Frozen Love

Chapter 5

I stood at the bus stop, wrapping my arms around myself as the cool evening breeze brushed against my skin. The day's stress weighed heavy on me, especially after that icy exchange with Dr. Kael. Five minutes late, and he acted like I’d committed a crime. It didn’t make sense how someone could be so indifferent, so detached.

The bus finally arrived, and I slumped into a seat, staring out the window as the city lights blurred past. My mind kept replaying the moment, his cold voice, his distant eyes. Why was he like that? And why did he seem familiar in a way I couldn’t shake?

When I reached my apartment, the door slid open, and Luna, my robotic assistant, greeted me in her usual cheerful tone.

“Good evening, Nyla! How was your day at the hospital?”

I let out a long sigh, kicking off my shoes and dropping my bag by the door. “Too tired to talk, Luna. I’m just... drained.”

Luna blinked, her sensors adjusting to my mood. “Understood. Shall I prepare a calming environment for you?”

“Yeah,” I mumbled. “That would be nice.”

As I collapsed onto the couch, Luna dimmed the lights, soft music playing in the background. Despite the comfort of home, my thoughts wouldn’t stop circling back to Dr. Kael. Something about him didn’t add up, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to find out what it was.

I collapsed onto the couch, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on me. My feet ached, my head pounded, and all I wanted was to turn off my brain for a bit. Grabbing the remote, I flicked on the TV, scrolling through the channels aimlessly.

"Luna," I called out, sinking further into the cushions. "Can you make me some popcorn? Or... no, wait. French fries. Something salty."

Luna's voice immediately responded from the kitchen. "French fries are in progress, Nyla. Estimated time: five minutes."

I smiled a little at that. At least I had Luna, my faithful robotic assistant, to make life a bit easier. The thought of some hot, crispy fries was just what I needed to unwind.

As the news flickered across the screen, I paid little attention to the headlines, letting the background noise fill the silence. My mind wandered back to the hospital—how exhausting my third day had been, and of course, him. Dr. Kael. His cold, distant attitude was hard to ignore. And it didn’t help that today he had singled me out for being late, like I hadn’t been killing myself to do a good job since I got there.

The scent of fries wafted from the kitchen, pulling me from my thoughts. "Your French fries are ready," Luna announced, her metallic footsteps light as she placed the plate beside me.

“Thanks, Luna. You’re a lifesaver,” I muttered, grabbing a fry and taking a bite. The salt and warmth were exactly what I needed.

I stretched out on the couch, turning up the volume on the TV, letting the mindless chatter drown out my thoughts. For the first time all day, I felt myself relax. No thoughts of work. No thoughts of Dr. Kael. Just me, some fries, and a dumb reality show I didn’t have to think about.

But even as I tried to push everything from my mind, the image of him—his sharp features, his intense eyes—flashed behind my closed eyelids. It was hard to escape that presence. I shoved another fry into my mouth, hoping the food would keep me distracted, at least for tonight.

...

I watched from the corner of my eye as Nyla stepped onto the bus. My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, the hum of the engine barely audible over the swirl of thoughts running through my head. There was something about her—something that unsettled me, and not just because she was five minutes late this morning. It was the way my parents reacted to her, how they’d so quickly dismissed her when they’d never even met her.

I shouldn’t care. But I did. More than I’d like to admit.

I let the bus pull ahead before following it, careful not to get too close. It was ridiculous, I knew that. Following one of my employees home like this. But curiosity had gotten the better of me. Why would my parents hate someone they didn’t even know? And why did they seem so adamant about keeping her at a distance?

As I watched the bus take another turn, I found myself wondering if this really was just some mistake or misunderstanding. But I knew my parents too well. They were calculating. Cold. They didn’t care about things unless they were a threat. But what threat could Nyla pose? A nurse. A girl who lived in a modest apartment nearby.

When she stepped off the bus, I slowed down, letting the car roll to a quiet stop. There was nothing extraordinary about the place. Just another apartment building. Average. Unassuming. And yet... my parents seemed to have a problem with it, with her.

It didn’t make any sense.

I tapped my fingers against the wheel, watching as she disappeared into the building. I couldn’t help but wonder what my parents knew that I didn’t. What was it about her that had them so worked up? I wasn’t one to ignore the instincts that had kept me ahead all these years, and something about this situation felt wrong.

Why would they care about someone like her? Why would it matter where she lived, what she did?

I leaned back in my seat, the tension in my chest building. The more I thought about it, the more it bothered me. Something was being kept from me. And if there was one thing I hated, it was not knowing.

The car idled in the quiet street as I stared up at the apartment. I wasn’t sure what I was hoping to find, but one thing was certain—I needed answers. Whether they came from her or my parents, I was going to figure out what they weren’t telling me.

I glanced at the darkened windows of her apartment one last time before pulling away. The nagging curiosity refused to leave me, even as I sped down the empty streets.

As I stepped into my home, the familiar hum of the automated system kicked in. The lights flickered on, but my mind was still preoccupied with Nyla.

"Welcome back, Dr. Kael," my robotic assistant, Orion, greeted in its smooth, synthetic voice, gliding towards me. Its polished exterior gleamed under the lights, reflecting my mood.

"Orion," I interrupted before it could continue with its standard pleasantries, "I need you to look up Nyla Hayes. Find her biodata, all of it."

"Understood, Dr. Kael," Orion responded. Its processors whirred softly as it accessed the network, scouring through public records and available databases.

Within moments, a holographic display projected in front of me, showing Nyla's profile. I studied the details:

- Name: Nyla Hayes
- Age: 24
- Education: Graduated from Duke University School of Medicine
- Professional Background: Recently started at Celestia General Hospital
- Personal Information: Resides alone, no notable criminal record, no extraordinary affiliations.

Everything about her seemed normal. She had decent grades, a respectable educational background, and positive recommendations. She was simply starting out in her medical career, with no apparent red flags.

I scrolled through the information, seeking anything unusual, but found none. She seemed to be an ordinary young woman.

"Is this all?" I asked, feeling a twinge of frustration.

"Yes, Dr. Kael. Nyla Hayes' records indicate she is an average individual with no significant anomalies or issues."

I turned away from the display, frustration simmering. My parents had always been meticulous about who they allowed near our lives. If they had objections, there had to be more to it. But what?

“Thank you, Orion,” I said curtly, dismissing the hologram with a flick of my hand.

“Would you like anything else, Dr. Kael?”

“No,” I replied, my voice cold. “That’s all for now.”

As Orion powered down, I stared out the window at the city lights, deep in thought. There had to be something I was missing. I needed to find out why Nyla Hayes had caught my parents’ ire.