Heart Of Ice

Chapter 6

Samika's POV

"This abstract seems worthy to be here" Olive whispers as we both stand before an abstract painting, hanging proudly on the wall of the art museum.

I notice and observe the color pattern and the ratio. The pattern is scattered mostly. Sometimes, I wonder what must be running in the artist's mind when they paint scattered pieces like this.

Olive and I move to the next one as she takes notes on a few. Two hours later we are finally done and already starving. I haven't had breakfast as well. Nyle and I drove around until early morning so I slept till noon. And well, now here I am.

"Where to? I'll treat you today" Olive says and I smirk at her.

"What's the occasion?" I ask her because usually I am the one paying because a few dollars here and there from my father's credit card means nothing to me, but those few dollars to Olive means a lot.

"I'll tell you. First, where to?" She asks and I think for a minute before walking towards my Mercedes. She hops into the passenger seat while I put my seatbelt on and start driving.

I stop at the nearest Chinese Fast food joint and Olive laughs. We both love Chinese and that's what we prefer mostly, whenever we go out.

We take our seats at a table with four chairs, usually it's two, but whatever. I scan the menu and choose the steamed pork buns while Olive goes for stir fried shrimp with rice. This appears to be Asian and not just Chinese because in drink options I find Shik Hye. We ordered that as well.

What I did not expect is for Matt to walk in and find us. He walks to us while I just give Olive a soft glare. I did not know he would be joining us.

"Why is he here?"

"Why is she here?"

Matt and I ask Olive at the same time and she rolls her eyes in annoyance. You just don't know how bad we hate each other.

"Why do you always have to be like this? I wanted you both to be here. I got a job. You are now looking at the new arts teacher of -"

Matt and I don't let her finish as we both already react to it. Well, my reaction was that I screamed my lungs out in happiness while Matt just nodded and congratulated her.

We all eventually get seated and she tells us that she got into Knoxville as the arts teacher. Matt orders dumplings and our food arrives at the same time.

"So I am the only one jobless right now" I say, making Olive give me a soft look, and Matt literally snorted at me.

I give him a glare and roll my eyes. I devour my pork buns. The best I have had so far and as usual, Matt ended up having almost half of Olive's food too. I didn't know that it's a thing until I saw this person.

We all eventually pile up in my car since Matt took an uber earlier. Olive's place is the first destination since it's around so we both drop her and Matt shifts to the passenger seat.

It is totally silent right now that I can hear my own heartbeat. Matt lives in the farthest part of the town so it's quite a drive. But it's not that far from my home so it's not too far either.

"Why do you hate me so much?" Matt finally asks.

"Let's not get into that debate, Matt. I am happy that my best friend got a job. Let me stay that way for a while" I whisper with my eyes still on the road.

"No, I want to know. As far as I knew from High school, Samika is kind and compassionate. I watched Jeff try you but you politely passed when girls were throwing themselves at him. That's how I remember you. I didn't know you are capable of hating someone with a passion" he says again.

And honestly, this is by far the most he talked to me. So I give it a thought if I have to be honest with him or not.

"Well, for starters your reputation as a fuckboy. I just don't want my best friend to get her heartbroken over someone like you" I say and he doesn't answer. I look at him for a quick second and find him looking at me.

"She is too pure for you. You can agree on that" I say for which, he just nods his head and looks out through the window.

The rest of the drive was silent and he did not ask me a thing. But when I reached his driveway, that's when he faced me again.

"But let's try being friends. We were never friends. Even after a few days if you still hate me, you are free to do so for the rest of your life" he says and extends his hand for a shake.

I look at it for a second and then at him. He looks a bit hopeful and I want to give it a try for Olive. So I just shake his hand and say bye. He smiles as he walks to his house.

All the way back to my home, I keep thinking of ways I can keep myself busy now that Olive has work too. I'll be bored to death in my own home. Maybe I should start searching for jobs too. Dad is against it, but it's not like he is at home all the time to know about it.

I am quite surprised to see three cars in the driveway. If the car is parked in the garage, then it's my parents but if it's the driveway then it must be guests.

I walk in and toss my car keys into the key bowl. I walk in further into the living room and I am shocked to see both my mom and dad at home. Along with a few guests of course.

"Here comes the star of the show" my mom smiles wide and suddenly, I feel like a deer in headlights.

The six people look at me in the eye. Four men and two women. They scan me as if I am an object and I feel much more naked right now.

"She is the one John and I were talking about. Our daughter, Samika Adams" my mom introduces me to them while they just give a stern nod.

"Who are these people?" I ask her in a whisper.

"Well, these people are here for you. You just name what you want to start and they'll help you" mom says but I still don't understand.

"I am so proud of you, Sam. Now that you are a professional artist it's time for you to spread your wings. Owning an art school, starting a sculpture business or anything else .. you name it and it's yours" Dad says and I cannot believe for a second.

I get to start my own business or even own a damn art school by myself?