The Beginning

They left the old man's store and headed down towards the Great Bridge of Tenei. Tenei was a big city full of roads and vehicles and people. The city was full of life as there was no distinction between where the people lived and where they worked.

Tenei had all sorts of people with every personality, even the ones you may have not thought of. As they walked down the street with Diaz pushing her bike slowly, Davis couldn't help but notice the laughter and joy that kids displayed in the various playgrounds across the city.

In about 600 meters from the old man's store, Davis could spot a basketball court that had very many people. It reminded him of home. He used to enjoy the game with Ryan back at Theo. He could not stop his eyes from wandering across the country. In the court, Davis spotted a familiar face. It was one of the people he had been in the cell with.

He couldn't wave or greet him because they honestly had no basis of a relationship they just happened to be at the same place at the same time. It could have been weird.

Just in front of them were children on bicycles that rode along the bicycle lanes due to the heavy traffic. Their smiles were tangible. They would keep circling between the coffee shop and the hardware store that was just about 200 meters away.

"You look like you have never been to Tenei before." Diaz was surprised by Davis' reaction to the city. It was as if he had never seen people. He kept staring at those children as they played about the same circle admiring the joy that they had on their faces.

"How did you know I was at the old man's store?" He asked Diaz to try and evade the conversation that she had started because if it continued there was no way he could have convinced her that he was telling the truth and the last thing he wanted was questions.

"I was just around when you were entering the store so I decided to check it out. I was going to ask why you wanted to go to the boutique so bad but from the previous times we've met I can see why." She was quick to give an answer together with a comment that showed level of keenness.

"So, what's up with finding a boutique?" He couldn't wait to receive an answer to this question. He was very curious and eager to know.

"Can we just keep walking? You will see when we get there." She looked at him and giggled.

Davis was back to his amusement state from the beauty of the city. He kept staring at the coffee shop. He thought that maybe he would visit that place first to ask for a job. The problem was that he did not know whether they would demand a work permit.

He started thinking about home and how much he should find his way back. However, he knew that he had no choice but to stabilize his housing situation before he could search for a way back to his home country. He needed time to build up his story and to get enough money to book him a flight home.

Davis kept thinking about Lizzy and hoped that she would help him in his quest. He didn't know anyone else that would be in a position to understand his situation and he preferred if only the two of them were aware.

The city did not stop showing off more elegant sceneries even for a second. Right ahead of the hardware store was a car store. He had not noticed it because it was situated inwards. He saw the unique models of vehicles that even in a decade would never have reached Theo.

He kept staring at the cars and one bizarre thought came to his mind. He thought about buying himself one of those and transporting them back home, however far that was. These designs were astonishing. He was so surprised that he stood for a second and giggled. He knew that no one in his hometown would believe his stories about the awesome cars and the beautiful city of Tenei because no one had ever heard of it.

"First people and now cars." Diaz seemed to be baffled by how much of a surprise the city was to Davis.

The walk was getting longer and longer until it felt like they had been walking for days. The sun was overhead and this meant that Davis sweated even more on his stinking clothes. He felt like reaping them from his body but he could not bear with him becoming the headline story in a country he knew nothing about.

He had to keep his cool. One thing that he noticed about the roads in Tenei was that they all had an extra lane that was not used.

"Why is this lane empty?" He had to ask. He tried coming up with theories about it but all his assumptions did not suffice any logical reasons.

"These lanes you see on the sides are meant for ambulances. You know I keep wondering why you are astonished by the city, why you keep on getting lost, and why you seem to always need my help. There is something you are not telling me." Diaz stood and looked at Davis with the curiosity of the furry pet. "Uh-huh, you decide to go deaf and dumb on me."

"There is something you are not telling me." He quickly redirected her inquiry. "Why did you push so much for us to be friends and how come we have met on three separate occasions as if you are following me?" He was a master of mind games.

"Okay, I guess we shall continue walking." This felt like a game to both of them but it was all about secrecy. The tension between the two was too big it could form a shadow from the sunlight.

"Where are we going really?" He felt like they had walked long enough.

"I won't talk if you won't talk about whatever it is you are hiding. Besides, we are almost there but as I had warned you earlier you will get shocked."

They both resorted to silence. The walk was cold and had started to feel like an awkward kids play. No one wanted to share their personal story with the other but this seemed not to be the case. Diaz had no problem sharing she just felt like she wasn't receiving the same vibe from Davis and she wouldn't want to be inappropriate.

"We take the next right." She was tired of the silence. She had never gotten used to being quiet anywhere she went. In fact, it was as if she hated it.

Davis seemed to be surprised by her willingness to always help him as if she never had anything else to do. He wasn't complaining to himself about her company he was just questioning her motives.

"Okay. If you are going to keep looking at me like that, you should at least find a way of communicating." She had noticed his weird gaze. "Why don't I start then? I'll tell you my story but only if you promise to tell me yours." She persisted.

Davis could not deny that he loved her company and he also needed her. Similarly, he needed to understand why she kept pushing for their friendship in order to understand her motives. "Okay. That's fair." He decided to formulate a story that would suffice his little knowledge of the city. He would just say he had come to visit a relative. Good thought Davis.