I don’t notice the other girl at first. My head is half in my bag, shoulder deep, until my fingers brush a small parcel ribbon. I grin with a relieved huff, hauling it out from under everything piled on top. Inevitably, a blanket, a bucket hat, a sheathed hunting knife, and two headless arrows came tumbling out with it, spilling and clattering down the rock to the ground. My lower lip purses with a frown. “Guess I’ll just put those there.”
Oh—sorry.
I blink up, frown vanishing at the sight of a woman cast in the rippling red hues. Her smile is beautiful, but it lacks something. I give her a warm smile back and shake my head. ”Not interrupting a thing.”
I study her as subtly as I can. It takes me only a moment to decide, and I look down to pull the string of the bow holding the parcel together. I unwrap it, revealing three large rectangle treats, pale yellow with what looks like jam in the center. I hold one out to the other girl. ”My mom sucks at cooking, but she’s a great baker. Try. It’s shortbread with raspberry jam.”
I take one for myself and wrap the other away—both, if the other girl decides not to accept the one I offered. ”I’m Theea,” I say before I take a bite. A little crumbly, a little messy, but well worth it.
but my god, you're alive and it's spectacular
