After Nina left Jacob decided to go talk to Darian, “Jacob it’s nice to see you again, how ya doing?” Darian says while grinning and waving his hand.

Jacob and Darian have been friends since we were kids, even when our parents (who were the heads at the time) hated each other, they still managed to keep in touch, “Hey Darian, I’m good, but how are you? Mr. Head of the Blue Knights! Your ol’ man finally stepped down huh?” Jacob says while reaching in for a Bro hug.

“Yes, the old bastard finally decided to pass the Knights down to me, who would have thought?”, Darian stands up from his Bro hug with Jacob. Jacob and I both look at the man standing next to Darian, he looks very familiar. Darian turns and points to the mysterious man standing next to him, “Ah, I almost forgot, you remember my brother, Alex.”

Jacob and I take a double-take, “Wait, your Alex? Wow you’ve grown since we were teenagers”, I say in shock, “I remember I used to be taller than you, now you towering over me. Even in heels!” I say in shock.

“Of course I grew up. You guys haven’t seen me in twelve years”, I forgot that when Alex was 14 his father sent him to a boarding school in England. No one really knew why he was sent there, all we were told is that his father had “his reasons”.

Knowing the ‘reasons’ why my parents had to send Darian to an HBCU, I suspect I would understand why a traditional American school would not have been a good choice for Alex’s education.

“So how have you been for the past twelve years?” I ask Alex.

“I’ve been good, just got back to America 2 months ago,”

“Where were you before?” I ask

“Just traveling. I went to South America, Mexico, Spain, Japan, South Korea, China, I even went to Russia.”

“Wow, that’s really cool.”

“Yeah I guess”, Alex said while shrugging his shoulders. 

“Sooo, Violet how have you been? Where have you been for the past five years? You never kept in touch with me. I miss you!” Darian leans in cutting off Alex and I’s conversation. 

“I don’t know I have been busy”, I say bluntly. I didn’t like that Darian butted into our conversation. Darian has always done that since we were little kids.

“Come on why no details?” Alex said in a pouty voice. 

“I don’t know. My life is pretty boring”, I say trying to end the conversation.

“Are you serious? You are the twin sister to the head of The Alabasta Mob, you’re life can't be that boring.”

“I’m only the head of finance, I crunch numbers all day, and work on the budget.”

“Well, how about you take a break from all of the boring stuff and go on a date with me?”

“Hell no”, Jacob cut into the conversation and answered his question for me. Jacob has been trying to ask me out since we were kids and I have rejected him every single time. It seems that he’s still as persistent as ever.

“Darian it’s fine I can handle him myself,'' I say pushing  Darian back.

“Hmph, you're still answering for your sister, no fun”, Darian turned around, crossed his arms, and started pouting like he was a child. 

Darian and Jacob start bickering about how I am off-limits to his playboy tactics. While Alex is trying to calm them down, I notice Cameron getting up to go. I haven't seen her since we both graduated from college so I decided to walk up to her, “Hey Takahashi, it nice to see you again, how have you been?” I asked her.

“Hey Violet, I’ve been good, a little stressed since I became the new head”, she said with a tired expression on her face, “Are Jacob and Darian okay? They seem to be having an argument.”

“Yeah, they will be fine”, I brush off the topic, “I’m sure becoming a head will make you stressed out”, as I finish my sentence I notice there is a tall Black-Asian teenager standing next to her. 

“Oh yea, I forgot to introduce you guys. This is Virgil Takahashi, he’s my cousin on my dad's side”, Cameron said while she gestures with her hand in Virgil's direction.

“Nice to meet you I’m Violet Alabasta”, I reach my hand out to for him to shake but he seems a little nervous about what to do, “Come on don’t leave me hanging.”

Cameron bumps his shoulder “Oh right, sorry”, he reaches out and lightly shakes my hand.

“Sorry about that. Virgil wasn’t taught social skills as a kid”, Cameron jokes.

“Hey don’t expose me like that”, Virgil says in a nervous tone. 

Cameron and I start laughing at Virgil, “So Cameron how have you been? I thought you were handling your contacts in Asia?”

“Yeah, I was but when I heard the meeting was happening, I decided to come back and go to my first meeting as the head.”

“Fair point”, I said while shrugging.

“Anyways. Virgil and I have to get going. We have a flight to catch in the morning, see ya”, Cameron said while putting her coat on.

“I’ll see you later,'' I said as she and Virgil walk out the door. I turn to Jacob and Darian, they seem to have finally cooled off and are joking around again. “Jacob are you ready to go?” I asked.

