Quintessentially True

Hipsters and Business Magnates

Maya Patel was a fairly social person: she had a lot of friends, loved to socialize, and was charismatic. But when her roommate came home at three in the morning, rudely disrupted her sleep and told her that they had a coffee date (with a stranger) at 9 am the next morning, she had been less than pleased. "I have class at 10!" She had exclaimed.

"Perfect, you have at least 45 minutes for breakfast with us then," Annelise replied calmly. With that, the girl left to her bedroom, running her hair through her curls, and promptly shut the door.

And now, after waking up at 8:37 in the morning, she was, to put it simply, having a bad morning. After almost being run over by a newsboy, attacked by spoiled Chihuahua, and having a soccer ball chucked at her head, she made it, huffing and puffing to the Starbucks on 55th Street. And she was decidedly less than happy.

"Over here, Maya!" Annelise called ever-so-daintily from a corner table. With her sat an Asian stereotypical New-Age-Hipster dude and a guy who looked like he had walked off the set of a Polo Ralph Lauren photo shoot. "These handsome gentlemen are Robert Zhang and Alexander Fitz. Boys, this is my roommate, Maya Patel. I'll just go get you a coffee, babe."

"Dude, we just went from gentlemen to boys in the span of three seconds. First she totally rejects me, now this? This chick is killing my self-esteem, man," the Asian boy- uh, man- muttered.

Plastering on what she hoped was an amiable smile, she stuck out a hand. "Nice to meet you Robert."

The Asian dude's eyes narrowed behind his large square-frame glasses as he looked at her hand. Raising an eyebrow, he lifted his gaze back to Maya. "Why do you think I'm Robert Zhang? Is it because I'm Asian? Are you tryna' say something here? Huh? Don't think I can't see what's going on just 'cause my eyes are small, OK? See all, know all." He said pointing to himself, and then tapping his temple with his finger. Following his earlier actions, Maya lifted a single eyebrow.

"Actually, your bracelet says Robert." She said, pointing to the engraved leather bracelet on his left wrist.

Robert Zhang decided to draw inspiration from a deer. A deer in headlights, to be specific. "I was just testing you," he squeaked out. "And you can call me Robbie."

Allowing a polite nod and a smile, Maya finally took a seat. However, after turning to look at the other guy in their company, she almost fell off of it. He watched her with eyes crinkled in laughter, the lines deepening in amusement as her jaw dropped open.

"Alright, darling?" He asked in a smooth baritone.

He was very handsome, but that wasn't it. No, she was going to have breakfast wit-

"You're Alexander Fitzpatrick. Heir of Fitzpatrick Industries. Why didn't you tell me before?" Annelise accused, glaring at Alex, as she threw down a copy of the Entrepreneur with a cover picture of him and his mother on the table. She set down a coffee cup and a muffin in front of Maya. "Close your mouth, honey, you'll catch flies." She added offhandedly, lightly tapping the latter's chin with a straw.

Alex was still looking at Maya. "Yes, I am Alexander Fitzpatrick," he confirmed carefully.

"It's a pleasure, Mr. Fitzpatrick." She spoke prudently as well. He wanted something, and there was no doubt about it.

"The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Patel. Say, what are your plans for the summer?"

Wait, what? "My plans? For the summer?" Maya stammered.

"Yes, Ms. Patel. For summer break? Which starts in.....exactly 2 weeks?"

"Well Mr. Fitzpatrick, I do not have anything planned as of yet," she answered suspiciously. What did this guy want?

"Perfect!" He beamed at her, continuing, "I have already stricken a deal with your roommate and I would like to extend the same offer to you, Ms. Patel. And please, call me Alex."

Oh God Annelise, what kind of mafia deal have you dragged us into this time, Maya thought, her breath hitching slightly, as she replied with a calm countenance, "Sure.....Alex. Please, continue."

He smiled again, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his thighs as he began: "I'm sure you heard of the robbery of my mother's art collection." He paused as she slowly nodded. "Well, it has yet to be recovered, despite us hiring the best to retrieve it. So, I've decided to take matters into my own hands. Especially since my mother has admitted the real reason she is so bent on getting those works back." He leaned back, waiting for Maya to ask him about the real reason. She was hooked and he knew it.

Curiosity won out in Maya. "Well? Go on," she prompted.

"Hidden, within those paintings are some....important documents, crucial to our family's survival. I need your help in getting those back. So will you help me or not?"

The absurdity of it all was, well, unreal to Maya. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait. Can we go back a bit real quick? So these documents are crucial to the survival of your family. Documents, like papers? Am I getting that right? Ok, and you guys hid them in paintings? Dude, seriously? And why would you tell someone- especially a stranger- that? They could take advantage of your position of weakness especially with you being the heir of Fitzpatrick Industries and all. I mean, come on man, we just met two minutes ago! The lack of common sense is astounding. Really." She paused for a breath, and Alex took that time to open his mouth in hopes of offering an explanation. Too slow. "And you ask random people, people you meet in the wee hours of morning and their roommates, to help you in this life-saving mission? Are you seeing some holes in this logic, or is it just me?" She exclaimed, looking at Robbie in disbelief. "How do you even come up with that? Docume-"

"Maya." Gone were the laugh lines surrounding the heir's eyes, his dimples, and picture-perfect smile. His air of friendliness and charm was replaced by one of authority and power, his blue eyes ice cold. "Will you help me or not?" he repeated in hushed tones, leaning in.

"What if I say no?" She whispered, lowering her voice. "What guarantee did you have that I'd say yes? What if I say no, leave this- this meeting- and sell your secrets? What's in it for me?"

"Ah. Let's talk business."