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“Elena!” he exclaims upon seeing her, and in turn, she beams at the sight of him. A part of me is jealous. Cal always had it easy with the opposite sex. There is something undeniably charming about him even when he’s not trying. It’s simply ingrained in him. But for others like me, it is difficult to be… casual, to be easygoing when it’s simply not our nature. I’ve accepted it a long time ago, but now that we seem to have our eye on the same girl, I can’t help but feel inadequate.
She takes a seat by my side and the food starts being served.
“Thank you,” she says when a plate of forest stew is served before her. “That smells delicious.”
Willow smiles back at her, as she’s the one serving the food this evening. “It’s made of root vegetables, wild mushrooms and just a hint of game meat, simmered to perfection in a savory broth.”
“Yummy!” Elena chuckles. “I can’t wait to try it.”
Willow sends me a curious glance but doesn’t say anything else and I’m grateful for that, as she’s usually the one questioning everything new and unexpected that is happening around the village. I make a mental note to speak to her, away from everyone else and explain, at least partially, the presence of a human in our village. As for now, they’ll all have to trust me.
We all starteating, as the communal table showcases the bounty of our gardens and the forest. As far as I can see, Elena is loving every bit of it, which makes me glad.
“Is it always like this?” Elena asks. “I mean, the dinners.”
“Mhm,” Cal nods with his mouth full of game jerky.
She smiles. “It feels like we’re celebrating something.”
“Every day of life should be a celebration of something,” Cal says, finally having swallowed his food.
“That is a wonderful way of looking at things,” she admits. “I wish I could see life like that.”
“Why can’t you?” Cal wonders.
I decide not to interfere. It feels like it is a conversation between the two of them. Only this time, I don’t feel jealous, or like I’m being left out. The two of them are glowing and I still feel the warmth, even on the sidelines.
“Maybe I do,” she suddenly seems to remember. “But only when I look at the world through my lens.”
“What do you see?” Cal asks again.
“A fairy tale,” she reveals. “That is why I find these woods so beautiful. It’s like an enchanted forest from a fairy tale. And of course, the bears.”
“Speaking of bears, I once had a friendly chat with one,” Cal chuckles, and I can’t help but join in.
“Really?” she starts laughing herself.
“Mhm,” Cal nods importantly. “A friendly exchange of growls. Really, they’re not as scary as they seem.”
“Friendly growls?” Elena repeats. “I’ll believe it when I hear it.”
Cal continues teasing her, to which she keeps chuckling melodiously.
“You know,” he continues, “we’ve got this stunning lake not far from here. Crystal-clear water, surrounded by towering pines. It’s a hidden gem, really.”
“A lake?” she echoes. “That sounds amazing.”
“Yeah, if you want to make some truly magical shots,” he continues. “It’s not too far from here, right Rock?”
I nod. “But not that close either,” I correct him. “A good hike through the woods in the eastern direction, but it’s worth it.”
“Especially during sunrise,” Cal adds. “The way the first light dances on the water, it’s like nature putting on a show.”
“I’d love to see that,” Elena smiles. “Maybe tomorrow?”
“Sure,” Cal nods, but I clear my throat, making him look in my direction.
“We have a village meeting first thing in the morning,” I remind him.
