The Ice Prince's Secret

Chapter 3: A Dent In the Ice

Liora’s POV

‘’Give it back to me now’’

Nikolai stood staring at the necklace in my hands and for once he didn’t look angry but really terrified.

I looked at the really pretty golden necklace before staring back at him ‘’Why?’’

He cleared his throat ‘’Liora give it to me’’

I took a step backward ‘’you’re acting like I just found an atomic bomb’’

‘’You shouldn’t even be here’’

‘’Um…I know that’’

‘’Then why are you here?’’

‘’I saw your locker open’’

‘’That doesn’t really answer the question’’

I rolled my eyes ‘’you know you’re really good at asking too many questions’’

‘’And you’re really good at avoiding them’’

I almost smiled, ALMOST!

I looked at the necklace and something about it looked a little too familiar not because I had seen it somewhere. The name ELENA attached to it sounded too familiar. I turned the pendant over and saw two little initials E.M on it.

‘’It was Elena Morozova?’’

Nikolai went completely silent and that was an answer already then I looked back at him.

‘’It belonged to her’’ He didn’t say anything then I stepped forward a bit.

‘’Didn’t it?’’ He avoided the question

‘’Give me the necklace’’

‘’No why do you have it?’’

‘’That’s none of your business’’ he shouted

‘’Maybe it actually isn’t’’

I held the necklace up then spoke… ‘’but you’re the one who reacted like the academy’s biggest secret has been exposed’’

‘’Liora’’

‘’What?’’

‘’Don’t’’

There was something in his voice that made me stop. It wasn’t anger but a warning then I looked at the necklace again, it was simple and really pretty! It was the kind that anyone would give to someone that they cared about so much.

‘’You kept it’’ I whispered

For a second, a frown covered his face then it disappeared ‘’It’s old’’

‘’How old?’’

‘’Does it really matter?’’

‘’Yes it does’’

‘’Why?’’

‘’Because it’s for Elena’’

‘’And?’’

‘’A…and she disappeared’’

Silence filled the room because I had actually never mentioned this to him before. I just heard rumours flying around the academy.

Elena had been one of the best skaters of the academy, she was Nikolai’s former partner and suddenly she was now gone. How does that even make sense?

There was no explanation or even good bye, she just left and no one seemed to want to talk about it especially Nikolai.

‘’What happened to her?’’

He just stared at me ‘’I don’t know’’

I stared at him ‘’you don’t know?’’

‘’No you were literally her partner’’

‘’That doesn’t mean I knew every single thing about her’’

‘’Okay then why do you still have her necklace?’’

‘’Maybe she left it or something…’’

‘’Where?’’

‘’I actually can’t really remember’’

‘’You don’t remember?’’

‘’No’’

‘’The necklace has her initials on it and a date’’

His face changed a bit but I still noticed.

I turned the pendant again and saw 05.04. His face immediately looked at the pendant.

‘’What’s 05.04?”

‘’5th April’’

‘’What happened on April 5th?’’

‘’Nothing’’

‘’You answered too quickly, that’s suspicious’’

‘’I said nothing’’

‘’You’re lying and it’s obvious’’

‘’You don’t know me well enough to start accusing me of lying’’

‘’Then tell me the truth, I don’t bite or maybe I do…’’

‘’You really don’t know when to stop, do you?’’

‘’No’’

I saw something like a smile appear on his face but it disappeared almost immediately then he stepped forward.

‘’You really want to know what happened?’’

I nodded ‘’yes of course’’

‘’You know… sometimes knowing the truth doesn’t make things better’’

‘’That’s not an answer’’

‘’It is the only one you deserve right now’’

‘’What’s that supposed to mean?’’

‘’Nothing’’

He reached for the necklace and this time I let him take it. His fingers rubbed against mine and i immediately pulled away then Nikolai noticed and his eyes locked with mine for a second.

He looked away and slipped the necklace into his pocket of his sweater ‘’Forget about Elena’’

‘’Why?’’

‘’She’s none of your business and your life’’

‘’Neither were you until yesterday’’

‘’Fair enough’’

He walked towards the door leaving me behind and I rushed up to him.

‘’Nikolai’’ He stopped.

‘’Did you love her?’’ He didn’t turn back.

For like 10 seconds, he didn’t utter a word then… ‘’That’s not something you should ask me’’

He left leaving me questioning the whole situation. I stood there alone and I was just invested in this but I didn’t know why maybe because I had finally seen a c***k in Nikolai’s perfect and emotionless picture or even maybe because that dent had Elena written over it.

My training that afternoon was a disaster because I couldn’t even concentrate. Everytime I tried to skate, my mind went back to the necklace, the initials and Nikolai’s reaction. I was so lost in my thoughts that I almost fell again for the second time.

‘’Again?’’ I looked up to see Nikolai

‘’You’re distracted’’

‘’I’m not’’

‘’You almost fell again’’

‘’Thank god you said almost, it doesn’t count’’

‘’It does when you’re skating’’

I rolled my eyes ‘’you’re impossible’’

‘’And you’re careless thinkerbell’’

‘’Don’t call me that!’’

I dropped to the ground ‘’maybe if my partner wasn’t always criticizing me, maybe if my partner listened…’’

‘’I can hear you’’

‘’Then stop thinking about the things that are not related to skating’’

Oh, he knew exactly what I was thinking about…

‘’Elena?’’

‘’Not again this girl’’

‘’Nikolai’’

‘’Liora’’

I stared at him and none of us spoke then I noticed something, he was watching me and for no reason that made me feel different from usual.

Later that evening, I returned to the locker room to get my phone and the academy was empty. I opened my locker and my phone was inside so I grabbed it then stoppe because something was wrong, I just couldn’t explain it. Everywhere felt too quiet all of a sudden then I looked behind me but there was nothing so I carried on.

My phone vibrated and I almost dropped it out of fear. One new message popped up but it was someone I didn’t know… an unknown number.

I stared at screen and for a while I couldn’t open it then I finally did… and there was only one sentence, no explanation whatsoever and no name. I just saw four words staring at me.

….leave Elena’s past alone.