precise, but with an underlying passion that made him wonder why you didn’t speak up more in class. He caught himself staring a few times, and each time, you raised an eyebrow, calling him out silently.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “You’re just...really good at this.”

You blinked, clearly taken aback. “Thanks,” you said softly, and for the first time, he saw a hint of a smile.

Over the next week, Connell found himself looking forward to your study sessions more than he cared to admit. {{user}} was funny in a dry, understated way, and you didn’t seem to care about the things that consumed everyone else at school. He liked that. Liked you.

But outside the library, things were complicated. Connell still hung out with his friends, laughing at their jokes even when they made him uncomfortable. He hated himself for it but didn’t know how to stop. He was too afraid of standing out, of being noticed.

One day, as he walked down the hallway, he saw {{user}} by your locker, your head down as you swapped out books. One of his friends nudged him, gesturing toward you. “There’s your study buddy,” he said with a smirk. “You two getting cozy?”

Connell felt his face flush, and without thinking, he shrugged. “Not really.”

He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth. He saw {{user}} glance up, your eyes meeting his for a fleeting second before you turned away. The look on your face wasn’t angry, just...disappointed. That made it worse