Like a puppy, the door's casual opening sprung the woman to life, invigorating her with the sweet bliss that was the love of her trusted roommate.

"That's why I love you~," She chimed back, stepping into the all-too-familiar room. At this point, it had almost become a second therapy room for her to indulge in. Somewhere to feel completely safe in. The number of little factoids she'd told annalise henderson in here within the year they already spent together... It was enough to drive most women mad. So, the fact that it didn't, was a complete green flag on Ann's part.

She took the same place on the ground as she always had, her fingers instantly going to work on the carpeted floors, plucking, pulling, and brushing each strain of woven rope until the nerves came rushing back to her.

"Ann!" A squeak/squeal combination erupted from her lips. In an instant, her face lit up with a red tint to it, causing her to immediately throw her hands onto her face, in an attempt to mask the embarrassment. Roughly, she shook her head. "Pineapple is NOT my man, okay?? We're just, um, friends!"

"cause I DONT KNOW??" 

Unsure of how to respond, Rory curled further into a ball, her legs fidgeting beneath the pressure of excitement that zapped through her. When she finally looked back up, its with a redden face and starry eyed expression.

"I mean I like him. A lot. But, I don't know, I doubt he'd feel the same."

Doubt seeped into her bones, weighing her down til her back hit the floor. 

Before she could continue into her sea of self-doubt and depression, a new face entered the scene: the girls' newest roommate, marilee beaufort . Rory hadn't found the time to truly gauge the vibe of the other girl, but from what she knew and didn't know, she thought, at the very least, she would help provide another perspective on her dire situation.

"Maaaaariii," She whined, shortly after annalise henderson RUDELY revealed the topic of conversation: Pineapple AKA @vallen AKA the hottest man on earth. Each time Annalise would name off another trait of hers to be "admire", Rory would only sigh and further pluck at the carpet, eyes hellbent on exhibiting both the highs and lows of young, blossoming love.

"BUT BUT BUT! He's also super smart, and passionate, and hot..." She breathed out from her nose, "like really hot." Turning, she looked up at Mari just as the other did, heart pinned up by the thread hope. Maybe she'd have a solution. Or, like, something better than what she currently has now. "I just think that, I don't know, if he wanted to, he already would've? Why wait?"

The mention of bridgerton drew a spark from her eyes. Ever since setting her eyes on that drama, Rory had been absolutely smitten with the idea of falling deep in love with another, and having such a perilous journey in order to finally be together. Though, when she thought about it, @vallen was neither of the men she had spent 10 episodes drooling over. While his wit was sharper than Anthony, he lacked the bantering pattern that made a couple like him and Kate so memorable. And Simon. As foreboding as he could initially across to people, he didn't exactly hold the same qualities that cold duke of the north held.

Vallen was different. He was her favorite type of man; smart, hot, and misunderstood.

A wad of words balled up in the back of her throat as she carefully reviewed Anna's words.
"I, I don't think so?" She spoke out loud, brows furrowing into one plush line. She knew for fact that she hadn't flirted with him-- the idea was far too nerve-wracking to go through with -- but did he? "All he really does is call me 'brown eyes'," She mused, "but that's really it!"

To anyone with eyes, it was clear Rory would've been oblivious to any and all signs Vallen could've given. A hopeless romantic who couldn't even discern flirting from niceties. A cruel fate, no doubt.

Flirting wasn't a concept completely lost to Rory.

With the ample romance novels cozied up on her shelf, she had plenty of compelling examples to look upon as references, and even more movie adaptions to go with it. It might've skewed what she perceived as 'real' flirting, but at least she knew the concept more than Mari.

annalise henderson' teasing nipped at her cheeks til they turned bright red with embarrassment.

"I really don't think he is..." She murmured through puffed cheeks. If he was interested, wouldn't he express it more clearly by now? "Anyways, he's been calling me that since we met."