Romans 12:2 ~ Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Entry 1: 3:22 p.m.
If I was as dramatic (and less faithful) as the flapping blue-green hair alien in front of me, I would say my God hath forsaken me. Xí jumped up and down as they chattered with Adam who excitedly chattered back. Xiao-Hua walked in the middle, her camera hanging down low but still recording. Evident by the small red blinking light at the top. Austin and I were the last, conicendly also the tallest of the group we found ourselves in. We walked down the narrow off-streets, Adam and Xí peaking over every wall first. I am silently praying we don’t run into any more complications. I don’t think I can take something bad happening right now.
Entry 2: 3:45
Xí started to get hungry and ‘subconsciously’ led us to a coffee and sandwich shop. I don’t believe them, how do you not know that you stopped walking to your house. That’s just weird. Not to mention stupid.
Entry 3: 3:50 pm
I got this strange sparkly pink drink. It’s surprisingly good. Unsurprisingly I got stuck sitting across from the Austin dude again. He’s a basic bitch with a simple coffee but I’m just surprised it's not black coffee. He pulled out a book from his bag and is now reading it while sporadically sipping from his flat white. Xiao-Hua pulled out an orange juice bottle and I’m not even surprised. Xí has some glowing blue-green color-ed drink one shade too dark to be their hair, true to character to the end I guess. Adam somehow found out how to get a caramel frappuccino even though it wasn’t on the menu and I honestly don’t want to know. We are all sitting somewhat next to each other. Austin and I got put into a one-on-one seat by the window but Adam, Xí and Xiao-Hua are all crammed around a tiny circle table. I honestly would choose neither but here we are.
Entry 4: 4:24 pm
When my eyes caught on the police I blindly started smacking Austin’s shoulder, accidentally hitting his glasses at first. Austin made a noise of protest, sputtering out his coffee. “What?” His tone was surprisingly aggressive matching his annoyed expression. It was the most outwardly angry I had ever seen him. Not even when a freshmen had bumped into him in the hallway spilling their bright red slushie all over him. To be fair I only saw it in a passing glance but from the rumors I heard he never once even furrowed his brow out of anger. I blinked and it was gone, I didn’t have time to fully psychoanalyze him with our more pressing issues becoming more evident by the second. “Police.” I tracked the police walking across the street with my finger. Following my line of sight, his eyebrow ticked up a small amount. He was more careful this time with his facial expressions but I already saw the crack in his mask. One I hadn’t known was there in the first place.
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Entry 4 continued: 4:25 pm
I snapped my fingers in the center of their table, getting the attention of all three shorties. Motioning to the window I tapped on the glass where the police were turning towards the crosswalk moving even more towards us. All of us crowded around the booth trying to make out their path. A loud sip interrupted our worried muttering as Xí shoved through to get a closer look “Shit we gotta bounce.” Xí said, their voice muffled by their drink still at their lips. Sometimes I just can’t- like- thanks Captain Obvious, so helpful!
Entry 5: 4:27 pm
After telling us to “Wait here.”, they made their way to the counter completely ignoring the line of customers behind them and tapped on it to get the cashier's attention. She was a red-headed girl with black curled antennas coming out of the top of her head. Mostly orange, lined black and white spotted butterfly wings really completed the set. Apparently Xí said something funny because the cashier was now chuckling a bit. Now we’re sitting here waiting for Xí to tell the cashier whatever they so desperately needed to tell them. The cashier nodded as they talked animatedly. She smiled apologetically at the small line of customers before waving over another barista. She was at least 4 inches taller than the cashier and had bright red and gold sparkling fairy wings sprouting from her back. The replacing barista nodded at whatever the butterfly girl said and adjusted her mask, the swirling glitter lines created a hollow butterfly design. She spoke again but this time to Xí tilting her head at them. Whatever they said back made her roll her eyes and flick her red-half of her box braids over her shoulder. Xí waved a dismissive hand in her direction and is now beckoning us over, well more like wildly waving their hands in our direction than pointing behind them.
Entry 6: 4:36 pm
We shuffled behind Xí as they led us towards the very back of the shop, where we stood and waited in front of a locked metal door with the label ‘STAFF ONLY’ nailed into it. The red-headed cashier appeared in front of us and unlocked the door. Xí nodded to them and waved, “Thanks Gabi, tell Azi I said thanks too. I owe you guys.” Gabi nodded, “No prob, don’t worry about it.” She left presumably to return to her station. Xí made a follow me gesture to the rest of us and walked into the dark expanse behind the now unlocked door. The rest of us had stayed silent as the interaction had gone on but now that they gathered that we were in the clear, questions started to spill out. Adam started, noticeably the loudest out of all of us. Xí didn’t respond to any of them but silently led us in and out of rooms before landing on a glowing red door with ‘EXIT’ written above it. Once we got outside Xí started to answer everyone's questions, Austin and I sprinkled in a few important ones such as “Do you know if the police are still trailing us?”, “Are we heading to your apartment?” and such and such. We’re resting right now, (Adam got tired of all the walking. I don’t think he does sports and maybe is asthmatic, just some notes.) but I probably won't write another entry until we get to their apartment and meet up with Teagan and Junpei. God willinging they got there okay.
