Apricot tarts

Erika (p.ov)

I saw Mr.stone parking his vehicle and getting down, I felt so happy seeing him and I unconsciously ran towards him then I saw Caroline and reality broke the spell, what was I thinking for god's sake?? he is someone whom I can't even dare to think of in any other way. So I turned towards Caroline, gave her the bag, and ran back, not daring to look at Mr. stone.

"Huhh ...finally you got rid of Mr.stone huh..., Caroline can enjoy tolerating him now, I am sure Mr.stone would enjoy her company as well since they both are alike" Daniel said at which I looked at him in confusion," I mean they both are good at insulting people around them so I am sure they will get along," he said and we both laughed.

Even though I felt a little disappointed leaving Mr.Stone to Caroline, it's better that way I thought because he is someone I can only admire from far, I should not think about him in any other way otherwise I will end up with a broken heart. huhh...what are you thinking Eri?? just concentrate on your project, not on Mr.Stone I told myself.

From there we entered the forest and reached a place where there is a lake with beautiful wildflowers growing around, the view looked like some scenery from a Disney movie, I was so amazed by its beauty that I couldn't take my eyes off the Lake" it's beautiful..isn't it?? I heard that this place looks magical at night time" daniel said standing beside me snapping me out of my amazement.

Later Mr.King asked me to go with him to collect firewood and asked Caroline to set up tents with Mr.stone, I felt that Mr.King is trying to give some alone time to Caroline and Mr.stone, huhh...I should stop thinking about Mr.Stone I thought and applied some insect repellant gel to my hands and neck.

I have noticed that daniel didn't apply any cream "Daniel ...here ...apply this, you don't want insects to feast on your body right!! " I said giving him the cream. I saw a half-eaten fruit salad box with a few pieces of pineapple in it, I remembered Daniel once told me that he is allergic to pineapple.

"Oh god did you eat this salad??..there's pineapple in it" I asked and he nodded scratching his neck, "why did you eat it if you are allergic to pineapple?? are you a kid?? here drink some warm water," I said giving him a cup of warm water from the flask. he took the warm water and looked a little sad, did I offend him ?? why is he looking sad all of a sudden???

"Daniel...are you ok?? why do you look sad?? I am sorry if i..." he didn't let me finish my sentence and hugged me, I didn't understand anything so I just stayed like that, he left me after a few seconds and said"umm...I am sorry, it's just that you just reminded me of someone who's really close to my heart"

"umm... it's okay, would you mind If I ask you whos that person is ??" I asked curiously because Daniel is a reserved person and rarely gets emotional, he shook his head sadly and said"My little sister ...when were kids we use to go to our grandfather's farm, she always use to remind me to apply insect repellant cream when we helped our grandfather in the farm ".

"wow...you are so lucky to have such a sweet sister, I would love to see her" I said excitedly at which he looked at me sadly and said"That's not possible Eri..she died in an accident a few years before"

"I...I am sorry Daniel " I told him patting his back, even though Edward is like a big brother in my life I always wanted to have a brother or sister since I was a kid.

"I know that no one can replace her place in your heart but...umm..you can consider me as your sister," I said a little hesitatingly, at which he smiled and patted my head" I have already done that when I first saw you at the airport, your nose was so red from crying at that time," he said pinching my nose.

"I didn't cry ok...it was just a little cold that day" I said getting annoyed with his teasing,huhh... it's true that I asked him to take me as his sister but he is treating me like a child now. I saw the unevenly chopped vegetables and laughed"Are you sure you can handle cooking Daniel because it looks like you don't even know how to chop vegetables" I asked taking a piece of carrot.

"Hey don't judge my cooking by the looks ok!! you would love it once I finish cooking, see this tomato soup...so colorful" he said showing me a pan with some red-colored water, it looked like he just added some color to the water.

"This is tomato soup?? but we didn't bring any tomatoes today Daniel, how did you make tomato soup??" I asked at which he looked confused "Don't you mix tomato sauce in the water and make soup? "he asked innocently, I couldn't stop laughing when he asked me that.

"Daniel ..for god's sake do not attempt cooking till I come back with firewood ok, you just chop vegetables, that's more than enough" I told him and went to Mr.king as he was already waiting for me.

"come on Erika hurry up its not safe to collect wood when it gets dark " he said walking fastly and I almost ran behind him, we both walked a little further into the woods and I tripped on something when I was about to fall Mr.King held me from falling and looked into my eyes, I felt like he held me a little longer than needed so i immediately stepped away from him and said" I.. I am ok,thank you".

After collecting enough firewood for our camping Mr.King asked me to wait there and went to get some ropes to tie the wood. While I was waiting I have noticed an apricot tree with ripe apricots, Mr.Stone likes apricot tarts so much so I thought of getting some and climbed the tree. I have plucked as many as I can and filled them in my bag.

Suddenly I felt a moment under my leg, when I looked what that was I saw a big black snake at the bottom of the tree, that's it...all the blood drained out of my face with fear and I screamed loudly. How can I get down now?? if I climb down it will not leave me alive, if I jump from here I will definitely break my legs, while I was almost peeing my pants with fear Mr.Stone appeared out of nowhere but he didn't notice me and looked here and there.

I could see fear in his face, I never saw him like this, he always looked cold and serious but for the first time I saw fear in his face," Erika...where are you??...Erika...where are you??" he shouted loudly.I was afraid that the snake would crawl up if I make any sound so took an apricot from the bag and hit him with it.

