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Depending on one's situation, persistence could either be a good or bad thing. Everyone was hungry for the truth, but when finally served, was the dish sour instead of sweet? Hideous instead of beautiful? Was it everything they were looking for?

It made one ponder: was the truth really worth knowing? Was it not better to live in a bubble of sheltered bliss? What was the point of tearing down everything one created? For whom would it be beneficial for? Maybe that's why one kept secrets from those closest to them— it would spare them the pain. Less, less pain.

Talia learned the hard way the truth was already a bitter pill to swallow, but some couldn't even bare to put it in their mouth. The taste was too revolting.

She had gotten home from school with April, who still wanted to share her theory from this morning. The redhead chattered on and on, laying out possibility after possibility, but Talia only sat there on the couch, hearing nothing but muffles from April's mouth.

Talia hadn't been able to move on from her and Raph's little conversation. None of it made sense. Apparently, nothing did anymore. There was nothing her mother did these whole years to suggest she rubbed elbows with a drug lord— much less a criminal organization. That wasn't the mother she knew. That wasn't the mother she remembered.

She felt somebody shaking her, followed by April's voice asking, "Taly? You listening?" The voice became clearer and clearer, until Talia regained focus.

When Talia came to, she looked next to her, April frowning in a way that meant worry.

"Did you hear me just now?" April asked.

Talia blinked, as if she forgot where she was. "Wha-? Um, no, I was. . ." she touched her forehead with her palm, like she was going to smack herself. "Sorry, April. . . my head's a little messed up."

April took off her wool beanie, causing the hairs on top of her head to stand on end. Such a sight would always choke a laugh out of Talia, but Talia only muttered scoldings to herself.

"Could've fooled me," April said. "Alright, tell me. What's going on with you?"

There were a million things going on with her, but Talia didn't even know where to start. Her mind was in a frenzy and as much as she wanted the waters to stay still, it would not obey. Talia walked to her room, where upon entering, stripped of her blazer and necktie. April tagged behind her, flopping on the bed like a seal.

"It almost feels like your old room," April pointed out. She observed the blush-colored painted walls, complimented by curtains the color of desert sand, and the orchid sitting on the windowsill; the orchid's stem and leaves looking even and lively as ever.

Talia stopped unbuttoning her blouse midway. Part of her thought that if she couldn't return to her old room, then she might as well do whatever was in her power to make it feel like she was in her old room. Whatever it took to make this place feel like home— her old home. The place that was once full of life and happiness.

"You're right," Talia said. The keyword in April's sentence was almost. Close, but no cigar. "Except in my old room, I didn't have glow-in-the-dark stars." She pointed to the ceiling.

April's eyes followed Talia's finger to where it was pointing at a section of the ceiling, where Talia indeed decorated it with several glow-in-the-dark stars.

"They are helping me sleep and all. . ." Talia admitted, going to the dresser for a change of clothes.

April finished, "But. . .?"

". . .I had another dream. Well, more like a memory, I think. I can't explain it."

"Let me guess: you and your mom?"

Talia rummaged inside the drawer for a clean top. She sighed, "It all felt familiar to me some how, but for some reason, my brain couldn't remember. Have you ever had that happen to you?" She asked April. "Where you know you might've experienced something, but you seem to have no memory of it?"

April thought about it for a moment. She jangled her lanyard back and forth. "My head likes tricking me into thinking I've done a certain math problem before, but it's all bullshit. Though, it's hard to remember a memory if it's from your childhood— the brain has a way of leaving those in a dark hole."

"But this memory wasn't from when I was a kid. It looked like it was very recent. I think and think. . . yet, nothing. It's like the memory never happened."

"Well, what were you and your mom doing?"

"She was driving. We were crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, but I didn't know where we were going from there. And then it ended."

"Hmm. . . well, you must've dreamt about it if your brain thought it was pretty significant."

"Significant how? In what way?"

"The same way your other dreams probably were. It's like Mikey said— they're trying to tell you something."

Talia took off her blouse, leaving her with just her tank top and school skirt. She sighed and went to sit down on the floor next to her bed, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Hopefully one day I'll know," Talia said softly. And she really hoped that day was closer than ever.

