Learning To Open Up

It’s been a couple days since Maya and I had our conversation on the hill and ever since then it’s been on my mind a lot. It didn’t seem like much. But those words of hers kept ringing in my head, together with that lonely look on her face.

‘I know there is so much more out there.’

I couldn’t say much to her back then. I didn’t know WHAT to say.
The way she opened up to me about what she wanted to do. How can someone do that so easily? Actually, I do know. I used to know. It’s just that I have forgotten.

But other than that, life just continued as normally as it would in this world, at least I think so. I mostly just helped out Iris around the house, accompanied Maya and Casper again on their hunts in the forest and sometimes cared for the potatoes with Richard. It... hasn’t been that eventful in the last few days.
But today will be quite a bit different. It’s Casper’s birthday.

I had heard that it would be soon, but today is that day.
From the moment we woke up, Casper took basically all the attention from Maya and his parents. The little guy jumped out of bed like a kid would when it’s Christmas, or any other special day. And why wouldn't he. It was HIS special day after all.

All of us had prepared presents, but we decided that it was best to save them until the end of the day. Casper would spend most of the day with his friends anyway, so it was best to wait until then. It also allowed us to get the rest of the house ready.
I finished my gift yesterday and hid it in the basement. It needed to be kept cold, so it wouldn’t go bad. I decided to make him something with the apples Maya and I harvested the other day. I decided to bake him an apple pie.

I made it before and I still knew most of the recipe, but finding all the ingredients was another story. Mainly the sugar. Barely anyone uses that here, so I was quite lucky to find out that Lucas, the local breadmaker, had some.
I asked if he had it when Maya and I went to get bread. At first he didn’t seem to trust me with whatever I could use the sugar for, but then I told him what I was planning to make.
Uncertainty quickly turned to intrique.
He was more than willing to help me and was even nice enough that we could use his oven. We had to improvise with the cake pan, but once we found a good replacement it was smooth sailing from there.

I would’ve loved to bake it on Casper’s birthday itself, but sadly Lucas wasn’t available that day. He wanted to be there when we were making the apple pie, so I had to make it yesterday. Not that it really matters, nor am I complaining. Apple pie tastes great even the day after it’s made, but freshly baked, right out the oven would have been even better.
It did make it easier to hide it from Casper in advance. So that's a plus.

When I was at Lucas’ place to bake the apple pie, Maya was with me. She helped me with kneading the dough and preparing the filling.
She had a hungry look on her face when she saw it and was basically on the verge of drooling, when she smelled it after it came out of the oven.
I couldn’t help but laugh at the face she was making that day.

Right now, it’s evening and eveyone has already given their presents to Casper. Maya has given him the bow that she asked Johan to make and his parents gave him new clothes and a small pocket-sized knife. At first I was shocked to see his parents of all people give him a knife, but then I realized what type of world we’re in. It’s probably not that weird to give kids one, when they’re so often in the woods anyway. I think.
And then, it was my turn.

‘Casper, I also made you something. It’s in the basement at the moment and it’s for you and everyone here.’
‘So it’s food then.’ Casper said with an intrigued look in his eyes.
‘I guess you can say that.’ I said, while trying my hardest to hide my smirk.

I went down into the basement to get it and asked Maya to help me get the pie up on the first floor. I put a cloth over it, as to keep it a surprise, but the sweet smell still permeated throughout the cloth and filled the entire room.
Maya once again, looked incredibly hungry when she smelled it, with even her cat ears perking up from the smell.

‘It still smells soooo gooood.’ Maya said, while looking like she wanted to eat the entire thing.
‘This is it.’ I unveiled the apple pie and everyone looked like they were ready to eat a piece of it, myself included. ‘And since it’s your birthday, you can have the biggest piece.’
‘YAY!’ Casper exclaimed.

Since five would have been too big for all of us, I cut the pie into eight pieces, but clearly made one bigger than the rest. Everyone watched with anticipation in their eyes. Eager to try out, whatever this sweet smelling dish would taste like.
I put the pieces on the dishes layed out before me and before I could even say anything, I saw that Casper and Maya were already chowing down.

‘Kids! Please behave yourself.’ Iris shouted at Casper and Maya.
‘I’m sorry mom. I couldn’t help it. It smells so good and tastes even better.’ Casper said to his mother. The corners of his mouth had some crumbs on it from eating too fast.

At that moment, even Iris and Richard couldn’t help themselves. They took one bite and quickly went for another. And another. And another.

The way they are enjoying it. The way they are happily eating each bite. How can this make me so happy? Is it even possible for someone to be this happy with something I made? With something I did.

‘I know there is so much more out there.’

That line again. Maya opened up to me before, so can even I…?
But would they even trust that I’m from another world? Would they accept it?
If… there is a chance? Even just a tiny one. That they fully accept me and my situation…

‘Maya. Casper. Richard. Iris. I have something I need to tell you.’ I said to the four of them, determined with my decision.

Then please. I want them to accept whatever I have to say.

---

‘And that’s the whole story.’ I finished.

At that moment, I told them everything. That I am from another world, that a mirror might have brought me here. Everything I knew related to me being here and where I came from.
I looked at my half-eaten slice of apple pie in front of me, not daring to make even a little bit of eye-contact.

‘Is that the whole story?’ Richard asked me.
‘Ye-Yeah. That’s… the whole story.’ I said. Scared at the thought about what they might think. What if they hate me? What if I was right and they don’t trust me at all and see me as completely insane?
Uncertainty and the fear of not knowing crept into my mind, ready for the worst that they could tell me.

I felt a strong hand landing on my shoulder.
‘Thank you. For telling us.’ Richard said to me.
‘Huh.’
‘It took you a while, but I’m happy that you shared this with us.’ He had a friendly expression on his face. I looked at everyone else and they also seemed to be happy that I shared this with them.

‘This is so cool! I have to tell all my friends that I know someone from another world!’ Casper said enthusiastically.

Someone seems excited at the idea.

‘Yeahhhh, maybe not do that sweetie.’ Iris said to Casper.

Honestly, the right response. You don’t want your son saying something so insane to anyone.
Huh… Wait a minute.
They… aren’t angry, or weirded out? They are… glad.

‘You… aren’t surpised?’ I asked them in confusion.

‘Well, of course we are.’ Maya said to me. ‘But we kinda figured that you weren’t from Resilia, as unlikely as it sounded. But being from an entirely different world. That’s even more insane.’
‘Well yeah. That’s why I couldn’t… No, that’s why I didn’t want to tell you. Because I had a feeling that you wouldn’t trust me.’ I said, my thoughts in disarray from their response.
‘It’s more that it’s hard to wrap my head around the idea, but I do trust you. You always looked lost to me. It’s the way you looked at everything. Like you were experiencing everything for the first time that stood out to me. Especially the way you looked at me and the other bestiana in the village. It seemed to me that you felt out of place. Like you felt that you didn’t really belong.’

Now I felt awkward, but not in a bad way. I spend so much time worrying for nothing.

‘I’m sorry for taking this long.’ I said with a small laugh and a soft smile.
‘Hey it’s alright. I do get where you are coming from. And anyway, I wouldn’t have asked you to come along with us when we first met, if I didn’t trust you at least a little bit.’ Maya said to me.
‘Heh, I guess that’s true. Thanks for that.’

I actually can’t believe it.
I couldn’t help but internally laugh at this situation. I was so stupid all this time. I was so scared that they’d hate me for it. That they wouldn’t accept me.
But little did I know, that they already had.