Please excuse ANY grammatical errors.

June 18, 1995

~Taimak's P.O.V~

"Yeah," I said and went upstairs to the room Mrs. Wägner said was the master bedroom. I knocked on the door.

"Come in." I heard Tia say, so I walked in.

"I see you got what you wanted." I said putting her bags aside.

She turned her head to me and responded. "I always get what I want."

"Cocky, are we? I thought we decided that we didn't like cocky." I smirked.

"A little cocky is sexy." She mocked me, wagging her index finger at me.

"Touché. So you're used to being spoiled." I asked her.

"I'm used to spoiling myself because nobody else will do it." She chuckled.

"You should, you worked hard enough. But what if I said that I wouldn't mind pitching in?" I asked.

"Hmmm? Well, you don't have to tell me twice." She said and we laughed together.

"Are all those people your friends?" I asked her.

"No." She shook her head. "My friends are Elijah, Courtney, and Jay. The others were invited by someone else that came." She clarified.

"If those aren't your friends then why are you paying for everything? Why did all those other come?" I asked her curiously.

"Oh, I'm not, Cole pitched in. They doing everything else from here on out for themselves. Besides, we're all in college, and it's hard to balance a healthy income and keeping grades up. I like helping people." She told me. "Plus, I know better than to travel with stone-cold broke people. "Elijah thought a few people should come, and those people invited people."

"That good that you like helping people but sometimes those you help take you for granted and expect you to help them all the time. One of these days, you'll find that out. People expect you to and the moment you decide you don't want to or you can't they turn on you." I told her. "You have to look out for number one. Those people who were invited and invited those others are taking advantage of you and taking you kindness for granted. As long as you allow them to do so, they'll continue."

She nodded at me. "I'm starving, what's a good place to go?"

"Oh, I got a good place, but shouldn't we ask the other so there's an agreement?" I asked her.

"Yes. Come..." She said motioning me towards the door with her finger.

We went downstairs where everybody was now at. They were talking quite loud and I'm pretty sure they're near each other. Tia and I followed their voices and they were in the kitchen. This is a very nice and spacious kitchen.

"Are you all hungry?" Tia asked them but she was talking too low for them to hear. She even spoke too low for me to hear and I'm next to her.

"Y'all hungry?" I spoke with my hands cuffed around my mouth. They stopped talking.

"Hell, yeah!" A male voice yelled. I can't distinguish who's voice it was.

"I could eat." Megan said aloud.

"What are you in a mood for?" I asked them.

"Italian, I want to check out your families restaurant." Tia told me.

"I'm in!" Megan announced.

"Same!" Courtney said.

"I'm down." Elijah told me.

"I'm down too." Lizzo said to us.

"Italian sounds good." Sniper said.

"Me too." Jax said.

"Let's go niggas." Cole said already walking out of the kitchen.

"I'm not in no mood for Italian." Woody told us. "What else you got?" He asked.

"Nahh, Woody, that's eight against five and they haven't even voted yet." Elijah told Woody.

"Well, then Italian restaurant it is. It's about thirty minutes away." I told them.

We all went outside and got in the truck. I drove there and the drive there was eventful due to the bickering somebody them had going on. I emjoy being around others but this here is a bit too much for me. I didn't know all these people would tag along to Austria with Tia. We made it to the restaurant.

"Bienvenue à Guariellos: Le Goût de l'Italie!" I announced parking.

"What the hell he say? This nigga me a bitch?" Jacob asked.

" No, he said, Welcome to Guariellos: The something of Italy?" Tia said looking at me.

"I said, Welcome to Guariellos: The Taste of Italy. You almost got it." I laughed. "It's close to Spanish, so I know a lil somethin' somethin'." Tia popped an imaginary collar.

"I thought we was in Australia nit Italy?" Algee asked.

"We ain't in either. This is Austria!" Elijah yelled to him. "Fucking idiot!"

"Ain't Austria the capital if Australia?" He asked.

"Gahhhdamn nigga, you a lil slow." Cole said laughing.

We went inside and my grandfather was there at the counter. "Taimak!" He said in a thick Italian accent.

"Bonjour grand- pére!" I greeted. He came from behind the counter and hugged me and kissed my cheek. "Qu'est-ce que tu fais?" I asked him. (Translation: Hello, grandfather! What're you doing working?)

"Je ne suis pas bon juste assis autour. J'avais besoin de faire quelque chose!C'est tes amis?" (Translation: I'm no good just sitting around. I needed to do something! Are these you're friends?) Grandpa asked.