April examined Talia's expression. She hated to see her best friend suffer. If she could take away all her pain, she would. She couldn't believe she was saying this, but she would rather see Talia sick with the flu than to go through such a devastating loss. One could get better after days of being sick, but this? What happened to Talia was something that would never truly heal. She would carry her mother's loss for the rest of her life.

"Anyway," Talia spoke, moving on from her dream, "what were you trying to tell me?"

In just seconds, April moved from the bed to being next to Talia. The redhead then proposed, "You know what? Let's take a break. It's Friday, after all, and what better way to kickstart the weekend by going to the mall? We can hang out, walk around, eat, and repeat."

"What-"

"We can try out a bunch of clothes and make a mess in the dressing room— just like old times. I also heard a new milkshake place opened in the food court, and we both know you haven't had a strawberry milkshake in a while. . ."

Hearing April's proposal was a little too tempting. Today's weather made it seem like the perfect day to go out for a girls trip, but. . .

"Come on, Tals," April urged, noticing the hesitance on Talia's face. "Look. . . you've had it rough these past couple of weeks. I know this matter over your mother's affairs is top priority, but at the same time, the more you think about it, the restless you become. There's time to figure it all out later."

Although Talia didn't feel like wasting precious minutes when she knew time wasn't on her side, April did speak the truth. The Foot Clan and her mother was all she thought about ever since that fateful night at the mansion. It consumed her in ways she never thought it would and quite frankly, it started concerning her. She had never felt such determination and, did she dare say, anger before in her life. It scared her. Maybe she did need a quick vacation from this investigation.

"I do like strawberry milkshakes. . ." Talia muttered, seconds away from giving in.

"Then it's settled!" April grinned. "It'll be like old times."

Talia snuggled her head against April's shoulder, sighing. The corners of her lips suggested a faint smile. "What would I do without you?"

"I know. I'm the best."

***

After changing out of their school uniforms, Talia and April headed for the mall, located near the Columbus Circle and the New York Institute of Technology. Since it was a Friday afternoon, the mall was extra-packed today. Talia had been here a handful of times to shop for formal dresses needed for her mother's  by charity balls and other events that involved the company. Shopping was something that Talia liked doing, but she liked it better when her best friend joined her— it made the experience ten times more fun.

"Oh my god, that's my algebra teacher right there!" April grabbed Talia's arm and gestured to the perfume shop, where a plump woman with cat-shaped glasses was trying out the different perfume samples on display.

"Sometimes, it's so funny seeing teachers outside of school," April snickered. "Like, you realize they have a life outside of grading papers and giving boring lectures. Was it just me who only thought that way growing up?"

"No, not just you," Talia smiled. "When I was younger, I even thought teachers lived at the school."

"Dude!" April slapped Talia's arm in a playful manner. "Seriously? Get out of here."

"It's true! Maybe I only thought that way because the teachers were already at the school way before the students. But that was when I was five."

April flicked Talia's cheek with her finger. "Even your way of thinking is cute. Come on, let's go check out that favorite store of yours— Fernanda's?"

"Do you mean Francesca's?"

"Eh, I was close."

Talia linked her arm with her best friend's one and pulled April behind her, laughing as the two ran along. It touched Talia's heart to know that April, who had never cared for boutiques and stores that sold 'girly' things, was willing to step foot into one for her.

The hours flew by, and although Talia and April didn't purchase anything, that still didn't stop them from going to nearly every store. Talia being Talia, she just couldn't resist trying out the newest clothes and host a mini fashion show in the dressing room. When she suggested she and April swap fashion styles for fun, she never forgot the look April put on— Talia thought April was going to cough up a hairball.

"Pink is most definitely for you, not me," April said, stepping out of the dressing room, wearing a pink top, matching headband, skirt, and white heeled ankle boots.

"You have no idea how badly I want to take a picture," Talia squealed. "It's so adorable."

"This was a terrible idea." April was starting to regret her life choices.

"No, it wasn't! I swear, you look so cute!"

"I look like a cupcake about to explode! Meanwhile, you look like you're about ready to be a fashion model for GAP."

Talia wore a zip-up jacket, baggy jeans with multiple pockets, track sneakers, and a baseball cap.

"I stand correct," April grumbled. "You can pull off any look. I bet you can make outfits from the flea market look good."

