Today was Tuesday, the second day of school. Before class began, Azule, Reice, Sally and Violet all hanged out around Azule's desk; they were discussing what to do after school on Thursday.
"I think we should head out for a night in town." suggested Sally, excited to see a club of four already set.
"Why not go to an amusement park on Thursday and then the mall on Friday." entertained Azule, fixing his Camouflage blue army hat; the hat became his signature look.
For the next two days, students got settled in and were given things such as homework and some even got projects to do, many people joined after school clubs and many also headed over to the Inkopolis plaza to participate in local turf wars; The four of them arrived at the amusement park.
"I absolutely love roller coasters!" said Azule excitingly, turning to his new trio of friends.
"Violet, do you want to ride with me?" with a shine in his Royal blue eyes, hoping to say yes; she stood there-hesitant.
"Sorry Azule, but I really don't like roller coasters…" with a face full of regret, having to turn him down in front of everyone.
"Oh… no worries, I won't force you to go." Understanding her if she wasn't up to it; Sally observed Violet's behavior toward Azule and realized quickly what was going on. So I was right…From the day they first met, Violet was always gandering at Azule whenever he wasn't looking, she'd always stand next to him whenever we walked together. It was early to say since it has only been two days since we all came together but…I'm certain that Violet has a crush on Azule. I can't blame her, he showed some amazing charm when they first met.
Sally sports an evil grin, "I guess I'll be stealing you for myself then, I LOVE roller coasters…" walking away with him and sticking her tongue at Violet playfully.
"She's stealing your man Violet, you should do something about it…" teased Reice, who also put two and two together; Violet pouted with her arms crossed and walked away.
"Whoa wait I was just joking!" trying to catch up to her.
He closely observes her behind as she walks away and begins to wonder the possibility. For the past two days, Reice had been paying close attention to Violet-she resembles a girl he once knew as a child.
"I'll buy you Ice cream" he said randomly; she stops in her tracks.
"What flavor?" she asked turning her head a little, just enough to show her eye. Reice looks at her more, she really does resemble her…I mean…she has the same name and same tentacles…could it really be!?
"Vanilla?" he guessed throwing his hands in the air; she squints her eyes at him.
"With sprinkles?" she added, shuffling closer like a little toddler.
"YES! With sprinkles, will you stay if I get you a Vanilla Ice cream cone with sprinkles?" he asked, lowering his head in exhaustion.
"Hmmmmmm if you're offering me I can't possibly refuse…" slowly and emphatically.
While Azule and Sally loop-de-looped across the entire park, Violet and Reice ate Ice cream and sat on a bench near a merry-go-round. Reice observed her more and more, making her uncomfortable as she felt his stare grow stronger.
"So Violet, are you enjoying everything so far?" surprising her so sudden; Reice keeps his eyes on her as he tries to remember.
"I-I'm having fun, I guess…" trying to avoid his stare.
"Um Violet, I don't know if I'm correct but…"-scooting closer to her and killing off the distance between them; she rests her hand in the space left, trying to stop him from moving any closer.
"What do you want to talk about." she said abruptly.
"Oh err well...I remember you, from Elementary school…" he stated causally; she looks at him sideways with a questioned look.
"How…? What school did you...?" She couldn't finish her question, beginning to recognize his face upon closer look.
"I remember… that you are the daughter of a Mafia leader, the Killer Inklings, right?" She looked pale as she collects her thoughts, H-he knows…!? I thought I escaped that tainted history when I came here!
"Violet, I apologize for what you had to go through back then. I wish it didn't happen…" sincerely apologizing.
"Why? Why are you apologizing? I don't remember you…" she realizes who he really is and backs away from him with a puzzled look.
"I'm sorry…" was all he could say.
"I remember, now…" breathing heavily as more memories of him rush into her mind.
"You're Reice, Reice Galloway of the Galloway drug dealers... our families had a falling out over a deal that led to an underground war." she said with full recollection; Reice didn't look proud of his family's doing.
