Different Worlds

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

​"You met someone."

​Charles glanced over at Moira who was giving him a look, "What?"

​"You met someone. I can tell."

​"I don't know what you're talking about," Charles responded but he couldn't stop the small smile appearing on his face.

​"Who was it?"

​"Some rich boy got a little too far from home and was chased by Frisbee."

​Moira laughed, "Of course. So who is he?"

​"His name was Erik. He seemed nice, we talked a little bit."

​"I thought you didn't want to talk with the rich?"

​"I know....but...he didn't seem bad. I'm just not fond of the royalty. Anyway, I need to get to the orchard soon. Reading, you know?" Charles said and Moira nodded.

​"Yea I know. You and your books. Be careful out there. Don't let the rich get in your head."

​"I won't," Charles smiled as he grabbed his book and turned away from Moira. It was a shame that the rich were already clogging up his mind and her warning had done nothing. He walked down his usual path to the orchard. He leaned back against his tree and opened his book.

​"Charles!"

​He shut his book and rolled his eyes, expecting Alex or Scott to have followed him. He was surprised when the rich boy appeared in front of him again. He smiled slightly.

​"What are you doing back?"

​"You said you wanted to meet again. So I am here," Erik stated with a grin. Charles nodded slightly.

​"Oh. Alright."

​"Oh, I have brought you something," Erik said before holding out a small basket, "It isn't much, I'm afraid."

​Charles took the basket from him and looked inside. He stared. It was full of food. There was bread, fruit, vegetables, and something Charles hadn't ever heard of.

​"What is that?" he asked pointing at the strange food. Erik glanced down and then smiled.

​"Ah, that is a pastry. They're sweet," he explained, "It has sugar and other things that make it sweet."

​James looked up at Erik who swallowed nervously.

​"Umm...in the little container, there's some stew. I'm afraid we didn't have much but it will be enough for one or two servings. And the orange things are carrots....."

​"I know what the other things are, Erik," Charles said. He couldn't help the smile that spread onto his face. Erik was so nice. He had thought all rich people were cruel or rude. "Thank you so much. This is like a week's worth of food."

​"You looked hungry," Erik said softly as he sat down across from him, "Oh! But I also brought lunch for us!"

​Charles couldn't help the look of disbelief he gave the other boy, "What?"

​"Yes. I brought lunch. I assumed I'd see you out here so I decided we should have a picnic. I've never had one before."

​"Okay then," Charles agreed. Why would he turn away free food? He watched as Erik took out more food and a small blanket. There were apples and bread with some kind of meat on it. Charles couldn't remember the last time he had eaten protein of any kind. He felt his face heat up at the realization that he had never had anything more than a few pieces of bread and fruit over the past week. Erik pulled out a little bag with cheese in it and laid it on the bread with the meat and then he handed it to him.

​"Here, it's really good."

​Charles took it hesitantly before taking a small bite. Warmth flooded his mouth and he choked in surprise. "What is this?"

​"It's a bit of venison, I believe," Erik said as he chewed thoughtfully, "And then the cheese and the bread. I warmed the bread before I came out here because then the cheese melts a little and makes it taste better."

​"This is.....wow," Charles whispered as he bit off a huge piece, "I've never had anything like this before."

​Erik smiled and his cheeks puffed out because of how full they were of food. Charles laughed and took another bite. It was gone too soon. The look of disappointment must have been obvious because Erik made another for him and gave it to him.
​
​"You're too nice, Erik," he smiled and the boy grinned back at him. They ate a little more and Erik started crunching on an apple. Charles ate some of the carrots, he enjoyed them and Erik had given him a strange sort of dip to put on them. He was being spoiled here and he knew it.

​"So tell me about yourself. That's what friends do right?" Erik asked. Charles nodded slightly.

​"Well....I'm sixteen years old. I have an older brother who I don't like much. I don't like my dad either but my mom's really nice. I have a few friends. Moira lives down the street from me. My friends Alex and Scott are brothers and they live closer to the market. And then there's Logan who is older than me and he does woodworking."

​Erik was staring at him like he was speaking a different language. He probably was. Rich boys probably didn't have to deal with wood. They probably didn't have to go to the market.

​"They sound nice. I'm sorry about your brother and your dad. I don't get along with my family either. And my older sister isn't very nice to me. I'm seventeen," Erik replied finally. Charles smiled. So they were very close in age.

