Our IDs arrived a week later. It was a small, metal card with a picture and name, along with eye color, height, and weight. My picture wasn't the best. My eyes drooped, and my bedridden hair gave me a lazy appearance.

I slid the card into the sleeve of my wallet that Sydney had bought me. I promised to repay her in the future, but she refused. She constantly checked in on me and the boys, making sure we were ok and had what we needed. I felt guilty not being able to repay her.

Sydney stood in the kitchen with Owen, making fish. Her curly hair was tied into a poofy bun that sprouted at the top. She wore a red and white checkered apron as she paid attention to the fish simmering in the pan. On the other hand, Owen was by the counter making mashed potatoes. He wore one of Roger's shirts since he didn't want to get his dirty. I'd never seen Owen wear something of Roger's. Maybe because Roger's short–sleeved shirt was long–sleeved for Owen.

"How are the potatoes looking?" Sydney asked with her eyes still on the fish.

"They look… mashed…"

This was the first time Owen had made mashed potatoes. His voice displayed uncertainty about his potatoes.

Sydney and Owen spent a lot of time together. They shared common interests. Cooking was one of them. Every evening, they bounced ideas on what to make and were pretty enthusiastic about it. Yesterday, they squealed with joy as they decided on meatloaf. That was my cue to leave the house and go shopping with Roger and Tim.

Speaking of Roger and Tim, they constantly go out with Kaze, Sydney's younger brother. They constantly went shopping and returned home empty–handed. Roger had an obsession with window–shopping. Tim complained how Roger kept using the phrase "limited Ionian item", in fear that we would get in trouble because of that. Sydney claimed nothing would happen since the possibility of alien life was more convincing than an outsider entering the city. SCAR would never look into a crazy person pretending to be an outsider. Apparently, it's more normal than people would think.

Out of boredom, I stepped into the kitchen and leaned against the wall with my arms crossed.

"Sydney, do you know when the boys will be back?"

"Ah, let's see… It's 7:13. Kaze promised to be back before 8, so hopefully sometime around there. Why? Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just…"

"Owen, watch the fish for me." She left the pan and stood before me. She straightened my body and smiled. "You continuously ask me about them when they are out. You do not need to worry. They will come home."

I lowered my head. "Sometimes, I'm scared that they won't. I just want everything to be ok."

"And it will be. Ruben worked hard creating those IDs, and I sternly warned Kaze to stay out of trouble. Trust me, you do not have to worry."

I nodded. "Ya, I guess you are right."

At that moment, the front door opened with loud voices echoing through the entire first floor.

"Told you," she whispered.

I exhaled a sigh of relief.

"Hey, Roger, next time please don't eat so much."

"I ate nine plates worth! That's not a lot."

Kaze responded. "You got us kicked out…"

"Nine plates?! Do you plan to go into hibernation?!"

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They came around the corner and into the kitchen, bitter about Roger's large appetite.

"Hey, Jill. Look at this man. He got us kicked out from an all–you–can–eat buffet."

"Ya, I heard."

Tim continued. "How can you get kicked out of a buffet? I didn't even though that was a possible outcome. This man basically ate their entire walk–in fridge."

"Tim, I didn't know either," Roger said with his hands waving around.

"We know for next time. At least we didn't get banned from entering," Kaze said.

Kaze was on the shorter side. He was an inch or two shorter than I, with minimum muscle. His bony figure made his veins pop more than the average person's. His hair was tied in a man bun, which wasn't a common look. I couldn't remember the last time I saw someone with a man bun.

Kaze was not the man at the convention center line where I first saw Sydney. That would be Nathan, Sydney's twin. He lives in Raxton, which is forty kilometers away from the city.

"Hey, Owen," Tim said, "How're you and that girl?"

He turned around with rosy–red cheeks. "Oh—uh—good…? I'm seeing her—what day is it today? Saturday?" His eyes drifted upward, performing arithmetic on the days. "I'm seeing her on Tuesday. Casual coffee date. Nothing special."

"Coffee?" I asked, surprised. "I thought you didn't drink coffee."

That's when he poured his heart out.

"I don't! I don't understand how coffee works! It's too complicated. What the hell is the difference between a cappuccino and a latte? How does a normal espresso work? What is a frappuccino? What milk do they put in? Can I change my milk? How many sugars are too many? Do I get it iced or hot? Whipped cream or no? I don't know!"

His eyes bulged out of his anxious face. Owen spoke too fast for my brain to comprehend half of what was said. His chest rapidly moved, attempting to catch his breath. He expressed his worries in one breath.

Sydney walked over to Owen and patted his shoulders. "You'll be fine. I'll give you my order, and that's what you get."

"What do you get?"

She took a deep breath. "Iced caramel latte with four pumps of caramel, a pump of vanilla, less ice, two packets of sugar, whipped cream, and mocha crumbles."

Owen frowned with his jaw partially dropped. He froze, unable to speak. It was almost like he was still processing what Sydney said. I couldn't blame him. She lost me at the second ingredient.

Sydney smiled and smacked his arm. "Good luck."

"Y—Ya…"

That was the most unenthusiastic response ever.

Tim spoke. "Are you still using Sydney's phone to talk to her?"

Owen nodded. "I have no other way."

"Actually," Kaze said, "Now that y'all have IDs, y'all can purchase a phone. It's pricey, though. Sydney and I don't have enough money for that."

Sydney stared at the ground, lost in deep thought. It seemed to be searching in her mind for a solution. Before she could find something, I proposed something.

"We can all share a phone?"

"I don't recommend it. Having a phone is extremely important for everyday use," Kaze said with a finger near his mouth.

I noticed Kaze always had a finger close to his mouth whenever there wasn't much going on. It was kind of a weird habit.

Sydney walked out of the kitchen, grabbed her car keys, and headed for the front door. "I'm going grocery shopping." She closed the door behind her.

"Hey, that's much needed. Roger ate two frozen pizzas last night."

"One and a half. I saved the other for breakfast."

"Hey… that doesn't make it any better," Tim said, oddly disappointed.

I rolled my eyes, slipped on my shoes, and followed Sydney. She stood by the open car door, rapidly moving her fingers on her phone.

"Do you mind if I come?" I asked while still on the steps.

I wanted to go somewhere. I didn't like being stuck inside all day.

She waved her hand towards her while looking over her shoulder. "Let's go."

I tagged along and got in the car with her. Sydney lit a cigarette for herself. She didn't bother asking me since my answer was always the same.

I never understood how and why she smoked. It smelled appalling, and her breath lingered with ash.

She took a puff and exhaled out the window. "I lied. I'm not going to the store."

"Then where?"

"There's a bar on the edge of Blare… the big lake near the city center."

Lake Blare was the lake I crossed when going to the convention center. Sydney gave me a brief rundown of the geographic names a few days ago, so her specifying a lake was unnecessary. It showed she cared in case I forgot.

"I don't enjoy drinking."

"There's a bakery a couple of stores down. They sell—"

"I'm in."

She hesitated. "I—I didn't even finish my sentence…"

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