Eyes Deep Within A Frozen Heart

How Rude.

VANESSA

I bolted into the kitchen, stopping abruptly at the island, dressing as my feet impetuously moved around my compact apartment. I had less than half hour to get to work and it was near to impossible with the early rush hour traffic I would inevitably encounter. I forwent makeup and curling my hair a critical necessity for my daily routine to shave an extra 20 minutes off. I bet I looked horrible. I took a sigh as I opened my refrigerator to be blanketed by a cloud of thick cold air. I groaned heavily fanning it away before grabbing my v8 and closing the door. I had called my landlord about three hundred times pertaining to that and he is still yet to replace it. I slipped myself into my medium length heels and headed out the door, feeling as awful as I looked.

When I arrived at work, I had zero spirit left within me. I slowly exited my car and walked towards the small convenience store which I managed. I had been working here for over four years and was recently promoted to manager. I hadn't really been a big fan of my job, even after the promotion, things really hadn't changed. We get about 20 customers daily and a rumor has been circulating the past few weeks that Ben was going to shut the old place down soon. My life for the past four years hadn't been the way I pictured adulthood. After I graduated from Colorado State, I had always pictured myself married, with a great job and a nice house by the time I reached 25 but I guess you could say my best friends were living that dream for me. Michelle had gotten married to her university sweetheart Collin and moved to The Big Apple after Collin landed a job promotion as a journalist for the New York Times and Katie-Ann who had dropped out before she could graduate, just travels the world with some handsome millionaire she selected from her Forbes catalogue. Before more despondent thoughts could cross my mind, I was snapped back to reality by a loud beep. I shot my head around to see I had just blindly cut in front of a dainty Chevrolet pick-up truck. The driver looked pissed beyond reasoning. Despite being in the wrong, any other day I would have argued to justify my action but today was not my day. I reverted my shocked expression to my previous gloomy, nonchalant façade and proceeded inside.

"Gosh dammit Vanessa you almost gave me a heart attack" Penelope exclaimed clutching her chest as if to restore her breathing.

"It is a convenience store love, people will enter" I responded, failing to suppress the still slightly annoyed tone in my words.

"Everything okay?" she asked tilting her head slightly. I ran my fingers through my already frizzled hair and sighed heavily. To explain all that's bothering me would take days so I simply shook no and proceeded to my office. I was startled by the bell but quickly relaxed as I noticed I would be contradicting my own words to Penelope.

"Don't think I didn't see that" she replied smartly and I parted my lips into a slight smile and turned to glance at the customer when I noticed it was that man who almost hit me in the parking lot. I studied his face carefully as he was an intriguing one to observe. His face was laced with permanent frown lines and he had several faint scars on his stiff cheekbones. He had sandy brown hair which was ruffled and peeked through a tattered Texas Rangers baseball cap and he wore washed out jeans and heavy timberland boots. I know those boots anywhere.

He was the convenience's store ice supplier.

It would explain the two large bags of ice he held in either hand. He ungracefully dropped them onto the small cash counter causing Penelope to flinch. I stood there wide eyed at how crude his actions were but he seemed unfazed by her response and his actions.

"We- uh- we didn't order any ice" she said, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"Well are you going to take it or not, I drove really far to bring it here" he responded rudely, his tone loud of ill-disposition and bitterness yet his words were so lowly pitched...scary.

Penelope struggled for her words and a slap back to reality made me realize I was the manager and I was the one to deal with any problems. Collecting my courage and trying to sound as professional as possible, I took a few steps forward.

"I don't believe we've ordered any ice today Sir, our freezer out back is still fu- "

"Are you going to take it or leave it" he added deepening the frown on his face. He was a cut to the chase type. I could match to that.

"No we don't need or want any ice from you today Sir" I said matching up to his serious tone and placing heavy emphasis on the 'you'. I had anticipated a rude gesture of some sort but his face relaxed slightly and he walked out. Penelope let out a loud sigh as if she were holding her breath the entire time.

"Gosh Vanessa you saved me there, this guy give me the creeps" she said but I was to busy watching his every movement to respond. He walked slowly back to his pick up and threw the bags of ice to the back of the truck.

What was he thinking, the ice would melt if he didn't put it in the cooler.

I swung my car keys around my finger, contemplating of to forward the thought on my mind or just leave it be. But I was never a 'leave it be' type of girl.

"I know that look, Vanessa Chambers if you leave this store I swear- "

"I'm going to step out for a bit, business purposes, be back in a bit Pen" I added before swiftly walking out the store. I was parked near to the entrance so I hopped in my car and started it to spot the Chevy already pulling out of the lot. I cursed under my breath and quickly pulled out behind it.

Yes I was following that bastard.

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