the earth has music for those who listen
The appearance of the marbles is a surprise; from watching the street kids running to and fro across the alleyways and skinny lanes, Mateo has noticed that they almost always steal food (for obvious reasons). Accepting the marble in his palm, he holds it up to the light to inspect, seeming impressed with her choice. "You should leave the shopkeeper something nice tomorrow morning on his doorstep," he suggests. "As a thank you." Equality and all that.
Listening eagerly to her description of her own schooling, Mateo offers the marble back and tilts his head curiously. "Is the big house like a school?" he asks. "They bring us here for classes sometimes. Those are my favourites." As for his own school, yes, it is fancy, and the boy can't even really deny it. "I like it," he says with a slow nod. "There are a lot of books in the libraries that make the lessons much more interesting."
None of it is nearly as interesting as the party they had both attended, though, and he flashes Paige another dimpled grin. "I didn't get to eat any cake," he laments. "But I got to play some games at the stalls before everything went weird. It was fun."
Listening eagerly to her description of her own schooling, Mateo offers the marble back and tilts his head curiously. "Is the big house like a school?" he asks. "They bring us here for classes sometimes. Those are my favourites." As for his own school, yes, it is fancy, and the boy can't even really deny it. "I like it," he says with a slow nod. "There are a lot of books in the libraries that make the lessons much more interesting."
None of it is nearly as interesting as the party they had both attended, though, and he flashes Paige another dimpled grin. "I didn't get to eat any cake," he laments. "But I got to play some games at the stalls before everything went weird. It was fun."
