Ice & Prejudice

Chapter 61

Ria's POV:

The van was buzzing with a mix of excitement and chatter as we headed towards Montreal, Canada. Nik was behind the wheel, his focus split between the road and the lively conversation happening around him. I was in the passenger seat, surrounded by a mountain of snacks crammed under the glove compartment and my feet. Every time I reached for something, it felt like a snack avalanche was about to happen. Seriously, I was surrounded by a fortress of snacks-chips, granola bars, gummy bears, chocolate, and anything else we might need for the long journey ahead. Layla, Jamal, and Harvey were in the first row behind me, while Padma, Noah, and Dickie occupied the second row.

"Do you think we packed enough snacks?" I asked, reaching for a granola bar that was wedged between a bag of pretzels and a container of trail mix.

"Definitely not," Nik said with a grin. "But if we run out, we can always raid a gas station on the side of the road."

Layla, sitting behind me with Jamal and Harvey, was rifling through a bag of gummy bears. "Jamal, have you found your pretzels yet?" she asked, glancing at Jamal with a mix of amusement and concern.

Jamal shook his head, looking through the snacks with a determined expression. "I think they're hiding. They don't want to be found."

"Or they're plotting a revolt," Harvey interjected from the back row, sounding completely serious. "They know they're outnumbered and are making their last stand."

The conversation shifted as Nik began to play some music to set the mood for the trip. Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" came on, and Harvey, never one to shy away from the spotlight, started singing along with gusto.

"Never had a chance to see what we could be..." Harvey belted out, his voice dramatically off-key but filled with confidence.

Padma laughed, leaning over for all of us to hear. "If Harvey keeps this up, we might need to stop and get some earplugs."

Jamal grinned, his hand resting casually on Layla's thigh. "Hey, I think he's doing great. Every road trip needs its own personal concert."

Nik's eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, catching sight of Jamal's hand on Layla's leg. His expression hardened for a moment before he turned back to the road with a chuckle. "Jamal, as much as I appreciate your enthusiasm, let's keep things PG. Layla's still my sister, you know."

Layla rolled her eyes but didn't seem too perturbed. "Nik, chill. We're just having a good time."

"Chill?" Nik raised an eyebrow. "I am chill. Jamal, hands off my sister."

Jamal gave a mock salute. "Understood, sir. I'll keep it respectful."

Meanwhile, Harvey's singing had reached a new level of intensity. "You could have had it all!" he crooned, completely lost in his performance. I noticed the way a car that apssed us on the road gave us a weird look, clearly hearing Harvey's off tune singing.

"Harvey, seriously," Dickie said with a grin. "You're going to make us famous for all the wrong reasons."

"Hey, I'm just providing the entertainment," Harvey shot back, still singing with unabashed enthusiasm. "You should be grateful."

I turned to Nik with a smirk. "This is what you signed up for, remember? Road trips with Harvey as the entertainment are a package deal."

Nik chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm well aware. Just don't blame me if we all end up with hearing loss by the time we get there."

As the hours passed, the banter continued, punctuated by random bursts of laughter and the occasional snack-related argument. The van's atmosphere was a blend of comfort and chaos, and I found myself relishing the easygoing nature of it all.