“Yeah, we can leave. See you guys later”, Jacob and I put on our coats and start to head out.

“Bye Darian and Alex”, Jacob and I walk out to the door to our car sitting out front.

“So Cameron is the head now, that's good for her since her Grandpa is very sexist.” 

“Yeah, she really wasn’t expecting it. She did say that she was a little stressed out though.”

“I figured her Grandpa would leave her a bunch of work just to show that she can’t do the job.”

“Yeah you're probably right”, I add.

Jacob and I arrive home from tonight's events.

“I think I’m going to go straight to bed tonight, I’m tired,'' Jacob says as we walk through the front door.

“Alright hope you feel better,'' I say as we walk up the steps.

 “Gracias, Blanca”, Jacob says as our maid greets us at the door. “¿Podrías traer a mi cuarto una té caliente? (would you be able to send some tea to my room?)”

“Sí señor, immediamente. (Yes sir I’ll get that right away)”, Blanca answers as she drapes his heavy camel brown trench coat and scarf over her arm.

“No rush. I’ll be in there all night,'' Jacob says as Blanca nods her head at him.

“Gracias Blanca”, I say as she takes off my coat.

“¿Necesitas algo esta Noche? (Do you need anything tonight?)”, Blanca asked in her lyrical soft, firm and authoritative tone.

“No, I’m good, solo me voy a ir a mi cuarto  (I’ll just head to my room)”, I say as I head up the stairs. 

Tonight was an interesting night. I didn’t expect Nina to be partnered with Cash Flow. It doesn't seem to like her. She never would accept our offer to partner up when we asked. I wonder what convinced her? How can I decide what we do next? Should we trust Cash Flow or not? If we trust them and they end up betraying us we could lose everything. But if we choose not to trust them we could lose our seat on the 12 and the reputation that the Alabasta mafia has created. 

Dios mio this is a really sticky situation. I guess I’ll talk to Jacob about this in the morning.

The next morning I wake up to the sun blaring in my face, I think Jacob decided to open my blinds last night to mess with me. Smiling, I roll out of bed and walk downstairs in my pajamas. I walk into the kitchen to make myself some breakfast, I see that Blanca has started cooking up some breakfast for us. I sit down at the counter “Buenos dias Blanca,” I say to Blanca’s back as she is cooking bacon.

“Buenos dias Violetta ¿Cómo estás esta mañana” (Good morning Violet. How are you this morning?) Blanca replied.

“I’m good, what are you making us this morning?”

“Estoy haciendo crepes (I’m making crepes),”

“Yummy, are they caramel?” I asked.

“ Sí,  de caramelo” Blanca replied. 

I check my phone and see that I have a text from Alex asking if I wanted to get coffee with him this morning. I answer back saying “Yeah I’ll join him for coffee.” After I sent the message I realized he sent that at 9 AM and it’s currently 11:30 AM. Only seconds after I answer I hear a ding, it’s Alex he answered really fast, he asked if I would be able to meet him in 30 minutes. I start thinking if I want to actually put on makeup and actually try today or if I wanted to just bum it. After 2 minutes of deliberating, I decide joggers were the move. Blanca hands me my crepes, I smile like a kid in a candy store. I ate those crepes without even thinking, “¿quieres más? (want anymore?)” Blanca asks.

“No, I’m all good, me voy a encuentro un amigo para tomar un café (I’m meeting a friend for coffee),” I reply back.

“Bueno que te devertistes y tenies mucho cuidado (Okay have fun and be careful),” Blanca replied.

“Don’t worry, I will,” I rescind reassuringly. I quickly rush up to my room and put on black joggers, a yellow crop top, and black Vans. Without a worry, I walk out the door. When I get back down the stairs, Jacob sitting at the kitchen counter, “Jacob I’m going out for a minute!” I yell as I’m walking towards the door.

I hear Jacob asking a question as I open the door “Where are you going?”

“To get coffee with Alex,” I reply back, “ I’m running late, so I’ll see you later!” I yelled as I walk through the door.

“Coffee with Alex why would she do that?” Jacob mutters to himself.

“Creos que va a salir con el (I think she is going out with him),” Blanca replies to Jacob

“¿Ptch. Qué estas deciendo (what do you mean)? She is not going on a date with Alex,” Jacob denies.

“Uno nunca sabe (You never know),”

“Your messing with me aren’t you?” Jacob asks

“Alamejor un poco (maybe a little),” Blanca says while giggling.

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