Echo_

Yeah, it makes a lot of sense.

@maya_liafador: Echo let out her cute guffaw when Maya addressed Jotaro with the endearing nickname. Her youngest brother leered at her and she replied with laughter, "What? It's cute."

Maya was visibly confused at the humor in her choice of words so Echo explained it to her. "Sorry Maya. His real name is Jotaro [Joe - tar - o], but we always called him Jo around the house. And he doesn't like anyone but my obbasan, mom or me calling him Jochan."

"You don't know any better. My sister just needs to stop calling me that in public." His eyes were affixed to his iPhone while he spoke and his tone diminished to a deadpan delivery.

Letting the fumes of his irritation simmer Jotaro resumed his conversation with Maya, "I'm always drifting on weekends with my friends in Tokyo. I have some clips on Instagram if you want to check it out."

"You two basically blocked our joyride." Julius added, looking at Maya's phone. "But I didn't know it wasn't his. So it's cool."

"So what do you plan on doing with that video anyway?" Jotaro eyes were directly set on Maya with a guile smirk.

Meanwhile Echo was answering a litany of text: Maya, Zaina, Mari, Richard and even texted a 'Sorry. :)' to Jotaro.

Working on Maya's she was oblivious to Jotaro's interrogation on her: >>It's not going anywhere I'm talking to a guy I met in Chelsea named Richard. Mari and Zaina just text me saying he just showed up at my house. You might get to meet him. But he can wait though, I'm starving lol<<

I need to slow down, but then I tell myself "I'm young" and shrug it off.

@maya_liafador:

"You probably get that question a lot?" Echo slid closer to Maya, shoulder to shoulder to help her look through the menu.

"Yeah, it's natural to wonder." Julius replied, "But no, not to my knowledge. I have close relatives from France."

The waiter appeared this time with juices, teas and water asking if Maya and Julius decided on their orders, "My friend will have Pad Gra Prow, Spring Rolls and Tom Yum Gai. And he'll have--"

Julius cut in grinning at Echo's attempt to order for him. "I got this. Param Gai add extra spinach and Pad Ta Lay with a little green beans. " He handed off Maya and his menus to the waiter. "Thank you."

"Maya, I ordered you chicken and a spicy soup, it's not hot hot, but it has a nice kick. You'll like it with the spring rolls." she tilted her head slightly and smiled at her. She went to her iPhone 6 and shot Maya a secret text:"Maya! You can't tell but I'm melting rn. He's cute! His voice, ugh."

To sustain the normalcy, Echo struck up conversation. "So how did you and my brother meet?" she took a polite sip from her sweetened mate tea.

"Instagram. And about an hour ago. I barely know this kid."He grinned flashing polished teeth as he brushed his hand over the strong wave pattern in his Caesar cut. Jotaro was equally amused and they seemed to be already comfortable around one another.

"What about you Maya?" Julius boomeranged the conversation towards her to break her attention away from her text messages. "How long have you known Echo?"

@maya_liafador:

"OK" she replied looking at the paparazzi gathered like vultures, waiting for a celebrity to step in or out of the Thai restaurant, Lemongrass. Shinji was the only one in her family that attracted attention from pop culture, not from his behavior, but the famous people he chose as friends. When he invited Echo out, it was usually with one of his famous lady friends that attracted flocks of paparazzi.

Meeting Maya at the passenger's side Echo took her hand and trounced through the mega watt flashes and the protest of questions. They yelled for Maya to give them a glance her direction for $2,000 candids to sell to blogs and publications like People and OK! magazine. Echo and Maya remained aloof to their taunts for attention beelining for the privacy of the interior of the restaurant.

When they entered, the wafting scents of basil, kaffir limes, bell peppers, cinnamon and curry welcomed the two girls into the dim-lit restaurant. A Thai hostess greeted the two asking how many they were seating. "For two." Echo spoke in Thai, anticipating a plate of Angel Wings, Green Curry and a bowl of Yen Tafo.

"Si" a voice added from behind the two girls.

Startled Echo glanced over her shoulder then giggled once she realized it was Jotaro and her tall, black friend. "No. You're not finessing your way out of it, Jochan. Don't try."she teased, giving the two boys the clear with the host.

The host lead the teens to a booth seat across from a large bronze Buddha statue in solitude at the center of a silent garden fountain. Echo and Jotaro dropped there orders one after the other while Jotaro's friend and Maya reviewed their menus. Echo kicked Jotaro in the shin and signaled at the black boy with her eyes, asking Jotaro to give a proper introduction. When the black boy spoke, butterflies spread across Echo's chest. A baritone hybridized accent escaped his mouth as he introduced himself to the two girls, "Julius Basquait."Echo visited the UK enough times to know he migrated from somewhere in Africa to London and mixed the two dialects, creating that tantalizing accent she would hear daily from the black boys living in Chelsea.

"Hi" she smiled, strategically averting her gaze for a moment."I'm Echo, Jotaro's sister."

"And this is my friend, Maya." Echo assumed Julius knew who the Liafador teen was already.

@shadowswordmaster: Uh, It's still under attack. [ ^^^^ ]

@maya_liafador:

"I finally caught my brother in the act." Echo exclaimed, speeding past the Veneno. "He always manages to take my brother's cars without getting caught."the teenager threw her head back in her seat, rolling up the Porche's power windows.

"I'm gonna send it to my brothers." she giggled. "Thanks. "

Catching Jotaro was a game more than getting him in trouble. Jotaro's sly behavior secretly amused her and showing Mugen & Shinji proof of him slipping under their alert noses was a jab at the two more than Jotaro.

Echo thought back on Maya's description of her mother, Ziccarra and saw her mother in her. The stories of how her parents met as hardcore international agents and the Carmen Tsukazaki she called mother were night and day. She queued the thought for a later time.

"Have you ever had Thai?" she looked over at Maya as they took Exit 54 into Downtown Los Angeles. "I'm in the mood for it."

Ayyyy! My little buddy came to see me!

Yooo