Flora slowly opened the front door and stepped outside.
Grillo hurried after her, looking around with wide eyes.
"This place is so loud," he whispered.
Cars rushed by. Music blasted from nearby houses. People argued across the street while children played basketball in a cracked parking lot.
Flora looked in every direction.
"This world is very busy."
Grillo nodded.
"It doesn't look anything like Mirrorland."
Flora remembered what Nyla's mother had said.
"She told me to make... money."
She looked at Grillo.
"What is money?"
Grillo scratched his head.
"I don't know."
The two walked quietly down the sidewalk, thinking as hard as they could.
"What if money is food?" Flora guessed.
Grillo shrugged.
"Or maybe it's a game."
Neither of them had any idea. As they walked, they heard someone calling from down the street.
"Nyla!"
Flora stopped.
She looked behind her.
No one was there.
"Nyla!"
The voice came again.
Grillo nudged Flora.
"Hey... I think that boy is talking to you."
Flora looked confused.
"To me?"
Grillo smiled.
"Don't forget... you're Nyla now."
Flora looked down at herself.
"Oh... that's right."
She slowly turned around.
A fourteen-year-old boy came running toward her. The boy had warm brown skin, messy curly hair, and a backpack slung over one shoulder.
He smiled when he reached her.
"There you are!"
Flora simply stared at him.
The boy laughed.
"Why are you looking at me like you've never seen me before?"
Flora answered honestly.
"I haven't."
Grillo covered his face.
"Oh no..."
The boy chuckled.
"You're funny today."
"My name is Jayden."
Flora nodded.
"I am Flora."
Grillo whispered loudly,
"Flora!"
She quickly corrected herself.
"I mean..."
"I'm Nyla."
Jayden raised an eyebrow.
"You feeling okay?" Jayden started walking beside her.
"You heading to the store?"
Flora looked at him.
"I don't know."
Jayden laughed.
"You really are acting weird today."
Flora suddenly remembered something.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"What is money?"
Jayden stopped walking.
He blinked twice.
"What?"
"What is money?" Flora repeated.
"You use it to buy stuff," Jayden answered.
"You mean food?"
"And clothes."
"And shoes."
"And almost everything."
Flora thought quietly.
"So humans trade paper for survival."
Jayden laughed.
"I've never heard anyone explain it like that."
Grillo smiled.
"I actually like that explanation." Jayden looked at Nyla with concern.
"You've been acting different since yesterday."
Flora tilted her head.
"Different?"
"Yeah."
"You smile more."
"You ask strange questions."
"And..."
He paused.
"...you seem happier."
Flora looked confused.
"Happier?"
Jayden smiled.
"I like this version of you."
Before Flora could answer, Grillo quietly whispered,
"I think he's your friend."
Flora looked at Jayden.
"What is... a friend?"
Jayden laughed.
"A friend is someone who stays by your side."
Flora smiled.
"I think..."
"...I would like to learn about friends."
The three of them continued walking through the streets of Oaktown, unaware that somewhere in the city, another pair of eyes was watching them from the shadows.