Penny let out a tiny gasp and recoiled from him, her chair making the most awful scratching noise as it too helped to move her away from his touch. God, how she had longed for him to touch her, but she just couldn't allow it. If he touched her, he would know everything. And she couldn't risk that. Not right now. But it suddenly occurred to her that she would look very awkward now. All he wanted was to reassure her, and she would have gladly let him. But...
"I'm.... I'm sorry..." People were looking now. She was getting nervous. All the discretion they had built up was now crumbling all around them, and Penny could feel her blood pressure rising as well. "I just, uhm... I don't want you to catch something." She nodded and sniffled for good measure. She didn't actually have any contagious diseases at the moment, but he didn't know that. It was Penny. She always had something, and this something was something she just couldn't bring herself to give him. Not right now. "But thank you... really, I appreciate it."
She stood up randomly and began packing her things back into her bag. She hated herself for being this way, so weird and clumsy and stupid. He probably hated her too. He probably thought she was a stupid, little girl, and she hated that feeling most of all. It really got to her, and her facial expressions betrayed her inner turmoil. If only she could be normal, then perhaps this would all be different. "I should get going."