Then he looked up and saw me hugging a small branch and hanging, he looked concerned at first and then laughed a little and asked, "what are you doing up there?? are you planning to join the monkey clan or what??" I shook my head and pointed to the bottom of the tree, he looked confused at first and looked at the bottom of the tree, his eyes widened after seeing the snake.

"Don't...don't say anything just stay calm, I will get you down" he said and picked a big stick. He sprayed something on it and carefully took the snake with that stick and threw it away, my heart almost stopped when he did that and then He slowly climbed the tree and I immediately hugged him locking my legs around his waist like a baby monkey and closed my eyes.

All my fear was gone when I hugged him, I heard him chuckling but I didn't dare to open my eyes when he was climbing us down the tree. I was so scared that I didn't even realize that we were already on the ground"For how long are you gonna choke me??" he asked and I opened my eyes nervously to look into his eyes, for some reason his eyes looked exactly like the stranger who saved me from the accident back home.

"Have we ever met before Mr.Stone??" i asked him looking into his eyes, he looked into my eyes with some unknown emotion and said"No..i don't normally meet people with your IQ" he said snapping me back to reality,huhh...who am i kidding!! this is the famous Christopher Stone who doesn't even give interviews to anyone, how can i possibly meet him outside this island I thought.

"Are you feeling comfortable..or should i carry you in my arms??" Mr.Stone asked me snapping me out of my thoughts, I got confused at first and then i realised i was still holding him like a monkey, so I immediately left him and got down. But I must admit that his body was warm and comfortable to hold I thought smiling.

Eww...why am I thinking about hugging him"What happened?? Erika ..are you ok?? why did you scream like that?" Mr.King asked running towards us snapping me out of my dirty thoughts. I was about to say I was okay but Mr.Stone interrupted and said "Where the hell were you?? why did you leave her alone ?? she would have died instantly if that snake bit her"

"What snake?? i just went to get a rope,i thought she would be okay. I am sorry Erika, are you ok?? did you get hurt??" Mr.King asked me with concern,he looked really scared, I shook my head in a no and said"I am ok Stephen..it was my mistake to climb the tree, please don't say sorry"

"Stephen huhh...why are you calling him by his name ?? and why did you climb that goddam tree, you are here to help us not to waste our time by getting yourself into troubles," Mr.Stone asked me angrily by holding my wounded arm harshly, I felt pain when he grabbed my arm like that so I shoved his hand away immediately and picked my bag.

Mr.Stone took the bag from me harshly and said"Do not walk away when I am talking to you...answer me ...why did..." he stopped when a few apricots fell from my bag." I...I thought to make some apricot tart for you" I said picking them and putting them back in my bag, he fell silent for a few seconds.

"Oh my god Eri..did you scratch your hands while climbing the tree?? " Mr.King asked me checking my hands and I shook my head in a no" It's nothing .. I am fine, umm..if you are done tieing the firewood let's go, we don't want Daniel to start cooking, do we?? " I said trying to lighten up the atmosphere.

But they both looked serious, suddenly Mr.Stone picked me up in his arms and said: "I will take her to the camp, you bring the firewood" he told Stephen and started walking towards the camp," Mr.Stone please put me down, I am ok .. I can walk"i said trying to get down but he didn't budge.

"Can you please not talk for a minute, you don't want your hands to get infected, do you??" he asked looking ahead, I sighed and gave up struggling, he is like a mountain and I am like a rat, there is no use in fighting with him.

After a few minutes he brought us to the camp,i saw Caroline applying some cream to her face in her tent,i immediately got down and stepped away from Mr.Stone not wanting her to see us like that. he looked at me in confusion, "umm..we are here, I will go and clean my hands " I told him and ran away bumping into Daniel.

"Eri..what were...oh no ..your hands are bleeding, what happened??" he asked with concern and took me into his tent, he took out some medical supplies from his bag and cleaned the scratches with Dettol and applied some ointment. His care and concern really touched my heart, is it this good to have a brother?? I thought looking at him.

"Are you a kid?? you just went out there for a few minutes and got scratches, what happened anyways??" he asked me, "I just wanted to get some apricots to make some tart for Mr.Stone" I said rubbing my aching arm.

"Why are you rubbing your arm ?? your wound isn't healed yet" he asked, I can't tell him that Mr.Stone held my arm harshly and I am feeling pain now, so I just shook my head like it was nothing and stopped rubbing.

Daniel sighed and said"I know that he is your Idol, but is it worth it to hurt yourself like this for him?? he is not a normal person like us Eri..so it would be better if we keep our distance from him and remember why we came here" even though he sounded harsh he was right.

"You are right, he is not of the same world as of ours, I will be careful next time," I said and took the knife from him and started chopping vegetables, "hey ..no don't do that, your hands are hurt," Daniel said trying to take the knife from me but I didn't let him.

"I am fine, you go and wash those potatoes and let me cook in peace," I told him, he sighed and went to wash the potatoes. we finished cooking by 6'0' clock in the evening and lit the campfire. Mr.Stone and Mr.King got busy with equipment setting near the lake, Caroline didn't come out of her tent much saying that her skin would be spoiled if she stays near the fire.

Later I have eagerly waited for the moon to appear so that we can see the glowing plants and the beautiful scenery like Daniel said earlier but I have never would have expected what was coming for me that night...