"Where are we by the way?" Reijn asks Estrella as she looked around Estrella's small apartment.

"San Diego, California" Estrella announces.

"California, as in the United States. I've never been to the states. This is crazy!" Asad laughs to himself not able to grasp the fact that he's in California.

"Can't you go anywhere with your portals?" Levi asks Asad.

"Yeah, but I need to see the exact place in order for me to make a portal." Asad stands up dusting off his lap.

"Can I go outside?" Asad points to the door causing everyone to stand up.

"I guess we can do a quick tour of San Diego," Estrella offers standing up, her response promotes Asad to cheer out and bolt outside.

"Asad, don't get lost," Reijn huffs out following right after him.

"Why is he so obsessed with the U.S.?" Levi moves to stand by Aries while asking him.

"I actually have never seen this side of him, I don't know who that is," Aries jokes showing no emotion. Standing a distance, Alfie laughs at Aries comedy causing Aries and Levi to look at Alfie. Knowing that Alfie had been caught eavesdropping he immediately stops laughing and turns red from embarrassment. Levi ignores Alfie's awkward behavior and decides to step outside. Aries stares at Alfie a little longer before offering him a smile and walking outside.

"Come on Alfie!" Estrella whines tugging on Alfie pretending she didn't hear that weird interaction between the three. Alfie obliges and walks to the door following everyone outside.

"Where to first?" Levi asked not wearing his white coat anymore. While everyone is deciding where to go Asad takes his phone out of his pocket and starts taking pictures of the setting around him.

"Well I guess we can go to Los Angeles it's about 2 hours away and it's barely 10am." Estrella offers to the group.

"Los Angeles?" Asad looks as if he's about to faint. 

"All the times I've gone have been pleasant," Reijn shares.

"As long as we stop by BeverlyHills," Levi squeak out followed by a deep cough trying not to act weird around Reijn.

"Okay it's settled then, we are going to Los Angeles," Alfie announces guiding the four guests to his green van.

Although Alfie was the youngest, he drove. It wasn't because it was his van; more of the fact that nobody except Alfie knew how to drive in the U.S. Reijn had offered but had said her driving was rusty and Alfie didn't want to risk anything. Estrella had begged Reijn to sit next to her once Asad told Estrella that Reijn was famous. Estrella had millions of questions ready for Reijn, even though Estrella was too loud for Reijn's quiet personality, she happily agreed. Which allowed Aries to sit in the passenger's seat next to Alfie, leaving Asad and Levi to sit in the back of the van.

"So you live together in your parent's house?" Levi asked Asad both had shifted to face each other as they took turns asking one another questions.

"Yes I work two jobs to pay the bills," Asad answered feeling confident.

"What do you do?" Levi continues amazed at Asad.

"I work at a cafe in the morning then work as a security guard at night," Levi looked completely shocked at Asad's work life.

"When do you sleep?" Levi's expression leaves Asad chuckling.

"Well, I get out of my second job at 1 am and my morning job starts at 10 am" Asad replies not even thinking.

"Wow, what about your parents?" Levi asked not knowing that the two brothers were orphans.

"They passed away when we were kids," Asad awkwardly looked away, always hating telling people.

"I'm sorry, my father also died when I was young," Levi placed his hand on his shoulder comforting him in a small way but with great sympathy.

"Tell me about him," Asad turned his head back to Levi hoping he could lighten the conversation.

"What my father?" Levi asked and Asad nodded his head. As Levi talked the rest of the 6 listened in.

"My dad was a physics professor, he loved talking about atoms and energy. But he wasn't rude he was kind. He raised me by himself and managed to fill my life with imagination and hope. I looked up to him." Levi always felt happy when he thought of his father. Some people handle loss differently, Levi got better by talking about his father. If he kept talking about his father it was as if he was still there with him.

"Wow your father sounds amazing," Asad commented clearly amazed of how Levi opened up.

"He really was something else," Levi replied back leaving a nice silence that sat between them.
While they sat quietly in the back, up in the front Alfie and Aries began to argue.

"Aries I am a hundred percent sure that I'm not supposed to take a right," Alfie stated gripping the steering wheel in frustration while Aries sat in the passenger's seat with a large map covering his face.

"Alfie, it says right here! Turn right to enter the freeway!" Aries fought back aggressively pointing at the map.

"I'm a taxi driver I know my streets. The freeway is straight ahead-" before Alfie could continue the automated GPS interrupted their argument.

"Turn left to enter highway 99" After Siri announced the correct directions both Alfie and Aries turned scarlet red realizing they were both wrong.

"Truce?" Alfie mumbled turning quickly to catch a glimpse at Aries who was folding the map.
Alfie still red stuck his left hand out leaving the other on the steering wheel.

Aries nodded his head placing his hand over Alfie's. Letting go, Aries put the now folded map into the glove department.

Aries leaned on the car door and stared at Alfie, at first Alfie tried not to notice his stare, but it was very hard not to notice Aries. Alfie didn't dare to make eye contact, instead, Alfie let his anxiety grow. Of course, Aries didn't mean to make him nervous he had a bad habit of staring. A habit that Asad pointed out many times.

