The moment Kai and Andre sat down, Alice grabbed a menu.
"Ready to order."
Raj stared at her.
"You haven't even looked at it."
"I already know what I want."
"You say that every time."
"And every time I'm right."
Raj sighed the sigh of someone who had suffered this exact conversation many times before.
"Pay first."
Alice smiled and pulled out a wallet.
Raj immediately reached for it.
Alice immediately put it back.
"Food first."
Raj's eye twitched.
"Alice."
"Food."
"Alice."
"Food."
Raj slowly inhaled.
Then exhaled.
Then walked away before committing a crime.
Andre watched the exchange.
"She's scary."
"Very."
Kai agreed.
The moment Raj disappeared into the kitchen, Alice rested her chin on her hand.
---
"My name's Alice."
"We heard."
"That girl over there has no respect for her elders."
Raj shouted from the kitchen.
"WE'RE THE SAME AGE!"
Alice ignored her.
Then she looked directly at Kai.
"What brings you two here?"
The question caught both Kai and Andre off guard.
Alice pointed at them.
"The clothes."
She pointed at Kai.
"The way you look around at everything."
Then she pointed at Andre.
"And him."
"What about me?" Andre asked.
"You look like someone who's been kicked out of multiple cities."
"...Fair."
Alice nodded.
"So. Travelers?"
Kai exchanged a glance with Andre.
There wasn't much reason to hide it.
"Something like that."