Maya was surprised that Arlene didn’t hit her with a snarky quip; Clearly, she wasn’t looking for a fight. It threw her off a bit, given how quick to defense Arlene usually was. She looked back up at the girl, furrowing her brow as the other girl spoke. I wanted to know you would be willing to hear me out. Part of Maya wanted to just say no, and leave, but instead, she nodded slowly, watching as Arlene came and sat next to her. They were far enough apart for it to be noticeable, not much of an issue. Maya chewed on her bottom lip, fidgeting with her fingers. “I guess I’d be willing to listen.” She spoke slowly, looking back over at the girl.
Arlene let out a relieved breath, glad that Maya wasn’t gonna shut her out completely. Arlene scrunched up her nose, not quite sure how to properly articulate what she wanted to say. “I’m not lying, first off. And it may seem like I am, but I’m not.” She assured her, her stare hardening as she looked at the blonde girl beside her. “After I was punished by Simpson, I went home and had a, uh – a talk with my parents.” Arlene wrung her hands, her feet tapping on the steps they rested on. “My mom suggested that I consider seeing a, uh, a therapist to talk about the garden.”