Suppressed voices

"We have a problem, sweetie....",

Agatha said to Emma with a frown on her face.

"W-what problem?",

Emma gulped down harshly.

'She rarely becomes this serious',thought Emma.

'Must be something really big.' Her hazel orbs were looking at Agatha curiously. As if reading her mind, Agatha said,

"It is indeed something serious this time."

Emma frowned, hard.

"We may have to move out of our house."

Agatha said, pressing her fingers on her temples.

"What? Why? I mean, we just moved in there 2 months ago!",

Emma said, feeling irritated by the sudden revelation.

"I know, sweetie.... I tried to do everything to convince him, but he is just too worried for us.",

Agatha was looking truly exhausted.

'I shouldn't bombard her with my questions right now, that will tire her more.',Emma decided to be sensible about the topic.

"Alright... whatever it is, we have no choice but to face it, right?",

Emma accepted the fact.

"I do not like to see you like this, darling, but we truly have no choice in this....",

Agatha caressed Emma's cheek gently. "Anyway, what were you going to tell me when you got here?",

She asked the younger one curiously. "Oh, about that....",

Emma remembered the thing she wanted to tell her.

"I have noticed something weird about Maya today. We were in the garden, completing the project you gave us all, when she suddenly started to talk to herself. When I asked her about who she was talking to, she said that it was me talking her obviously. But the most weird thing is, I was at opposite side of the garden, far enough from her that she wouldn't hear me. I didn't say a single thing to her. Yet she said that I was talking to her. I was really confused about why she would think that...."

Agatha didn't say anything and frowned while thinking about the situation. Emma looked at her.

"Do you think it is starting?",

she asked Agatha with an unreadable expression.

"Probably yes.....",

Agatha replied with a small smile made up of mixed emotions.

Maya was still thinking about all the plants in the garden while walking back to the house. She was smitten by them. She didn't know where this was coming from. She didn't take so much interest in plants before. But it was different now.

She decided to take the usual route back home which passed by from near her school. She rolled her eyes remembering all the "memories" she made in school.

As she was walking past her school, she saw someone's silhouette standing near the school's gate.

"Crap, it's Sophie",

Maya muttered to herself. She decided to escape without making a noise so that her bully cannot hear her. Yes, she was kinda being bullied at school. But she got back at everyone so it didn't really matter to her. But when Sophie bullied other girls for not being "pretty like her", it made her blood boil.

Still, she decided not to get into trouble and silently leave the vicinity. Then she saw another silhouette and some noises.

"You think you can do anything and just get away? See who you are dealing with, b*tch", it was clearly Sophie's voice.

"I am telling you that I did not do anything! Also, stop pulling my hair! It really hurts! If I lose control, it will really be bad for you!", said another voice. 'This voice sounds awfully familiar', Maya thought.

Sophie let out a small laughter and then a scoff.

"Who do you think you are? Do you even have enough strength to push me away in that petite body of yours?",

she asked the other girl.

"Trust me, I have got more than that...",

'Ooh, that is probably the only person that can speak so confidentally in front of Sophie', Maya thought.

She decided to help the other person and teach Sophie a lesson.

"Oh, yeah? Then try me!", Sophie growled.

"Please, I am begging you to let me go! It will be really painful for you! Ugh!"

"Stop bluffing! I am not scared of the likes of you!", Sophie pulled the person's hair again.

"Ouch! Let me go!"

Maya now couldn't waste a second or the things could've taken a turn for the worse for the other person.

"Hey, Sophie! What do you think you are doing?", Maya said with a stern voice. She glared into Sophie's eyes. It wasn't another moment for Maya to be surprised.

"Emma?!",

she said with widened eyes.

"Oh! If it isn't my favorite person! How have you been, Mimi? and, do you know this frump?" Sophie said with a smirk on her face.

"Ugh, that stupid nickname of yours makes me want to throw up, you know? Stop calling me that. Also, let my friend go." Maya was now concerned for Emma as she looked in pain.

"Leave my hair be! Arghh!!",

Emma clenched her jaw and pushed Sophie so forcefully that she had to reach for the railings of the gate for support. She had a shocked look on her face.

"Oh no! Are you hurt?! I told you to let me go, didn't I?",

Emma said with a concerned look on her face.

"Emma?! Are you okay? Why are you asking her if she is hurt or not? She bullied you first!",

Maya said, being surprised at Emma's attitude towards Sophie after what she did to her just now.

"I did not push her that hard, but by the looks of it, it might have hurt her a bit at least.", Emma replied.

"You! I am gonna get back at you for this!",

Sophie screamed insanely.

"Let us see who gets to do what", Maya said with a smirk.

"Hey, I am sorry, okay? I did that because you hurt me first. I could give you some first aid if it is hurting too much. But please don't come looking for me again. You will be digging your own grave."

Emma said, rubbing her eyes in exhaustion.

"You should wait and see what I do! B*tch!", Sophie got herself together and ran away from them.

"Ughhh!!! You did the right thing! That girl gets on my nerves everytime!", Maya said with her fists bumping in the air.

"I don't know about that, but I certainly don't want anymore trouble from that girl.", Emma said brushing dirt off her clothes.

"Anyway, how come you are here?", Maya asked, realising that this was nowhere near Emma's house.

"Oh, uhh.... I-I was here to meet someone I know, but they didn't seem to be home...",Emma replied.

"Sure, but it is dark now, how are you gonna get back home?"

"I, um, maybe I will look for a cab or something...."

"Are you kidding me? I am not gonna let you go home at this hour alone. My home is very close from here. Let me take you to my home. You can go home tomorrow morning.",Maya said firmly.

"Oh! No, no! I will be fine! I just proved that I have enough strength to defend myself, didn't I?",Emma said, trying to convince Maya.

"That was just one person... what if there are more? Or what if that one person is stronger than you? I am not gonna let you go home alone right now."

"I promise I'll be fine! I will give you a call once I reach home too!", Emma was still not giving up.

"But—"

"I promise!!!",Emma said, exclaiming.

"Uh, fine. But call me as soon as you reach home, okay?"Maya complied, sighing.

"Yes, I will. You too, get home safe. Don't get in trouble if you see that girl again.", Emma said.

"Sure mom!",Maya said, giggling.

Emma smiled in reply and waved at her before starting to walk in the opposite direction from her.

"New things discovered!",she said to herself while walking.

Little did she know, someone was following her.