Chapter Four

THREE WEEKS LATER....

Vada got a job in a digital company, it was closer to her career and she liked the fact it was a technological related job,

Entering the Falcon Crest company, known as FC, she was on a loosely fitted black hoodie and on a baggy jeans trousers and a white Jordan sneakers, she didn't forget her facecap and her bluetooth was hugging her neck, the company was very busy that morning and she was cringing at the sight of that many people running helter skelter, getting one or two things done. She was holding herself together definitely praying to God to not get a seizure that morning, just then, a vibrant ginger haired lady walked up to her, she was smiling at her like she knew her from somewhere but she for the record, was the strangest person Vada had ever seen,

"Hi, you look so lost, yet very calm. What do you want pretty lady?"

The lady asked Vada still smiling, maybe she is the company's receptionist, probably doing her job or over doing it.

"Uh.. my name is Vada, I am an employee here."

"Wow! Oh, the new girl."

"I am actually looking for station 56, do you know where it might be?"

"Yes dear, it's down the hall by the right, it's just three stations away from mine, I occupy station 53, I can take you there, c'mon!"

Vada followed her as they made for their desks, she was getting so worked up because the ginger haired lady was actually doubling as a journalist, asking the living soul out of her. Vada was considering never to step her feet in that company again if she was going to be boxed up with this woman beside her.

"Oh, forgive my silly manners, my name is Karen Quagmire, you don't look like you come from here, what's your name again sweetheart?"

"It's Vada, Vada Williams."

The lady gave a dramatic wheeze as she stopped in her tracks, embarrassing the poor frustrated Vada who took a deep weary breath, knowing all other questions that would follow.

"No, no wait are you from Bridgeton?"

She asked as her eyes widened in anticipation for her answer.

Vada rolled her eyes impatiently as she nodded towards her.

"OMG! You are a daughter to Mr. Williams Leonard, the CEO of Ecstasy and the manager to Billiards industry? I can't believe it I am star struck!, but what could you be doing in Balor of all places?"

"I just want to be here, live on my own."

"Oh, I know that feeling dear, welcome again to Balor and FC, the two coolest places in the world!"

Vada gave her a fake smile as she settled down on her desk, when Karen made for her station too, she dressed her brows as she rubbed her temple in fatigue. She was so done. She began with the entries on her desk, FC created applications and websites for entrepreneurs and many other companies for easy access, payments and communication with their customers, she found it interesting and easy to handle.

During break, Karen scurried to Vada's desk and dragged her out, Vada noticed how everyone was minding their business except for Karen who was overly hyperactive for nothing.

"We are heading to the cafeteria to have lunch, it's true FC allows us to wear anything we like but darling, you need to retouch your dressing, you look like a stud."

Vada kept quiet at the remark and the silence came with an awkward moment.

Karen's phone buzzed and she brought out her phone and started punching, suddenly, her mood totally changed like she wasn't all lively few seconds ago, her face wrinkled in a mean shady way, Vada observed that but kept quiet, Vada found a spot and sat down while Karen immediately put out her phone and started smiling again, that was when Vada noticed that she was a good pretender, Vada due to her personality reads so many meaning in to the slightest things and most of the time, she was right.

Karen offered to get their junks and when she came back, she sat across Vada who turned her facecap behind her head, showing her beautiful thick brows and brown eyes.

"So, where do you live? I'm sure you must choose a rich classy neighborhood like Apple city, Emerald gates or Pink lamb?"

She asked as she got busy with her burger.

"Ice land, I stay in Ice land."

Karen zoned out for a moment, so many unreadable emotions was visible in her sea green eyes but they all vanished immediately she blinked, Vada couldn't take her eyes off her face, Karen was a bag of characters.

"Oh, my gosh-a! Of all places that you could comfortably afford? Who are you-a?"

She asked, more like a rhetorical question as she started laughing, Karen yodels a lot and the sound of that picks on Vada.

Vada smiled with a thinned lips as she got busy with her treat not uttering a word. Karen gave her a side eye as she fought with herself about the question she was dying to ask Vada since she disclosed she lives in Ice land.

"Have you seen your bald headed sexy neighbor, yet?"

Vada froze up in shock as she glared at her, not believing what she just heard?

"How do you know I have a neighbor, a bald headed neighbor?"

"Uhh.....I ....uhhh. Shit fuck it! I wanted to live at Ice land two years ago, but the agent that was showing me around talked me out of it, he said the network service there was very bad, I had to consider Fluorescence, that's where I live now."

"Okay."

Vada replied, not buying all the story.

When it was time to go home, Karen insisted on having Vada's number, Vada had to give it to her but warned her never to call her because she wasn't going to answer.

"How do I communicate with you then?"

"Text me, when necessary."

"Aww! I see you are so locked up inside, I like you anyway. Bye Vada, be careful though."

*Be careful? About what exactly?*

Vada entered her car and zoomed off. She couldn't wait to get home and get under her sheets.

The closing time was actually nice, 4pm everyday and 2pm on Saturdays, it was considerably okay.

Getting to Ice Land, their was a woman that was bathing her child at the balcony of her house, last floor, the two years old boy was crying profusely and he would go high pitch each time water touched his skin, like he was allergic to water or something, the woman saw her and Vada immediately greeted her, instead, the woman just glared at her spitefully not returning the greeting, Vada immediately regretted saying hi and hurriedly made for the stairs. She found the building and everything about it creepy, but she never cared actually, as far as that child's screams would not disturb her peace when she goes behind her door.

Turning around to make for her room, she found a huge tall guy at the passage, standing in front of his door and trying to find his keys from his pocket, he was carrying a luggage like he just came back from travel, he was bald headed, wait a minute, the guy Karen talked about at the cafeteria, it must be him.

"Hi dear, can I help you?"

He greeted and asked, he had a very cheerful and welcoming smile and Vada actually eased off a little,

"Hi, I am Vada, the new occupant."

"Oh, Liam, nice to have you here, I have been living alone up here for eight months now, it's good to know someone would be sleeping on the same floor with me."

*Eight months? you gotta be kidding me, but Karen implied she found him here two years ago? What is actually going on? Am I in a kind of dream or nightmare?*

"Everything good over there, miss?"

He asked a bit worried, Vada zoned out on him.

"Oh, I....uh.. I am so sorry, I had a very busy day at work, thanks for the welcome. I will just go in."

She immediately unlocked her door and went inside, immediately she got inside, she locked the door again with the two bolts and leaned on the door feeling a little better, she was hyperventilating, but was in control, eight months and two years? they are nothing similar, she had to be very careful just like Karen earlier adviced, just then someone knocked on her door, she became very alarmed, she wasn't expecting anybody, she got an empty bottle from the shelf and armed herself, she went to the door and peeked through the hole, it was a guy but relievingly, not bald headed, so she opened the door, it was a delivery guy from order it.com. She clenched her fist in mitigation and gave a deep calming exhalation.

"Good evening madam, are you miss. Williams, please?"

"Yes, I am."

"Let me see your payment evidence ma'am."

"Okay, hold on a sec, let me grab my phone."

She went in, dropped the bottle and got her Iphone, she showed him the payment delivery details.

"Here is what you ordered ma'am, have a nice evening."

"Thanks."

She took the package from him and went inside, locking up the whole room, again.