Mara folded her arms.
“And why did you tell her she eats too much?”
Kayla looked at her.
“What?”
“I heard you the other night.”
That surprised me.
Mara hadn’t said anything at the time.
She continued.
“You told her it might do her good to stay hungry.”
Kayla looked trapped.
“I was annoyed.”
“You ate four of her meals in one day,” Mara said. “What exactly were you annoyed about?”
Kayla was silent.
Finally, she sat down on the hallway bench.
“It’s food. I’ll pay her back.”
“That’s not the point,” I said.
“Then what do you want?”
“I want you to tell me why.”
She looked away.
I waited.
Finally, I tried a different question.
“Why did you replace Mara’s soda?”
“Because I took it.”
“And my food?”
Nothing.
“Why was that different?”
Kayla stared at the floor.
Then, she finally said it.
“Because Mara would’ve made me replace it.”
I felt something cold settle in my stomach.
“And me?”
Kayla didn’t look up.
“I thought you’d let it go.”
There it was.
It wasn’t hunger.
It wasn’t confusion.
She hadn’t accidentally mixed up our groceries.
She had chosen me because she thought I was easier.
I worked late.