"Yes." I nodded at him.

"Hey!" He greeted them with his arms out. It wasn't because he wanted a hug or anything, it's just the way he greet a group of people.

"Taimak!" The kids ran from the back.

These kids are my cousin's, and Aleesandro's kids. Yes, Alessandro is married with children. His children are half Italian and half German. So he's married to a full blown German lady. She's beautiful but Alessandro is a dog. I love my cousin, but he's young and dumb and don't want to hear it. The thing is he tells tells the women he messes around with that he's married but these women don't care. They probably think why should they care if he don't. So, no, I'm not just blaming the women because it takes two.

"Hey, guys!" I hugged them.

"Es ist langweilig, holt uns raus, wenn hier." (Translation: Get us out of this boring place.) Alessia whispered in my ear. Either way my grandfather wouldn't have understand because he doesn't know German.

"Sie wissen, dass ich das nicht kann. Ihre Mutter würde gepisst werden." I explained to them. (Translation: You know that I can't do that. Your mother would be pissed.)

They signed at me. "Okay." Dro told me.

"Who are they?" Bianca asked in her small voice.

I stood back up on my two feet. "These are my friends." I explained in the only way they could understand. Let's be honest, all of these people aren't my friends.

"What are their names?" Alessia asked me.

"I'm Megan." Megan introduced.

"Woody."

"Elijah."

"Algee."

"I'm Courtney."

"Jax."

"Dick Wolf but they call me Sniper."

"Jacob."

"Redd, Bigg Redd. It's not my real name but it's what I go by."

"Melissa."

"Jasmine."

"I'm Jermaine Cole."

"So you must be Tia? Ahh?" Grampa turned his head and gave her a playful look.

"Yes, I'm Tia, it's nice to meet you, sir." She always try to be different but different is good.

"Ce sont des noms bizarres!" Grandpa laughed. (Translation: Boy, these sure are some odd names!) "C’est une belle jeune femme!" (Translation: She's a beautiful young lady!)

I nodded at him with a chuckle. "Certains le font." I told him. (Translation: Some do.) "Et, bien sûr, elle est belle! Quel? Tu t’attendais à ce qu’elle soit laide?" (Translation: And, of course she's beautiful! What? You expected her to look ugly?) I looked at her then back at grandfather. She was slightly red in the face. Tia understands some french, because she knows spanish, and those two languages are simular.

"I've heard so much about you!" He said to Tia app while ignoring me and my question.

"Like what?" She gave him the same look he gave her.

"All good things!" He laughed. "I hope you came to eat because I came here to work." Grandfather told them.

"For sure." Jacob responded.

"Wait a minute, don't I know you?" He pointed to Cole.

"Who me?" He asked him.

Grandfather looked around the room as if he was trying to look for someone. "I'm talking to the talking owl that responded to me. Yeah you, young man."

"You know ME?" Cole asked again.

Grandfather looked around the room again. "Yes, I'm talking to YOU!" He pointed to himself then at Cole. "What's your mother's name?"

"Kay Cole." He replied.

"Yes, Kay Cole, I know your mother and your father! She's from Germany, right?" He asked.

"Yes, sir. I was born there." Cole responded.

"Yes, I know you and big brother Zach." Grandfather told him.

"You know my whole family and I don't even really know my dad." Cole shook his head.

"Well that's good thing. He's asshole." Grandfather said to him.

My mouth dropped open. "GRAND-PÈRE!"

"What? I just tell the truth!" He exclaimed with his hands.

"I don't know him much but I agree with you." Cole said laughing.

Grandfather laughed with him. "You still look same from twenty years ago!"

"I hope not." Cole said wide-eyed.

"Grab a menu and have a seat over there." Grandfather told us. We took a seat as they looked over the menu. I didn't get one because I already know what I want.

"Thank God!" Megan exhaled.

"What?" Everybody looked at her.

"I just saw my first black person!" She pointed to the door. "We been here for HOURS and ain't seen no black faces!" She laughed.

"You'll see more on this side of town. It's more diverse. There are mostly Italians, and black people over in this area." I chuckled.

The door opened again and in came Alessandro. "Daddy!" His three kids ran up to him.

That caused everybody to turn around. I saw Courtney's face frown up a bit before she relaxed it again. Courtney turned to Tia with an unreadable expression. "He has children?" Courtney said turning to me.