​"Do you have any friends?"

​Erik shook his head, "Nope. You are the first one."

​Charles thought that was kind of odd. He would've figured that rich kids would always go out together.

​"So what do you do as a rich kid?" Charles asked. Erik looked at him for a while.

​"Uh.....," the boy was obviously struggling with coming up with an answer, "I mean, I've ridden horses."

​"Have you?" Charles knew that many wealthy people had their own stables, "Are you any good?"

​"One of the best," Erik said and a proud grin appeared on his face. Charles returned the smile. The boy definitely had an interesting grin. He looked somewhat like a shark. Charles had never seen a shark in person, but he'd seen drawings of them in the markets. They had lots of teeth. "What about you? What do you do?"

​"Well, I enjoy reading," Charles gestured to his book that laid discarded in the grass, "It's definitely easy to get lost in the stories."

​Erik was looking at the book, "I've never read before."

​"What?"

​"I haven't. I believe I know how, I just have not read since I learned how."

​Charles almost wanted to pity the boy. How could he never have read a book just for enjoyment before? Maybe rich kids didn't read.

​"What is that one about?" Erik asked him.

​"Oh. Well I haven't gotten far. I believe it is supposed to be your everyday romance. Sadly, my book selection is quite limited."

​Erik nodded slightly, "Oh."

​"Do your parents mind that you come out here? You said you didn't get along with them."

​"Well, I don't," Erik agreed, "I don't really tell them. I snuck out yesterday. I actually didn't mean to come out this far, I lost track of where I was going."

​"Did you manage to get back alright?"

​"Of course," Erik nodded. Charles glanced down at the food that Erik had brought. He had more of those strange pastries.

​"May I have one of those?"

​"Of course. I have plenty," Erik pushed the treat towards him.

​"Are they called something specific?"

​"We just call them pastries, they may have different names in different places."

​"We should come up with one," Charles said. Erik frowned.

​"We can't just call it something because we feel like it."

​"Why not? Hey, the nobles get to do whatever they want. We should be able to as well."

​Erik thought for a moment and then nodded, "Okay. What do you want to call it?"

​They stared at the treat for a few moments and then Erik took one for himself, "How about cookies?"

​"What? Is that even a word?"

​"Well, no. But you said we should come up with a name for it. So I made up a word."

​"Cookie. I like it," Charles decided, "Shall we eat them?"

​Erik laughed, "Yes, yes we should."

​Charles took a bite of his pastry and was shocked by the taste that he got from it. He had never tasted something this delicious before. Erik was right, it was sweet.

​"These are really good."

​"Aren't they?" Erik agreed as he finished one and then took another, "I could eat them all day."

​They finished the rest of the food and Charles could say that for once in his life he was actually full. He couldn't eat more if he tried. He really wished he could thank Erik someway. This boy had known him for a day and was already nicer to him than his brother or his father. Erik didn't have to do any of this. He didn't even need to come back here today, yet he had.

​"I really can't thank you enough for today," Charles sighed softly, "I've never had so much food in my life."

​"I'm truly sorry about that, I will.....," Erik trailed off and looked away. He looked upset about something.

​"Are you alright?"

​"Yes. I was just thinking. It is quite nice out here," Erik noted and Charles had to agree. It really was so much nicer here than back in the village. There wasn't anything to remind the two of them that they had no business being near each other. Charles couldn't remember the last time he'd seen a wealthy person. They'd tended to steer clear of the poor. "I should probably go back."

​Charles watched Erik stand up, "So soon?"

​"Yes. It is a bit of a walk back home," Erik sighed, "I will see you tomorrow maybe? Yes?"

​"I hope so," Charles said and found himself meaning those words. He'd never thought that he'd be friends with the rich. But Erik was so different. He wasn't selfish or condescending towards him. He acted like a normal person around him and that made Charles so much more comfortable. It was awful that he felt so comfortable around a boy who he barely knew. But this was the only person that treated him like he was just another person. Everyone else, even his friends, treated him like he was in trouble. Like he had no chance. They were always worrying about him. Erik treated him like a friend. "Goodbye, Erik."

​"Good day, Charles."

​Erik disappeared into the trees and Charles sighed before picking up the small basket of food and tucked his book inside it. He'd have to sneak this up to his room and then have it in small amounts. He couldn't contain his happiness as he made his way home. He was going to be able to eat tonight, tomorrow, and the rest of the week.