"Because of that war, we never got to see each other again, I missed you so much after that." she looks at him wide-eyed moving her head back. So you don't really don't remember he thought, looking disappointed.
"Do you see the necklace around your neck?" pointing to it; she observed the jewelry.
"This? I got it from a friend back in the fifth grade..."-handling the jewelry with care-"A boy gave it back to me…it was a sign of our friendship, there's even initials on…the…back…"
The initials read R/V; Violet finally realizes what's going on and covers her face in embarrassment.
"It's been some time huh?" holding out his arms for a hug; Violet gives him big hug, grasping the back of his shirt tightly.
"Reice…I don't believe it!" she gets teary eyed as she remembers her adventures with him, Reice was like a close childhood friend, one that she long lost when she moved after the infamous drug war between the Killer Inklings and the Galloway family.
"Alright, when should we tell them…" eating her cone casually, "We should tell them, right?"
"Yeah, when we walk back to the dorms, I'll tell Sally on the way home and you tell Azule."
They returned back to the spot where Azule and Sally left them. Azule and Sally returned walking very unsteady and even bumping into other people, and bumping into each other as well. Reice and Violet got up to help them over to the bench.
"Seems like you two enjoyed yourselves" Reice said in a friendly tone, putting his hands in his pockets as they returned.
The four of them walk back from the amusement park with Azule and Sally entertaining them with their experience on the rides they went on; Reice and Violet looked at each other and decided to begin their plan.
"Uh Sally, do you mind if we take a detour this way?" escorting her.
"Sure, but try anything funny and I'll make you regret it. We may be childhood friends but I don't want to imagine you being the lecherous kind of guy, I'll send you to the next planet if you are." warning him, still dizzy from the rides.
The two of them walk off and leave Azule and Violet alone, Violet's heart began racing with nervousness and excitement at the same time. She finally got to be alone with Azule, but she had to reveal her past to him, one that contains some unfavorable facts about her and her family.
"Azule"-clutching her arm behind her back and looking down at her feet-"have you ever heard of the Sororia family?" with unease in her voice; he stays quiet, looking dead into her eyes, making her face even redder.
"Yeah…You're Violet Sororia, daughter of the Sororia Mafia in Beacon Hill, right?" in chill tone; she stood in shock at how spot-on he was.
"How...how do you know?" in disbelief; Azule's face softened.
"Lucky guess." giving a chuckle, "I bet you have something you want to tell me regarding something in the past between you and Reice as well? The two of you looked so awkward when we got back…" he added, adjusting his hat. "Let's go to the Duncan's Donuts over there and talk." she still couldn't believe how spot on he was, it was as if he could read her mind; they went to the Duncan's Donuts and Violet sat down at a table while Azule got them drinks. He came over with her favorite drink: raspberry lemonade with a strawberry, learning yesterday that it was her favorite.
"You can tell me what it is you want to talk about." inviting her to begin; she sipped the lemonade with joy.
She took a deep breath and began, "I'm the heir to the Sororia Mafia, the biggest mafia in the upper region of Inkopolis. We've had problems with many different underground organizations that…we became too well known to the public-and they feared us for it. As a result, many people were terrified of us." she stops, not knowing if to continue.
Azule placed his hand on her hand, "go on, I'm listening…" his gentle eyes meet hers; Violet's face is flushed.
"I was always an excellent student in school, Elementary and Junior high, I always had straight A's and I made plenty friends. I never knew what my family did or why they wouldn't tell me and I overheard one day that my best friend was terrified of me when I was walking down the hall, she actually hated me… but she was only friends so that my family wouldn't kill her parents and I... didn't understand. Why would they kill her parents?" she paused and then looks at Azule, reassured. "I found out a week later the truth about my family when I sneaked out the house and followed my dad, witnessing him with a couple of his men terrorizing people and one of them was my best friend's dad. I realized that this whole time, the friends I made, the family I knew...it was all a lie." she took another pause, trying to sort her memories.
