Eating Something Wonderful

She was scandalous. Each line of thought I found felt rough and overextended. I might’ve been worried about threats to my life and survival earlier, but now I have more pressing concerns.

What about pregnancy, protection, or the responsibility and possibility of children? Isn’t that something to think about? What about the need to date first? Before you know?

Nah, I was being naive.

Well, what if I were the one who wasn’t ready? Outward appearances were one thing, but there were countless other impactful traits to a relationship or love. Also, I heard from many a conversation that guys can really blow it their first time with someone. There were many paths to that ruin, and doesn’t that type of thing lead to confidence issues down the line?

Curses. My world was spinning out of control, all the while I couldn’t answer Asa, who was all stares, waiting for a response from me. The space between us remained intimate. I only retreated slightly; I could hold her hand again in a heartbeat. From her point of view, I must have appeared in consideration or alternatively faltering.

As if to add more chaos, my stomach howled in the otherwise tensely quiet room. Damn it. I touched the area with my hand as if that would do anything.

I sensed as if her face grew more lifeless, seeing how things unfolded. I couldn’t complain. I had unleashed a distraction, albeit unintentional. The more time I had to settle down and process, the better.

“How about we come back to this?” She said. “Close your eyes, and I’ll get us something to eat, seeing as you sound famished. What’s your favorite food, Astrid?”

“What is it that you are going to do?” I responded. If it was secretive, that’s all the more reason I should be able to see what happened.

“Please close your eyes, and state your favorite food. It is simple and it would do us both good,” Asa said.

“It can be anything? The price doesn’t matter?” I asked

“Yes,” She said.

Something immediately came to mind, yet it would humiliate me to say.

Like, she was close to a stranger, right? A pretty one at that, and I don’t want her to hate me or worse, think I’m a nobody.

What surfaced in my desire was something you are not meant to ask for in any way. It was an unspoken gift instead.

A birthday cake. I haven’t had one in three years, since I was fifteen. It wasn’t a necessity, so it's something my family had me forego.

I couldn’t bring myself to insist on one in those past days. I…I felt like it would injure me and who I was more than lacking the cake itself.

“I want something to eat that is special. It is a type of food from an event that only occurs for each person once a year.” I said, wincing my eyes, so they can’t be seen begging.

Please figure out what I’m asking for. I was being hopeful because I couldn’t bring myself to be any more specific.

She was quiet for a few seconds. Was she in thought?

“You can open your eyes, dear,” She said.

My jaw dropped, and my face glowed with more light than it had known in months or perhaps years. She understood my meandering. She noticed me! On the table was a white and red frosted cake with countless candles lining the rim. In the center was a cream and dotted red

Happy Birthday

* Astrid *

I noticed a knife in her hand and an indistinguishable expression.

Where did that utensil come from?

The knife rocketed closer to me. My heart rate was rising as I found it ready to be grabbed. Pffhew.

“Thanks, Asa,” I said.

“Go on, blow out the candles and cut us some slices,” She said.

Bwwwh! I made sure to take off the candles once I was done.

Up and down my blade went into the cake, revealing a decadent, crumbly vanilla inside. I handed her a slice first, and then I eyed up my cake like it might disappear at any moment. I took one of the forks and drove it into the cakey walls. I placed the portion on my tongue. Was I missing something worthwhile?

Yes! The delectable mouthful made me feel lighter. I ate my piece carefully, and a few tears burst past my eyes that were trained to hold them. It was remarkable. Good memories can mean more than all the hurtful ones. I can’t throw my neglected past to the wind, yet I felt incredibly pleased to have experienced this.

Asa, on the contrary, hadn’t taken more than a single bite as I gave her status my attention.

“Do you not like me?” She sought in distress. “Or is there something wrong with me that makes you want to do it with others more? That’s clearly the reason you waited to respond. You couldn't even give me a maybe as an answer.”

My heart retracted, and I quickly blinked away my tears. I messed up as a guy. This question sounded like one a hurt partner would ask. I needed to be honest about how oblivious I was when it comes to this stuff. That would be the most right and purposeful.

Were there other ways to handle this? I really didn’t know.

“Can you tell me what this is all about? I don’t think you would be the type to consummate with me. It was eating at my mind, and that’s why I didn’t say anything.” I said.

“From the very beginning?” She said.

“Yes,” I replied.

“I am the goddess of goodwill, and this is the divine realm,” she said. “We need to consummate so you can become my medium and gain my emblem’s respective powers. That may be the only way you may survive the ritualistic contest titled Metagenesis, where the gods wage battle.”

Goddess? Gods? Was what I was about to yell out, yet she shushed me with a finger. She said all these important details while I was disconnecting from shyness!

“So you can bestow powers, but the ritual relies on consummation?” I said skeptically. “Surely, the gods with all their power can come up with a different system focusing on items, spells, or bestowing through less radical means.”

“I can’t say why the system exists. It isn’t in my realm of knowledge. A singular false god isn’t all-powerful. Still, I would think that a union is the most direct way to give someone anything,” She said.

It dawned on me that my life was like the video game I had wanted to sell. The playable character died and was then allowed to choose powers before going to a new fantasy world. Although for me, it seemed like it was going to be a lot more complicated than that.

I found it hard to breathe as I decided to unravel the truth. “Asa, how am I here? I was in some sabotaged ritual with others. Are they here as well? Did I or we reincarnate?”