They were all playing baseball in the backyard and Ken hit it out into the woods.
Taeo: nice going Kenneth!
K: it's not my fault I'm so strong!
Naomi: well I'm not getting it
Verena: fine I'll get it!
Verena trudges off into the woods trying to spot the direction it went in. There's an abandoned green house that's overgrown with vines. She hesitates.
K: what's taking you so long!
V: give me a minute!
Verena she sucks it up and enters pushing past the vines.
On the other side, Mira hears a crash. She goes over to see wear it came from and to her surprise she sees a baseball had knocked over a potted plant. That's strange, I didn't know the girls were playing baseball. She didn't see any of the windows broken so how did it get in? She picked up the ball and brought it outside to the pavilion where Olivia and Quinn were.
M: next time play in the front yard
She placed the baseball on the table.
O: where did you find this?
M: one of you must've hit it into the greenhouse. It nearly gave me a heart attack. Be more careful next time
Q: we weren't playing baseball
O: I don't even know how to play baseball
M: could it have been Eden?
Q: she's been sick all day. She hasn't left her room.
How big is this greenhouse? Verena didn't even expect it to have all of its walls still standing. She noticed that a good amount of potted plants were still intact, and looked healthy too. She made her way through the seemingly endless greenhouse until she spotted a potted plant that had fallen over and spilled soil everywhere. Guess that's where it went!
She examined the aftermath but didn't find the ball anywhere near the broken pot. Maybe it rolled. She started searching under the work benches. She looked behind the rack of other plants. Then she heard voices. She ducked and hid behind the leaves.
M: I promise I was just sitting there reading!!
E: You can tell us, we won't tell on you. It was just an accident.
M: I didn't do it I swear!!
Q: well then who did?
Verena stepped out from behind the rack.
V: Uh hi sorry. My friend Kenneth did it.
The girls all froze. Then Mira started screaming. Olivia was quick to cover her mouth.
Q: who are you and how did you get in here
V: I don't know!
Q: you don't know? You just appeared here
V: well no I was in my backyard and then I was looking for my ball in this old greenhouse and then you all showed up!
O: well that's because we live here!
V: it's my backyard!
Q: that's impossible this is a private property there is no house in the woods
V: alright bet! Go see for yourself if you're so sure!
M: guys stop fighting!
Q: maybe I will!
E: Quinn don't
O: she could be trying to lure us into a trap
E: STOP! Mira give her her ball back so she can go back to wherever she came from.
Mira walked over cautiously and handed her the ball.
V: thank you.
O: alright now leave.
V: I'm going I'm going! Sorry about your pot by the way.
She turned to look once more at the girls. Then she walked far into the greenhouse and disappeared.
It was silent for a moment.
M: is she gone?
E: I think so.
O: good.
Mira lingered a bit longer than the others, trying to see over the tall plants.
Verena found her way out of the greenhouse, the old end, and was back in the familiar woods. She heard her friends calling her name from different parts of the woods. They were searching for her.
V: Guys I'm right here!
They all rushed over.
N: where the hell were you?!
K: how long does it take to find a ball I thought you got mauled by a bear or something
V: it was in the greenhouse I went in and-
She stopped her sentence there. She'd sound insane if she told them what she saw.
Trang: what?
V: nothing it was just hard to find in the ruble.
Taeo: just respond back when we call for you ok? And Ken don't flex so hard next time!
V: yeah Ken this is all your fault
K: you all are jealous of my skills
Mira couldn't stop thinking about the incident. There were too many questions. Eden, her roommate, didn't want to talk about it. She's afraid she'll get in trouble, or worse, be put in a mental hospital. The other girls were thinking the same thing. But they secretly wanted to know more about the girl that came out of the greenhouse.
Q: what are you doing here?
M: what are YOU doing here?
Q: I asked you first
M: that doesn't matter I was here first so I get to ask questions first
Q: I just want to see if what she said was true
M: me too
O: why are you two doing in here?!
Q: what are doing here?
O: I asked you first
Q: well I was here before you so I get to ask questions first
O: isn't it obvious? I'm waiting to see if that intruder comes back to eat us while we sleep
Q: great so we're all almost on the same page
The door creaked open again. Eden stepped in.
E: I-
Q: we know. Come in.
——————-
Verena and Mira get trapped in each other's world because they balance out the groups. Mira brings innocence and sensitivity to the Neighborhood, and Verena brings Leadership and curiosity to The Garden.
- Verena, the most Level-headed one in the neighborhood, ends up being the most rebellious one in the Garden.
Olivia and Quinn have opposing views on Verena. Eden misses her best friend, and figured that Verena must feel the same way. They bond over their sadness but Verena decides they need to take action and try to find a way back.
Mira is scared of this new world and is confused by everything. She doesn't talk much at first, but Trang gets through to her by empathizing with her. She had very recently moved to the neighborhood and felt uncomfortable at first. Trang becomes a role model for Mira.
