𝓤𝓝𝓕𝓞𝓡𝓣𝓤𝓝𝓐𝓣𝓔, 𝓣𝓗𝓔 𝓞𝓡𝓘𝓖𝓘𝓝𝓐𝓛𝓢

CHAPTER 3

Riya wakes up as the sunlight streams through the window. She stretches and smiles, ready to start her day.

"Another beautiful day in New Orleans," Riya said to herself, walking to her closet.

Riya picks out her outfit, a casual yet stylish dress, and gets ready. She grabs her phone and keys before heading out the door.

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Riya enters the café, spotting Marcel seated at a table near the window. Marcel waves at her with a warm smile.

"Hey, Marcel!" Riya greeted, walking over and giving him a quick hug.

"Morning, Riya. How's my favorite girl doing?" Marcel asked, pulling out a chair for her.

"I'm good! Just the usual, you know, school and all. How about you?" Riya replied, sitting down and glancing at the menu.

"Busy as always, but never too busy for you," Marcel said with a grin. "By the way, I want you to meet someone."

Marcel motions toward a young man approaching their table. The man is in his early twenties, with a friendly demeanor and a relaxed vibe.

"Riya, this is Josh. He's new around here," Marcel introduced, gesturing to the newcomer.

"Hi, Riya. Nice to meet you!" Josh said with a cheerful smile, extending his hand.

"Nice to meet you too, Josh," Riya replied, shaking his hand. "So, what brings you to New Orleans?"

"Just looking for a fresh start, you know? Heard this place is the best for that," Josh said, his eyes glancing at Marcel, who nodded subtly.

"It definitely has its charm," Riya agreed, her curiosity piqued. "Do you have any plans while you're here?"

"Not really. I'm just trying to find my way around. Maybe Marcel can show me the ropes?" Josh said, looking at Marcel for support.

"Of course. We'll take good care of you," Marcel replied with a reassuring smile.

They continue chatting about New Orleans, places to visit, and local favorites, with Riya giving Josh tips on the best spots in town.

"You'll love it here, Josh. There's always something going on," Riya said enthusiastically. "Maybe we can all hang out again soon?"

"I'd like that," Josh said, smiling appreciatively. "Thanks for making me feel welcome, Riya."

"Alright, let's get out of here," Marcel said, standing up and putting some cash on the table. "I'll walk you back, Riya."

"Thanks, Marcel," Riya said, getting up and grabbing her bag. "It was nice meeting you, Josh."

"You too, Riya. See you around," Josh said as they all headed out of the café.

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Thierry is playing his trumpet in the courtyard, and Klaus and Marcel watch from a distance.

"You're right. He's good," Klaus said, nodding appreciatively.

"Right? Music man, I call him. Ladies love him, but he's spoken for. He knocks around with this pretty little witch, says he loves her, but I don't know," Marcel said with a smirk.

"Your brightest soldier is fraternizing with your enemy, and you don't care," Klaus asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, of course I care, but Thierry is a grown man. He makes his own choices, and I get some good intel. Besides, he's not gonna do anything to jeopardize what we're doing here. I mean, check this out—a vampire hosting a ritzy charity event. We have a community here. No one's gonna mess that up," Marcel said confidently.