"Nonsense." Talia shook her head. "No one rocks mom jeans and graphic T-shirts better than you."

"Just like with you and your frills and all clothes pink. I think Barbie's jealous."

"Oh, stop it."

After that, to make it up to April, Talia took her to the camera shop, where April went crazy and picked up every camera she could get her hands on. When she stopped at a certain one, April's eyes sparkled and held it up like it was holy grail.

"One day, this bad boy is gonna come home with me," April patted it. "But for now, I'm going to have to stick with the one I have— which, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it, but we all have to move on to bigger things, am I right?"

Thinking of the camera made Talia ask, "So when's the school newspaper going to be up and running?"

"Ah, well, my supervisor says we can start in a few weeks. We're just evaluating some of the applicants who want to join. I'm surprised so many people want to join the newspaper, but I'm pretty sure they're doing it for the benefits."

"What benefits?"

"For one, you get to get out of class. And two, the unlimited food. The only one who actually seems interested is this guy. . . says he's interested photographing for the sports teams."

Talia ran her finger against the wooden display table. "At least he knows what he wants to do."

"In my opinion, he seemed. . . a little odd, but so is everyone in the school newspaper. Except for me, of course. Now, let's go to the food court before I steal this camera."

***

There had to have been a birthday party of some sort happening at the food court, because twenty or so kids were running amok, screaming their heads off and chasing each other. One of the kids (Talia assumed was the birthday boy because he was the only one wearing a party hat that read 'BIRTHDAY BOY') possessed a NERF gun, pelting his friends with foam darts. One even whizzed past Talia, hitting one of the plastic dining chairs.

"Would I be evil if a kid gets hit and I laugh?" April wondered out loud.

The food court was a melting pot of international flavors, with cuisines from different cultures trying to overpower the other. One had to choose between pan-fried noodles and tangy Korean barbecue and sizzling burgers. The mix of jangling spices were already inundating Talia's nostrils.

Between the wild revelers and the mall shoppers plowing through a variety of fast food, it was difficult to get around. With so many people, one didn't even know where the line to order started— or find an empty table to sit and enjoy their meal.

"Good thing we're only here for milkshakes," April said. "Hey, I gotta go to the bathroom, so can you order? I want chocolate."

Talia watched as April handed her a wad of dollar bills and several coins. "Oh, sure."

"Pray for me that I don't get hit." April pointed to the bathroom, where the only way to get to the entrance was to bypass a bunch of munchkins armed with NERF and water guns. "Seriously, there has to be a rule against that."

Talia shrugged. "Children will be children."

April sighed and went off. Talia made her way over to the milkshake line, which nearly overlapped the line waiting for hand-tossed Italian pizzas. The sweet scent of cookies and whipped cream sparred with the smells of homemade marinara and oregano. It was only for a few seconds that Talia managed to block out the sounds coming from the screaming children, in which she thought about the events that led her up to this moment.

What will become of me? My father? The Hamato Clan? When all of this is over, what will happen from there?

Talia wasn't sure if she wanted to know. As of this moment, the unknown scared her. She didn't know what might happen next and whether she would be strong enough to withstand it.

When it was her turn to order, she laid her hands on the vinyl counter and said, "One chocolate shake and one strawberry, please."

"You got it." The cashier took the money and then told Talia to wait after giving her the receipt.

Not far from where she stood, a trio of pretty girls wandered mindlessly in and out of the rowdy children. Talia guessed the trio were trying to decide what fast food they were in the mood to try out. All three girls were college-aged; two Asian, one African-American. Two out of the three were outfitted in designer clothes, clutching equally expensive-looking purses. They were, what, Hermés? Kate Spade? It seemed like the two girls shared something funny between them, as they were laughing away.

Only the third girl, who was a little behind than her friends, was excluded from the laughter. It looked like she was the odd one out— metaphorically and literally. From head to toe she was dressed in all-black punk clothes. Her bangs were cut into feathery pieces that covered her forehead; the rest of her hair was arranged in a messy bun, secured by a jade pin. But her face. . .

Talia'a face melted into surprise. Those intense eyes and eyeliner and mauve lipstick. . . it could only be Miwa! Talia hadn't seen her since the night she and her brothers saved her from The Foot, but she could still pick her out from an entire crowd. Miwa had her hands shoved in her pockets, but what was with that look on her face? It was almost like she wasn't fully enjoying herself. . . or like she was there merely out of obligation.