She didn't know? I stayed silent because this has nothing to do with me. I picked up a menu that one of the fellas put down. "Daddy, uncle Taimak is here." I heard Bianca say to Alessandro then I saw her pulling him in my direction. Alessandro gave me a look.

"Hi, Guariello. What are you all doing here?" He asked giving me a look which gave the question double meaning.

"They were hungry for some authentic Italian food and what better way to introduce to them the family restaurant." I told him with a smile.

"Hi, Alessandro. Are these your kids?" Courtney asked him.

"Yes, this is Bianca, Alessandro, and Alessia. Remember?" He asked her.

"No, you never told me that you had any children." She folded her arms.

Tia gave me a look as if she was asking why didn't I say anything. "I'm sure I did. I told you in March." He told her.

Courtney put her hand on her head. "Maybe- maybe you did mention them before. It must've slipped my mind." She said confused.

"Who's he trying to convince more, himself or her?" Cole asked aloud.

Alessandro scanned Cole with an annoyed expression. "Yeah, uhhh, I have to drop my kids off with their mother. See you later!" He said before picking up Bianca and leaving out of the restaurant.

"Oh, if you guys don't want Italian food, there's a Soul Good place next door." I pointed. Woody, Jacob, Algee, Lizzo, Redd and Megan stood up and walked off. "I hope you know the currency." I told them as they moved from their booth.

"Megan, I thought you were with us?" Tia asked.

"Girl, I changed my mind. I wasn't some soul food." Megan said walking away from the booth and out the door with the others.

"That's fine." Elijah said Megan before she left with a roll of his eyes. The flicked his eyes to Tia and Courtney.

My sister came out of the back with a bunch of cups. You get water regardless here and can order whatever else you want for a price. "Well, hello, little brother." She said putting down our waters.

"Hello, big sister." I returned in the same tone and grabbed my water.

"Long time no see." She told me.

"I know." I held my same expression. "I arrived yesterday morning and slept the whole day through so I didn't get the chance to see anyone yesterday. It was my plan to today."

"Was it?" She asked me matching my nonchalant tone.

We burst into laughter. "Of course, I'd come and see you!" I hopped up and gave her a hug. We always do this. We try to see who can hold their act longer but I lost this time. "I love and missed you." I told her pulling away.

"I missed and love you too." Isabella responded to me.

"How's it going?" I asked her.

"Same ol', same ol'." She shrugged. Isabelle is the only one of us out of all my parents children to move back to Austria.

"That's good to hear." I told her.

"These your friends?" She asked me.

"Yes." I sat back down in my seat.

"Introduce me brother!" She laughed.

"This is Elijah, Courtney, Jax, Cole, Sniper-" I pointed to everybody as i8 said their names. "When I got to Sniper, she made a face.

"My real name is Dick Wolf but I go by Sniper." He answered for himself.

"Why?" Isabella asked him hesitantly. "That's if you don't kind me asking?"

"No problem. They call me that because I'm a veteran." He briefly explained.

"Okay..."

"Who did I leave off on?" I thought out loud.

"Sniper..." Isabella replied in a duhh tone.

"Sniper, Jasmine, and Tia." I finished.

Isabella gave me a side smirk. "You finally spoke to her, huh?"

"I did as you can see." I smirked.

"Hey, girl!" Isabella said to Tia. "I admire what you do." She told Tia.

"Thank you." She smiled and covered her face.

"Don't be shy hun." Isabella told her.

"She can't help it." I told Isabella.

"She really can't." Elijah told Isabelle.

"Awww..." Isabella cooed.

"Oh, my goodness." I heard Tia mumble. "Thank you." Tia finally responded.

"You're welcome. So what are you guys ordering?" She asked getting back to being professional. Everybody ordered except for Tia and Courtney because they weren't ready and still unsure on what to get. My sister picked up the other menus. "I'll be back for your order." She told Tia.

"Why is she even here?" Elijah rolled his eyes.

"Who? Isabella?" I asked him.

"No, Megan. She be in everybody face and like to hang with different cliques and talk about people. Watch her." He pointed.

"I don't know who invited her because I sure didn't." Tia told him with a shrug.

"Well, watch her and what you say around her. She messy." Elijah put his menu down. (I'm sorry, Megan, but you're the antagonist of this story.😭😭) "Also she could sale your information to people as much as she like to talk."

"She hasn't done anything to me but I am always careful with what I say around unknowing individuals." Tia responded. I felt her vibe from jump but as Tia said she hasn't done anything to me so... That's the women business.

