Dusk — City Center Square
At dusk that same day, the downtown square looked as it usually did. People were heading home, and the last shops were closing. There weren't many people on the streets—unlike earlier, when it had been packed.
The central square was considered the heart of the city. In the middle there was a lit fountain that made the water droplets sparkle at night. Around it, large beds of native trees and shrubs were maintained by city hall and the local university.
From inside one of the bushes, a bright light began to appear—the same kind that had been seen when Rosália and Itzel arrived.
The light took shape and revealed a young-looking woman, slightly below average height, fair-skinned, with pale pastel-pink hair braided and pinned up high on both sides.
Her amber eyes were friendly and sharp, and her makeup was soft. She wore gold accessories set with precious gems, a blue-and-amber bodysuit studded with stones, and knee-high boots.
"OHHH! I made it! It's really real!" the woman exclaimed.
"Welcome, Maureen!" Itzel greeted her.
Her arrival had already been announced, and Itzel had brought a long-sleeved yellow shirt with a teddy bear printed on it to give her.
"Awww, it's so cute! This shirt is totally me!"
"Good. I thought you'd like it. Let's go to my place," Itzel said, leading the way.
"Okay!" she agreed, putting the shirt on.
As they walked, she observed everything closely: the buildings, the trees, the ground, the sky. Everything was so different from her home. Nothing escaped her eyes.
"It's beautiful… It must be really nice to live here."
"Yeah. It is."
"I was kind of worried. Rosália said it was horrible here—full of monsters—and that I'd be attacked immediately."
"Ah. Rosália tends to exaggerate a bit."
"Also, she was worried I wouldn't recognize you. She thought you'd be disfigured, but you look fine to me."
That made Itzel look at her, confused. He couldn't hold it in—he burst into loud laughter.
After about fifteen minutes of walking, they stopped in front of a corner building with two towers and sixteen large apartments. The ground floor had commercial spaces.
In front of it there was a luxurious bathroom fixtures shop, and on the other corner, a chaotic gas station. The building was also near the city's soccer field—though not as close as Koa and Adonis's.
"WOW! You're living in this huge house?" Maureen asked.
"HAHAHAHA—no. It's not a house. It's a building. There are lots of homes inside it, other people's too. They're called apartments."
They went inside, and he led her to the apartment he was living in. When they reached it, he opened the door.
Inside were his three roommates: Ren, the video rental store owner; Dylan—green eyes, wavy brown hair tucked under a knit beanie—watching Maureen carefully; and Kenta—tall, rough-looking, with piercings, black clothes, and bangs covering one eye—who wouldn't stop staring at her.
The three of them were watching TV and drinking beer. When they heard the door open, they turned to greet Itzel. Ren, the most excited, stood up with a beer in hand to offer him.
Then the greeting stalled.
All three were staring, dumbfounded, at the girl their roommate had brought with him.
"You live with Earth humans?" Maureen asked.
"Yes. I do. They're harmless."
While Maureen and Itzel talked, Ren pulled him aside to demand an explanation.
"Itzel—you didn't say you had a girlfriend."
"I don't. She's just a friend."
"Just a friend? Come on, man—introduce your friend!" Dylan said, slightly drunk.
"This is Maureen. I'm going to show her the city. See you later."
Itzel quickly guided Maureen back toward the door. As they left, the three of them made a long "HMMM" in perfect unison.
Itzel looked even more irritated, slammed the door, and Maureen flinched at his reaction.
"Itzel… is it like Rosália said? Are you being kept captive?"
As soon as they were alone, she pointed to her eyes and blinked twice.
"Blink twice if you need help!"
Itzel stared at her—serious, unimpressed—then let out a long sigh. He resumed walking, explaining his situation as they went.
"I work with them, and we split the rent."
"What's rent?"
"It's when you pay to live in a house that belongs to someone else."
While they talked, their friend Ren—drunk—opened a window and yelled from the second floor:
"HAVE A NICE DATE!"
Itzel wanted to curse at him, but he was so shocked that all he could do was stare up at the window, mouth open.
"Itzel—do they think we're together? Why don't you tell them you already have Rosália?" Maureen asked, flustered.
"I… don't talk about my personal life."
The Diner
They didn't have to walk far to reach the nearby diner—only one block away. It wasn't big, but it was cozy and well-known in town.
On the corner, the diner served customers on-site and also delivered. The local specialty was an X Salada with homemade mayonnaise, corn and peas, plus the patty, of course—and lettuce and vinaigrette.