"You don't speak a lot do you?" Alfie observed and watched Aries shrug his shoulders.

"Why waste time say lot word when few word do trek," Alfie quotes one of his favorite shows, but looking at Aries Alfie realizes Aries doesn't know what he means.

"It's from The Office, nevermind," Alfie drops it right away and stares at the road ahead. After at least 30 minutes of silence between them, Alfie speaks up.

"Tell me about yourself?" Alfie asks going against his anxiety.

"What do you want to know?" Aries leaned further against the armrest closest to the door.

"Where do you live?" Alfie begins with something small hoping to build his way up.

"Paris," Aries answers easily already waiting for the next question.

"What do you like doing?" Alfie asked keeping his eyes on the road.

"I kinda dance," Embarrassed by his hobby, Aries moves his gaze to his lap and starts picking at his jeans.

"What kind of dancing, hip-hop? Jazz?" Alfie added in detail trying to get more out of Aries.

"Hip-hop and contemporary dance," Aries mutters out.

"Do you go to school for it or are you teaching yourself?" Alfie continues hoping Aries can feel comfortable opening up to him.

"Self-taught" Aries mumbles still picking his jeans.

"That's neat, I personally love watching lyrical dances and ballet. It's calming really," Alfie admits not embarrassed. Aries looked up at Aries who was smiling while still looking at the road. After that, the two stayed quiet for a while in a peaceful silence

"What about you, tell me something about you Alfie," Aries asked trying to have a friendly conversation.

"I'm a lefty," Alfie takes his left hand off the steering wheel to wave at Aries.

"What else?" Aries persists on. 

"Like?" Alfie tilts his head slightly.

"How old are you?" Aries asked laying his hands on top of each other.

"Twenty-two," Alfie admitted nervous of Aries reaction, but Aries didn't seem fazed.

"Five years younger than Asad and I" Aries commented.

"Twenty-seven?" Alfie asked Aries who nodded his head instead of replying.

"What's your gift?" Aries questioned looking at Alfie.

"I can lift objects with my mind, in other words, telekinesis," Alfie states. Alfie can feel Aries stare burning into his skin. Aries doesn't notice he's staring until he sees Alfie's glance over at him.

"Tell me more about you," Aries demands but his soft tone has no authority.

"I was born in Guatemala, but my mom and I moved here to California 5 years ago" Alfie's response causes Reijn to join the conversation.

"Guatemala?" Reijn asks Alfie scooting forward.

"Yes, why?" Alfie's tone changes, confused on why this would matter to Reijn.

"Tell me more," Aries asks again.

"That's all there is to me, well I'm a taxi driver but that's not interesting," Alfie admits as his cheeks turn pink.

"That's not true," Estrella calls out from where she is sitting.

"You forgot to tell them that your name isn't Alfie" Estrella tells everyone.

"What's your name?" Reijn asks in a panic tone her eyes already wide. The conversation causes Asad to listen in.

"My name is Arnél," Alfie whispered out hoping Aries didn't hear, but Aries' grin proved he did, in fact, hear Alfie.

"Arnél" Aries whispered out slowly a small hint of taunting. Alfie's face turned a rose color as he heard Aries say his name. Alfie always hated his name for the reason that everyone pronounced it wrong.

"I like it," Aries smiled pulling Alfie out of his thoughts.

"Arnél?" Reijn asked again almost making sure she heard right.

"Yeah," Alfie responded, mentally facepalming himself over his simple response.

"Is it alright if I call you that, Arnél?" Aries was teasing him now but Alfie couldn't tell. Alfie was okay with Aries calling him by his real name.

"Yes, I don't mind," Alfie gives the okay causing a grin from Aries.

"Do you have a sister?" Reijn interrupted Alfie's and Aries playful conversation.

"Yeah, just my little sister," Alfie replies looking at Reijn through the rearview mirror.

"Is her name Jazmine?" Reijn moves closer and watches as Alfie turns at her looking shocked.

"How did you know?" Alfie turns his attention back on the road.

"I think we are all connected somehow," Reijn suggests catching everyone's attention.

"I had this dream, I think it was in the past. I was in Guatemala and met a little boy named Arnél and a little girl namec]d Jazmine. In this dream, these men in black suits tried hurting you two. I think it was a warning meant for me because the next day I saw the same men chasing Asad and that's how I met him." Reijn told Alfie who was confused.

"So you are saying you meet me as a kid? I don't remember meeting you," Alfie answered honestly.

"No, because we didn't meet, you didn't see me I was there just to see. Basically, I saw a piece of your childhood that you don't remember." Reijn decided to leave out Naomi out of the conversation hoping not to bring her up ever.

"I think these men connect us all," Reijn suggested but didn't go into further detail instead she moved back into her seat remaining silent. Feeling an uncomfortable silence, Alfie turned on the radio and Aries quickly moved to find a station and settled for today's hits. The six sat in silence as they listened to the radio.

~~~~~~~~~

I don't usually leave little comments, but maybe I'll start.

FYI only five more chapter to this book! The day I post the last chapter is also the day I will be revealing book 2. Can you guys guess the name of book 2? Whoever is close will be added as a character so :).