Esme, blissfully unaware of the viper she had just befriended, felt empathy toward her. "You sound like you don't have many true friends." The words laced with curiosity tumbled out of her mouth.
Maya let out a derisive scoff. "Friends?" she echoed, the bitterness in her voice unmistakable. "Those social butterflies fluttering around me? They wouldn't know friendship if it bit them. They are close to me for their own selfish reasons."
Esme's heart ached for Maya. Compared to this woman's isolation, Esme felt incredibly fortunate to have Adelynn and Emma, her loyal and supportive confidantes. "Thanks for opening up to me," Esme said kindly.
"By the way, thanks for listening to my nonsense. What was your name again?" Maya asked, despite knowing who she was.
"I am Esme."
"Esme! That's a lovely name, just like you seem to be." Maya's grin, however, held a hint of something sharper beneath the surface. "Why are you all alone here, Esme?"