"She's fun to hang around though." Courtney told them.

Tia put her menu down. "You finally know what you want?" I laughed.

She clicked her tongue. "What do you mean, finally?" She asked me.

"The definition of finally is a long time." I smirked.

"Ahh, okay smart one... It didn't even take me that long. You're over exaggerating." She responded.

"Y'all are cute, I can't wait to see my man later." Courtney cheesed.

I spit my water on the table in a coughing fit. Yeah, her man and everybody else's, but that's neither here nor there. Tia patted my back. "You're alright?" She asked.

"Mmhm," I nodded still slightly coughing.

          Alessandro really didn't tell her! He and I will have a talk. But again, it's not my job to tell Courtney, but it may have come down to that, because I want everybody to play it safe and stay safe. Even though his wife knows what he does, she isn't too keen of him stepping out...

June 27, 1995

~Elijah's P.O.V~

"YOU FUCKIN' MY SISTER!? HOW YOU FUCKIN' MY SISTER AND WE SUPPOSED TO BE BROS!? THAT'S FUCKED UP!" I heard Woody yell startling us out of our sleep.

By us, I mean, Me, Courtney, Tia, and Jasmine. We all fell asleep in the master bedroom while hanging out last night. We all looked at each other. "Oop!" I said and rolled over off the bed, then ran outside to the hallway because I need to see what's going on. I'm nosy like that. They're rooms are all the way in the other hall and I can hear Woody yelling.

"Nig-"

"NAHHH, NIGGA, YOU FUCK MEGAN, COOL, BUT YOU FUCKIN' MY SISTER!?" Woody held his hand on his head frustratingly.

I stood at a safe distance but close enough to see everything that was happening. "Nigga, keep your voice down. You gon' wake everybody up..." Algee whispered.

"You fucked Megan too?" Jacob said to Algee egging it on. I said that bitch messy...

Algee smirked. "Now you know-"

"NAHH, NIGGA, I AIN'T KEEPING SHIT DOWN! YOU WANT ME TO BE COOL ABOUT YOU FUCKIN' MY SISTER!? KNOWING THAT YOU BE WITH EVERYBODY AND THEY MOMMA. I'M FINNA FUCK YOU UP!" Woody said about to throw a punch. He aimed for Algee's face but Jacob grabbed him before he could hit his twin brother.

"Now, you know that I can't let you do that." Jacob told Woody. "You mad at my brother but you should be mad at yo' sista too. She knew y'all was tight."

"Right, nigga, bro's before hoes. Remember?" Algee told him while putting on his shirt.

Woody got even angrier. "DID YOU JUST CALL MY SISTER A HO-"

Sniper Wolf and Redd ran up the stairs. "Hey, break this shit up. Y'all choose to fuck up in a foreign country."

"Y'all don't wanna see what these jails like, especially for people that look like us." Jax grabbed Woody.

"Yeah, so break this shit up. So he fucked your sister? Woop-de-do! She's grown as hell, but just don't go wakin' up the whole house." Sniper told them.

"Let's go nigga." Jax pulled Woody downstairs.

"Well, it looks like I don't need my morning coffee." Courtney said from behind me chuckling.

"What was that?" Jasmine asked.

"Woody caught Algee fucking his sister and now he's mad because they are like brothers. Jacob then decided to call Thamar a hoe which made him even more mad. The guards came up here grumpy because we're in a foreign country when they decided to fuck up. The guards are also mad at the fact that they were woken up early." I explained.

"Hmm, you got that from just now?" Courtney asked me.

I laughed. "Of course. They also mentioned Megan's name and the twins slept with her too. I told y'all the bitch was messy." I told them.

"I don't think she's messy because she slept with them." Courtney stated.

"Men boast about sleeping with twins all the time and she actually did it. She got hers and I applaud her for that. Stoop to these niggas levels." Jasmine told me.

"Well, she's still messy as hell. Mark my words y'all. I don't even know why Thamar invited her ass..." I rolled my eyes.

"Well, ummm, let's go get breakfast going." Tia said finally speaking. She walked past us and went down the stairs.

"Yeah, we might as well since everyone is awake." Courtney went down the stairs. Jasmine followed after her with me behind Jasmine.

"What we makin'?" I asked once I was in the kitchen.

"We? Elijah, let me tell you this again. You can't cook, nor will I allow it. Your cooking is an abomination. These folk don't want no scrambled eggs that are rock hard." Tia said laughing.

