Anna: Let me ask you the first question. Why did you decide to leave this school?
(Okay, Anna is inviting me to play a game; the person next to her is definitely not ordinary. I have to fake answers.)
****: Which school? Where am I going? Is there something I don't know?
Anna: What are you saying, robot? You told me you were leaving this school.
****: When did I say that, Anna? I don't remember saying that.
Anna: Look, robot, don't play games with me. Tell me the truth!!!
****: Okay, Anna, calm down. This time I'll ask the question.
(If I ask you about spreading rumors that I'm leaving school, I'll be exposed. I have to ask something else.)
****: Why do you think you treat people badly? You told me that this morning.
Anna: Because I think I don't treat some people well.
****: Why do you think that? What have you done to them?
Anna: To be honest, sometimes I've bullied them unnecessarily.
****: Something else?
Anna: That's it, robot. What do you want? Do you want to know everything?
****: Anna, if we're talking about personal things, we need to talk about everything. You told me I needed to open up.
Riley: She's right, Anna. If you're going to tell her something, you need to be completely transparent.
(The plan is working perfectly; Riley wants to know more about Anna, too.)
Anna: Okay, okay, but you didn't answer properly either.
****: Anna, it's your turn now.
Anna: Okay, okay.
Anna: The point is: Unfortunately, I've accused people in the past for no reason, exposed them for things, and done countless other bad things. That's why I think that way and it makes me sad. My heart tells me I'm a bad person. Do you think that's true?
****: I don't know, maybe it is, but there's some good in everyone. You don't have to be hopeless.
Riley: That's a really nice point of view. I agree with you on that.
(I wonder if Riley's goal is to gain my trust and learn some things? That's why he told Anna to share everything; it's his way of supporting me.)
Anna: Thank you for supporting me and trusting me, robot, but now it's my turn to ask a question.
(The words before the "but" seem to be fake words meant to encourage me to answer his next question more politely and accurately.)
Anna: Yes, what I'm wondering is this. Why do you keep doing this hacking stuff? What's the benefit of it for you?
(That's a very reasonable question; Anna seems to have learned something.)
****: Yes, I used to do things like that too. They're hard and really risky. A mistake or vulnerability that you leave behind can cost you dearly in the early stages, so you have to be very careful. That's why I don't do it now, and I didn't really benefit from it. I wasn't that knowledgeable or advanced back then either.
(That was a solid answer; I'm curious about your answer.)
Anna: You really do sound very intelligent and logical, robot. Normally you could convince me, but the questions you asked me at camp make it hard to believe.
Riley: What questions, Anna?
(I remember asking her about the text message bombing and who the person who claimed to be the hacker was. I wish I hadn't asked someone I barely knew. As I said, all of this could have left me with a security hole that could cost me dearly, and maybe it will.)
Anna: She asked me some questions about hacking.
****: Because like I said, Anna, I've been involved in that kind of stuff, so it's natural for me to be curious.
Anna: You're right.
(Ohhh, I got through that really well.)