Tatum Theroux. Though she was a jack of all trades, she is regarded as Karma Police’s one and only seven of spades. She had earned this playing card for her very agent like talents. Before I even had the opportunity to meet her, I heard endless praises from Astrid about her one and only best friend. She was regarded as the most talented student in her journalism major. Her talents led her to many successful articles and wide and ever expanding network of people. 

Both of them got along well because they both were working towards their own personal dreams and for that I admired both of them greatly. It made me look forward to meeting the best friend she saw as a sister all the more so. After a few months, the ever so busy Tatum was finally able to meet us between classes.

Naturally, I assumed our first meeting would go off without a hitch considering how Astrid spoke of her. However, I was in for a surprise.

While she was nowhere near rude, she wasn’t particularly friendly with me either. I could tell right off the bat that she regarded me as a mere acquaintance. She seemed to think I wasn’t someone that was going to stick around. After hearing from Astrid how most guys had approached her, I could understand Tatum’s reaction. She was a clever woman, from the moment we had sat down and Astrid left to go grab something from the vending machine, she switched fully into the role of a professional journalist. Her questions were open ended, leaving no room for a simple yes or no. They skillfully told her exactly the kind of person I was in a mere five minutes that she was gone. Once we were done and Astrid was making her way back, her entire attitude had shifted. It seemed that I had passed another test.

From that moment on we had become good friends. I watched as she became a widely recognized and award winning journalist. Though she had never mentioned it herself, I came to know that she was the daughter of two very well loved and prominent people. Her mother was a world famous photojournalist and former model, to whom she looked most like. Her father a renowned cellist from England. For the longest time, up until college she was known as a cellist prodigy like her father. She then pivoted and took the route of journalism when entering college and never looked back.

She was dead set on making a name for herself and she proudly did just that, stopping at nothing and  for no one to fulfill that dream. That was just who she was and everyone loved her for that. She worked independently and sold her stories to top publications at times, but mostly self published on her own accord. 

I recalled all that made her so special. I always admired that daring attitude, but what had led her to work for Salvatore? 

Her tall and slender frame was leaned against the brick wall. Right before she could utter a single word, a phone rang loudly from her backpack. She quickly threw it to the ground and began to rummage through it. Multiple flip phones were thrown around before she reached the bottom and took the call. 

“What?” 

She answered rudely with a thick British accent, seemingly mimicking that of her father. I heard an irritated and loud reply thrown back at her. It was clear as day that it was Grey.

“He’s just at some random restaurant eating. I guess he really hated your café. He had to cleanse his palette.” 

With that she let out the richest sounding laugh, one that made you want to laugh with her. I could clearly make out his reply. She flipped the phone closed and looked directly at me. 

“He shouldn’t call for me for some time. Thank goodness, Park was really nagging me to come back.” 

The voice I was familiar with was back and she looked rather relaxed despite the situation. She looked me right in the eye and gave me her signature pretty and perfect smile.

“Let’s eat something, I haven’t had anything appetizing in quite sometime because of that nut.”

I simply nodded and followed her lead to a small restaurant close by. It all seemed like a normal meeting between friends. She was the same as always, confident and happy. When we arrived she excused herself before we entered the restaurant leaving me to get a table. 

She came back right away looking like her normal self. The burgundy wig and brown contact lenses were gone. Her long dark brown curls cascaded along her shoulders and her hazel eyes had returned. She returned with a sadness lingering in her eyes. I pretended not to notice and we ordered. When we were finally left alone in the rowdy restaurant she spoke up. 

“I have to say, I’m thrilled to see you took the position.” 

Her voice trailed off as the server brought the drinks.

“I’m sure you’ve been questioning everything since you took this job. I did too when I started and I  have questioned it ever since. The work is dangerous and the way we live our lives isn’t normal. We all keep secrets from each other and have no one to confide in. There are things we can’t tell each other, however that’s different when it comes to you. You’re the only person that seems to look at the bigger picture and understands us.”

She trailed off again, seemingly trying to find the words to get to her point.

“In all honesty, I fought with Astrid a little over a month ago and haven’t spoken or seen her since. I wasn’t levelheaded enough or patient to try and see her side. We’ve been best friends — no like sisters for over a decade. Yet, she tells me how much she worries her carefully laid house of cards could fall at any moment. She couldn’t confide in me in the slightest past that point. She couldn’t explain her emotions to me at all and just didn’t want to.”

Her eyes told me how hurt she was by what she felt was Astrid’s lack of trust in her. However, I knew that wasn’t what Astrid felt at all. She was simply a person who hated sharing her vulnerability and deep down she knew that too. 

“I have my nerve getting upset with her when I have been hiding from everyone that I have been secretly working for Salvatore for years, huh? I haven’t even told Park.”

She laughed it off and waited for my reply.

“Everyone has their own circumstances for the things they do. If my presence helps you to move towards the end goal you wish to see, I’m glad to see my position here will put everyone’s minds at ease. Just be sure that it doesn’t put your wellbeing in danger.”

The hurt seemed to leave her eyes and she seemed to regain the confidence that left her earlier. It seems I’ll be keeping a lot of secrets moving forward.

“Anyways, I’ve learned a lot of surprising things along the way.”

Her eyes glimmered with anticipation at thought of her log of information she gained from Salvatore.

“You’re in for an absolute treat.”