"Ooh! Are we going to try Earth food?"
"Yes. I invited Koa and Adonis too."
They found a table with four chairs.
Soon Adonis showed up and headed toward them. When he saw his friends, he smiled and greeted them, upbeat.
"Hey! Itzel, Maureen! How are you?" Adonis said, picking up his pace.
"Hi, Adonis. Is Koa coming?" Itzel asked.
"No. He said he didn't need to, because you were going to take care of me."
Itzel didn't like hearing that. He immediately realized he would have to pay for everyone's food alone—and babysit. His wallet was going to feel a lot lighter that night.
"Sit here," Maureen said, pointing to the chair across from Itzel.
"Thanks," Adonis said, sitting down.
"I'll order what I think you'll like," Itzel said, menu in hand.
"And is that good?" Maureen asked, looking at the picture of the X Salada.
"I didn't understand anything either, but I didn't know school food before, so let's try this," Adonis said, grabbing the other menu.
Itzel was already familiar with the place—he usually came with his friends. And he'd known his friends from Finalia for a long time, so he chose what he thought would be best. He called the waiter and ordered for everyone.
Meanwhile, Maureen spoke to Adonis on the side, curious about the mission.
"So, Adonis—what did you come to do?"
"Me? Uh… try to locate the Potentia."
"Since you're about the same age as them, it's easier," Itzel explained.
"But that doesn't make any sense!" Maureen protested. "Why don't you and Rosália look for them? You're the ones who saw them! Wouldn't it be easier?"
"Rosália got terrified. She doesn't want to come back. I only saw the older one. I didn't memorize the others' faces. And at school it's easier to search as a student."
"Okay… got it… But man… I'm hating school," Adonis said.
"Hahaha. Then you're fitting in. I think what you need is to find someone acting strange."
"Everyone is strange. I think I need to look for the opposite…"
"You should get a girlfriend," Maureen suggested.
"WHAT?! DISGUSTING!" Adonis's outburst made other customers look his way.
"Maureen… I don't see how that helps the mission," Itzel said, equally shocked.
"It helps you make good memories! I had plenty at your age!"
The two of them stared at her without replying. Maureen kept talking about her romances, while they steered the conversation back to the planet and what they had been going through.
Drinks
During that time, a tall waiter with brown hair—who looked about twenty-five—came to the table with their drinks. Maureen, curious, sized him up from head to toe.
"Drinks are here!"
The drinks were poured. The yellowish liquid with a bitter smell in Itzel's glass caught Adonis's attention.
"What's that drink you're having?"
"That's beer. It's for adults. Only me and Maureen can drink it."
"And that black bubbly drink—what is it?"
"It's soda. That's what kids drink."
Maureen listened, then took Itzel's glass and drank without waiting.
She swallowed it all in one gulp. But as soon as the bitter, salty taste hit her, she spat it back into the glass, disgusted.
"THAT'S HORRIBLE, ITZEL!"
"DON'T SPIT IT BACK INTO MY GLASS, MAUREEN!"
"Itzel, is there more of this?" Adonis asked, holding up the now-empty soda bottle and propping his foot on the chair.
"You already drank it all?!" Itzel said, startled. "And sit properly!"
"It's really that good?" Maureen's amber eyes shone as she stared at the cup like a puppy.
"Yeah. And if you don't like it, I'll drink it all, no problem!" Adonis said, holding the cup.
"Bring two more sodas," Itzel told the waiter.
"Right away."
Night's End
The night went by with food, drinks, conversation, and laughter. By the end of the outing, Maureen was full. Itzel knew life in Finalia wasn't easy and felt relieved to have helped his companions have a little fun. Adonis also seemed relieved to have seen them again; his expression was lighter, smiling.
"Ah… I ate," Maureen said, hand on her stomach.
"Let's go, then," Itzel said, after paying.
"Thanks a lot, Itzel! Invite me next time!" Adonis said, then ran off toward home.
Itzel and Maureen walked back together toward the building where he lived.
"Tonight you're staying at my place."
"Aww! Am I going to be your friend for rent?" Maureen said, hand to her face, delighted.
He laughed. "No. Just tonight. Tomorrow we'll find you somewhere."
He paused, looked up at the sky, then looked back at her.
"The forecast for tomorrow is rain and thunderstorms."
Maureen's expression changed quickly, turning serious. She smiled in a way that showed she understood the message.
"Great. I'll start moving things."