"Girl, you can't cook scrambled eggs to be rock hard." I rolled my eyes.

"But you always manage to cook things until they're-" Tia spun around. "Solid as a rock!" She sang the Ashford and Simpson song.

"And ALLLL our breaths iiiis HOT HOT BOT HOT HOT!" Courtney sang with her soulful voice. That's one girl that could SANG!

"You can blow." Cole said taking a seat at the island.

"Thanks." Courtney said moving imaginary hair behind her ear playfully. She has hair and a bunch of it too, it's just tied up since we did just wake up.

"Who taught you how ti sing like that?" Cole asked Courtney.

"Nobody had to teach me. Okay? I was born with this voice." She snapped her fingers.

Cole laughed. "My fault, shordy. What was all that yellin' about a little while ago upstairs?"

"Elijah." Courtney pointed at me for a response.

"Woody caught Algee fucking his sister and now he's mad because they are like brothers. Jacob then decided to call Thamar a hoe which made him even more mad. The guards came up here grumpy because we're in a foreign country when they decided to fuck up. The guards are also mad at the fact that they were woken up early." I explained once again.

"Oh, okay." He nodded as a response.

"Yep." I chuckled.

"Everybody good now, though?" Cole asked us.

"We're fine but I don't know about them." Jasmine answered.

"Damn, this is a bad time to be drifting from a group you traveled with. We in a foreign country." Cole shook his head.

"That what I said." Sniper Wolf told Cole and took a seat. "Young, dumb, and broke college kids." He shook his head.

"Don't be a dick, Dick." I told him and he just shrugged.

"Anyways, come on y'all, let's get to cooking." Tia said washing her hands.

"Alright." Courtney said going to the sink.

"Wait a minute. Courtney, you cookin'?" I asked her.

Courtney turned her head to face me. "Yes, why?"

"I'm not saying that you can't, I'm just saying thag you hate to." I told her.

"Says who?" She asked me.

"Says the girl who leaves food around their kitchen just for decoration. Who buys rice JUST for decoration?" I asked her laughing. "Other countries would kill for that rice." I finished as Algee and Jacob came into the room.

"Boy..." She rolled her eyes then washed her hands. "Well, today I feel like cooking. So I'm doing it." She turned her head away from me.

"Right, let the girl cook!" Cole said to me.

All the others came into the room. "Did Algee really fuck yo sister?" She asked Woody.

Woody looked at Algee and charged at him. "Hell, nahh, they got hot grits on the stove! Y'all better move the hell out the way." Cole said aloud.

Sniper grabbed Woody. "Y'all kids are too much." He said walking Woody outside. "You need to cool out with that bullshit."

"Bitch, you is messy as hell." I said to Megan.

"Bitch? Who the bitch? Nigga I act more tough than yo bitch ass!" Megan said walking up to me.

"What you gon' do? Hit me? I may act like a bitch but I got hands like a nigga, so if you wanna fight say the words, hun!" I told her and stood up from my chair.

"I can't let you hit no woman." Jax stood up.

"Tell her ass to sit back, and shut up. Be the obedient dog you are!" I smiled at her.

"Oh my fucking God, CAN EVERYBODY JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!?" Tia yelled out. "This whole trip ain't been nothing but bullshit between everybody." She rolled her eyes and continued to cook.

Cole looked at me. "Y'all better listen..." He said with wide eyes.

        Tia was cooking angrily. You know the usual, stirring the hell out of food, and doing shit with the pots. It was quiet for a little bit until everybody started talking amongst themselves. Sis is right, this whole trip has been a mess. Nothing but a bunch of people arguing and even more jealously. After everything was done, we started to eat. Tia washed her hands and left out of the kitchen.

"Sis, ain't you gon' eat?" I asked her.

"Not hungry." Her tone was very snippy and I don't like that. I haven't done anything so I'm not understanding why she's mad at me.

 Ari turned on the radio and Everybody Plays the Fool by The Maine Ingredient was playing. She started dancing and singing. How ironic because she's playing the fool right now. Any and everybody can see that the Alessandro dude is playing her. Love is blind I guess, and dick...

Author's Note: Maybe, Taimak was right... Are y'all mad that Alessandro is married with kids? Yes, Taimak speaks many different languages.

Word Count: 4,240

Please feel free to like and comment. Feedback gives motivation, and motivation urges me to continue to write.

Thank you all for taking the time out of your day to read another chapter of this story. Thank you for staying despite the slacking.💚🖤❤💜💙💛