Heart Of Ice

Chapter 2

Samika's POV

I stand before a blank canvas, thinking what to paint. I usually paint according to my mood and that is also a reason why I did not get myself a job yet. I don't do what the work demands me to do.

Sometimes, I feel like I am not even good at anything other than this. I can snowboard well too but that doesn't mean I can make a career out of it and snowboard at the Olympics with Shaun White.

I smile at the thought and grab my set of graphite pencils. I start drawing the outline first and then coloring it next. I connect my Spotify playlist to the Bluetooth speaker in my room and hit the play button.

Taylor Swift's blank space starts playing and I get back to the blank paper again. I don't know what songs will be played next. And I don't know how long it has been. I finished drawing and I was mixing the colors on my palette when someone knocked on my door.

"Come in!" I yell and one of our maids walk in.

"Mr. Adams asked us not to make any arrangements for dinner. He wants to take you out" she says and walks out with a smile.

Just like that, the smile on my face and good mood in my mind faded away. I have a phone and my dad has my number. He could have called me and told me that.

Sometimes, it is frustrating how I am here in this household where it is me and just me. Of course, the clan of maids, chefs and people. I don't have another sibling at the very least.

That makes sense considering how mom and dad never had time. My Dad, John Adams runs a multi-million dollar business. Adams group of industries has its own mark in various fields but the Adams resorts has its speciality. It started as a star hotel that my dad owned when he stepped into the business world. He got that hotel passed down from his dad. And now, he owns so much more than a hotel.

My mom, Kate, was Kate Robinson before she became Kate Adams. She was hired as a receptionist at Adam's Hotel and my dad was swept off his feet the moment he saw her. They fell in love, they worked together growing the existing business. And married after they were sure they didn't have to turn back anymore.

I don't even know when they had time to even have me. I wonder what it is like to have a functional family according to morals. Sometimes, I go weeks without seeing them.

I call dad and wait for him to answer it.

"Good evening. I am sorry to let you know that Mr. Adams is in a -"

"Just give him the damn phone, Lexi" I say with my voice making it clear that I am not here to waste my time or play another game.

"But he asked not to disturb him while he is in-"

"I asked you to give him the phone" I say with my voice a little lower than the first time that I conveyed the message perfectly.

I heard her sigh out of frustration and then the click of heels. I patiently waited as she walked in and I heard my dad's voice as he was talking to someone.

"Mr. Adams. It's Miss Samika" she says and there is complete silence for a few seconds until I hear my dad's voice again.

"I am in a Goddamn meeting with my investors, Sam! So this better be important" He whispers and I think he used those few seconds of silence to walk to the other side of the conference room.

"Well, this is important! This is your own daughter finding out that she has dinner plans with her father through a maid. Don't you-"

I couldn't say anything again when he hung the call up straight on my face. I understand that he is busy but he could have told me instead of asking the maid to inform me.

I throw my phone on the bed and stare at the half painted snowboarder looking at the mountain of snow. I fight my tears back. I should be habituated by now but every single time, I get disappointed harder than before.

My phone starts to make noise blasting Fifth Harmony's worth it song. I looked at the screen to see my mom's name and decided to let it go to voicemail. Once it did, I took my phone to hear it.

"Lexi told me about what happened. Was it an emergency? Are you okay? I checked with Sarah and she said you were okay when she saw you last. Call me back soon"

I groan and toss my phone aside. So she heard about my frustration through Lexi. Then I decided to call Sarah, our maid to know if there is anything I need. And only then did she decide to call me.

I sigh and stand up, slipping into my vans. I am in jeans and a tee shirt already so I just walk out. I can drive around and eat somewhere I want to eat. Eating alone and eating with my parents is synonymous anyway.

Sarah tries talking to me but I tell her to tell my parents that I don't know when I'll be home and they can have dinner for themselves.

I rev the engine up and start driving around aimlessly. It is just music, my thoughts, my car and me. Olive called me but I ignored her call too. I am just not in a mood to talk to anyone.

After driving aimlessly for an hour or more, I noticed I was around the block of my house. How did I end up here? I have no idea!

I quickly drive to the nearest Taco Bell and get myself crunch wrap supreme, loaded Nachos and coke. I sit at one of the empty tables at the corner and start eating by myself as I scroll through the empty inbox in my phone. No texts or calls from either of my parents.

I take a gulp of my coke and I sense someone standing before me. I look up to see the familiar hotness standing there and looking at me with a tray of food for him.

"Can I sit here?" He asks and I look around. How is a Taco Bell this full?

"Yeah. Sure" I say in a bare whisper and again.. I don't know why I did that!

He sits before me. He has soft tacos, cheese quesadilla and Fanta. We both eat our food in silence and I was wondering if he even remembers me.

"I'm not sure if it's a nice thing that you don't have any crumbs on your mouth, '' he says and I feel embarrassed beyond what I can explain right now.

I just look at him with a sheepish smile. Just a while ago, I was wondering if he remembers me and now that he does, it is embarrassing. Because he remembers me that way.

"I am Nyle, by the way" he says, extending his arm at me for a handshake.

"Samika" I say, giving his hand a shake with a smile.

"Are you a local?" He asks and I nod.

"But I never see you around" I say, taking another sip of my coke.

"Yeah. I'm visiting my sister for a while. She is recently married and has a baby girl" he says and I nod at that information.

"How long is your stay?" I ask him, finishing off my nachos and he responds with, "probably a month. I came in search of something. Rather someone"

Now that is intriguing.

"Search for someone? Soulmate?" I joke but when he nods with no smile, my smile dies down.

In search of his soulmate? What is he? Fictional character?

"I don't know many places or anyone here and my sister is busy with little one. So I could use a good friend, honestly" he says and I give him my number.

Once I am done and I smile at him, I swear I saw his eye change its color for a second. Or I might be seeing things but I definitely saw his brown eyes turn darker.

I got out of there and I pulled my phone out of my pocket when I heard a notification sound. It's a text from an unknown number.

Preferably McDonald's next time :)

I smile and save the contact as Nyle. And I decided not to text him back. Come on. Sometimes a girl needs to play hard to get. There are no messages or calls from my parents again and at this point, I wonder if they would even notice if I elope with someone.

I sit in my car and notice Nyle walking towards his truck. He drives a truck? Interesting. I rev the engine up and start driving to my home. And what's even weirder is watching Nyle follow me all the way.

For a minute I was afraid but when I took a turn to my villa, I watched him go straight and park in the neighbor's driveway. He waves his hand at me when he notices I am watching him but I quickly walk inside.

"Are mom and dad here yet?" I ask Sarah as soon as I walk in but she shakes her head.

"Did you tell them I was having dinner out?" I ask her again and she nods with an apologetic look.

So they know and decided not to care. Great.

I turn around to walk upstairs but stop midway and watch Sarah toss my car keys into the bowl of keys right beside the counter.

"Sarah" I called her and she turned around to face me.

"Do you know anything about our neighbors?" I ask her and she gives me a questioning look before she nods.

"I have heard they recently shifted here and have a little baby girl" she says and I nod walking to my room.

So he is my neighbor's brother? I wouldn't really call her my neighbor because I never even spoke to her. The row of luxurious villas ends with my home and from there, it's just rows of regular houses with no luxury touches.

Dad often warns me about the cheap crowd and he doesn't even know my best friend Olive is not wealthy.

My phone vibrates with a text and I pull it out to see another text from Nyle.

You drive like my niece and she doesn't even know how to drive yet!

I roll my eyes and toss my phone aside, walking to the window and paying attention to my neighbor's house for the first time in my life.