"Two regular cappuccinos, please," I ordered at the counter.
"Any sugar?" the barista asked.
I looked to my third cousin, Ike. Would you like sugar in yours? I asked him through telepathy, as was our usual mode of communication. He didn't speak English – in fact, he spoke a dialect of Arabic, we found out. Thank goodness telepathy translated everything for you.
What's sugar? he asked.
It sweetens the drink, I explained.
He shook his head.
"No sugar, thanks," I answered.
This was Ike's first ever cup of coffee. He'd seen the grains my mum would boil, but never asked until this morning, when he got up at his usual 5 am and watched attentively at the magic drink. Today we went to a local muffin cafe so he could have a properly boiled cuppa.
What is it, exactly? Ike asked while we waited at the nearest table.
It's like a bean or a seed, I explained. It's roasted, and that's how you get the flavour out of it.
He scratched his head, and then looked around the food court. People sat at tables, ordered their food, and chatted together. Ike's eyes were like a child's, watching a dog run past the front of a house. Your marketplaces, he began, how can they be so abundant?
This is a normal day, I said.There's just a lot of people on Earth.
Ike wasn't from Earth. He was a god, and he came from Tellius. He was the first to have a solid body on the human plain, and we'd tested it for the past few days. Everyone could see him! He looked like in the video games, except for a few things. His hair had grown down to his shoulders since staying at my place, his left cheek had a mole, and his undereyes were dark. It gave his face character.
Is this all food? He asked.
I pointed to a line in the floor nearby, then moved my finger around the food court. From that line onwards is all food. Beyond is books, shoes, and barbers.
His eyes looked up in thought. In my mind, I could see him do the Ngavat sign for 'barber'. "Eh?" Do they cut ears, or hair?
I laughed. Just hair!
The barista called out my name, and we picked up our coffee. Careful, it's super hot.
We sat at a table and waited for my mum to find us. In that time, we let the coffee cool. I tested the temperature first, and burnt my tongue.
Ike laughed outwardly. It was reserved, but a comforting smile, at least.
Once mum's finished eating, do you wanna check out the books? I asked.
He cocked his head to the side. Yes.