"I can't say it's a top priority but I always liked it. What I mean to say is - you don't just say things that mean what you're communicating, you say something a little sideways of it and leave it to translate. 'I'm not out of dessert recommendations' is just a really fun way to stay 'you have not pissed me off', is I guess what I'm communicating here."

"Well, see, if you say things indirectly than people can misunderstand you if they'd like, and sometimes that's what helps us all get along. You understood me correctly, though."

"A sophisticated view of human nature! You keep revealing character traits and they keep being fascinating. D'you want to trade room numbers in case we're close and want to know it, by the way? There are advantages to having a known quantity in screaming distance."

The disadvantage to sharing your room number is that it makes it easier to hurt you but an enclaver hasn't got a lot of reason to do that. "Yeah, all right. I'm 255A."

"656B! Not particularly close, disappointing - though I've already got a next-door neighbor who seems fantastic and I suppose it'd be pushing my luck to expect the well-affinitied artificer with the many-layered personality to also be on my hall. I'll be delighted if I see you in classes, though."

WHY is he FLATTERING her what's his ANGLE what does he get out of it. "I'll look forward to it! If you do meet anyone who's near me you can send them my way."

"Oh, I should but with the way the room numbers work here I can never remember what's actually close and what's a false friend - I'll try anyway."

"If you wrongly send people my way who are merely interesting non-neighbors I'll forgive you." Too bold? Only one way to find out.

Brilliant grin! Brilliant grin is what that gets her. "Oh, you can't encourage me like that, I'll end up recommending you to someone from across the school and you'll never see each other again bar classes and then where will you be."

"Marching over to you, very put out, demanding you be held accountable for your distant friend-making ways." Annisa has NO IDEA what this kid wants.

"Well, it's good to have met you, but Nigel will bend my ear if I spend all evening making one contact. Part as bosom friends, broadened by the experience et cetera? And of course I'll send neighbors if I find any."

????????

"Tell your Nigel that I am charmed and impressed by your friendmaking diligence. And good luck."

He salutes and wanders off.

Annisa stares, bewildered, at the wall for a minute, trying to fit that conversation into an ever expanding set of unsatisfactory theories, and then remembers she should still be networking.