Even though Talia wasn't expecting to see Miwa today, she still wanted to say hi. Before she could say anything, however. . .

"Oh my god! There is no fucking way!" A female voice shrieked.

It was the African-American girl, nudging her friend. They seemed to acknowledge a girl who happened to cross paths with them. The girl's hair was the color of straw and had her glasses resting on the tip of her nose. She looked to be the same age as the trio, but the way her gaze was darting left and right, as if she were looking for an escape. . . her frail hand was shaking so bad she almost dropped her smoothie cup.

"Wow, it's almost like you two are fucking twins!" The African-American girl laughed. Her hair was curly like spaghetti. She took out her phone and said, "My dear Liezel, should I take a pic for our hall of fame?"

It took Talia a second to notice that the girl and the one who was referred as 'Liezel' were wearing identical red designer tops and the same brand of purse.

'Liezel' glared at her friend. "Go to hell, Kimberly," she spat, her dark hair tumbling behind her back as she turned her head. Liezel zeroed in on the girl like a cat would do to a mouse.

The girl swallowed and made a beeline in the other direction, but Liezel called her out, her tone increasing in harshness.

"Hey! HEY!"

The girl froze like she had forgotten all her bodily functions. Liezel stepped toward her until they were only a few meters away from each other. A cruel light shone in Liezel's eyes.

"Strip," she said with such authority.

The girl blinked. She kept her mouth compressed for what felt like a long time. "What?" she said at last.

"Are you fucking deaf like your sister?" Each word coming from Liezel's mouth felt like a blade scraping against ice. "Take off your clothes and don't question me!"

'Kimberly' covered her mouth in order to muffle her giggles. She held out her phone like she was recording. Miwa looked highly uncomfortable, but she didn't voice out her feelings. Talia looked around her to see if anyone else was witnessing this, but it was like there was nothing to see here. People went about their business. The few people who were aware of the situation ultimately turned away and ordered their food.

The girl shuddered. As if mustering up her courage, she took another step and looked at Liezel in the eyes. "I. . . I'm sorry if you're upset, Liezel," the girl said. "But the shirt and purse aren't even real. They're knock-offs. I. . . I have to go. Excuse me."

The girl sped-walked through the crowd, hastily pushing past people who got in her way.

Liezel's face turned purple from rage. She clenched her fists. "One of these days, I'm going to kill that fucking bitch," she growled.

Kimberly was busy having a hoot over what happened, zooming her phone in Liezel's face. "Be careful, guys! She's going to turn into Lizilla!"

"Shit, put that away!"

Liezel and Kimberly sauntered someplace else, with Miwa trailing behind them, but also somewhat keeping her distance. It looked like she didn't even notice Talia.

"#29!" Talia's order was ready. She went to retrieve the milkshakes, thanking the lady who gave them to her.

Talia turned back to notice Miwa and the girls had disappeared. To be honest, Talia had no idea what she had seen. Well, she knew those two girls were bullying that poor girl for no apparent reason, but she didn't quite understand why Miwa stood back and let it all happen. Why was she even hanging around with bullies? That wasn't her impression of Miwa when she first met her.

Talia heard a DING! from her back pocket. She pulled out her phone to see what it was, and was surprised to see it was a message from Raph.

Raph: If you're still up for it, we can check out the Brooklyn brownstone tonight. I'll be at your house at 8.

Of all the things Talia expected Raph to say, she wasn't expecting him to say that. Didn't he say that brownstone was home to a drug laboratory? What if they get caught?

But yet again, that same drug laboratory was her best lead for now. She had to take the risk. If there was something in there that could either prove her or Raph right, she wanted to find it.

Talia responded quickly right when April came back from the toilets.

"Sorry if I took so long. There there was a long line like you wouldn't believe it." April frowned. She smiled, though, when her eyes laid on her milkshake. "Ooo, gimme!" She plucked it out of Talia's hand.

"So. . . anything happen while I was gone?" April asked, slurping her milkshake.

Talia stared off into the distance, Raph's text and what happened with the bullies driving a wedge between her focus. "No. . . all was peaceful."