"Then one day I met a boy, when I was crying on the playground in frustration; he walked over to me and sat down next to me. He told me he'd be my friend when I told him my whole family situation. From that day onward we became good friends, always talking about stuff and playing games with each other and going on adventures and stuff and..."-Holding her necklace out for Azule to see-"he gave me this, as testament to our friendship. Shortly after, our families came to a disagreement that led to an underground war between the Sororia Mafia and Galloway Drug dealers and then I never saw him again after that…" closing her eyes with a saddened look as she remembers the events.
"And Reice is the boy who gave you that…" concluded Azule; she nods her head in agreement.
"I more or less understand why you wanted to share this story with me, and I appreciate it, I feel like I have a better understanding of you and Reice now." getting up to stretch, she also gets up grabbing her drink. "I'll walk you back." he said holding out his hand, she grabs it with glee on her face and they walked back to the dorms together-hand in hand.
Meanwhile, Reice just finished his story with Sally, whom was chilling on the couch at his dorm. She lays upside down staring at him from across the couch, assessing the story she heard. She got up and sat next to him, giving him a hit on the head.
"Hey that hurts!" he yelled, holding his head in pain, "that hurt Sally!"
"Good" she responded, feeling proud of herself. "You should've told me ever since you remembered, Azule and I had a feeling something was up with you guys."
"Really...?" in surprise.
"Yup…" getting up to go for food in the fridge, Reice gazed at her as she leaped up and went to the fridge. He thought about how long he'd known Sally; 9 years. He'd known her for 9 long years but never told her how he really felt about her. She was more than just a childhood friend to him, to him, she was that special someone that understood him from day 1.
"Sally, do you remember when we first met?" he asked her, continuing to admire her as she searched in the fridge for food.
"What's with this all of a sudden" grabbing a carton of milk and going into the cupboard for a box of cereal.
"No...It's just, I...cherish our first meeting…." blushing; she looks at him an eyebrow raised.
"You mean when you stole my first kiss,of course I can't forget it, because of that I've been stuck with you for nearly a decade you moron." pouring in the cereal.
"You know you loved it…" taunting her as she continues pouring.
"Like I ever did, dummy!" with disapproval, putting the cereal back, "But I'm glad it was you…" whispering softly under her breath with a gentle smile blooming on her face.
"I'm a little surprised that you never told me about this drug war with the mafia, I mean I already knew about how messed up your family was with your parents and your older brothers..." she immediately stops; the room is dead silent.
"Forgive me that was rude on my part…" apologizing to him; Sally knew how terrible Reice's family was, his mother was a drug addict and his father was an alcoholic. His two older brothers were always out drinking too and would constantly abuse him and his two little sisters. Sally would always come over and help him take care of them since both his parents and brothers were rarely at the house during the day.
"Don't be...I'm forever in debt to you and your family!" gazing at her with his green eyes, "They even gave me these glasses…" holding them out.
"Reice you know we adopted you guys because we couldn't leave you in that horrible place, you don't owe us anything!" eating the cereal next to him.
"But...I'm truly grateful…" leaning in for a kiss; she blocked him with her free hand, looking away and still chewing.
"We can't." still looking away with her hand blocking his lips, "We're siblings you idiot, we can't do something as shameful as that."
"But we're not related, and we've done this once before…" reasoning with her, but she wouldn't budge.
"That was an accident Reice, we were 7 years old and it was only a game, nothing more." she got up with the cereal.
"I've got to go, it's getting late and I gotta see if Violet made it back safe." resting the cereal down and putting on her shoes; Reice regrets his decision.
"You're right, they're taking forever to get back here." agreeing with her, "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to..." trying to apologize.
"Say nothing more Reice, I can understand how you might feel, but you're my brother, even if we aren't blood related." she puts on her Pink jacket and grabs the bowl of cereal, "I'll be taking this with me…" pointing to the bowl of cereal, with a plain look; Reice laughed.
"Go ahead, make sure you return the bowl." crossing his arms and laying back.
"Yeah, yeah…" waving him goodbye and exiting.
