"All around the mulberry bush,
The monkey chased the weasel,
The monkey thought 'twas fun,
Pop! Goes the weasel"

I whistled the poem along the corridor as I mopped the ground floor of the hotel, hard. I hated the job but I had to do it if I wanted to avoid my mother's constant bickering. I loved my mom dearly but I couldn't stand her constant nagging

My grandma always sang that to me when I was little anytime she visited from Mexico. She'd sing it to me and also teach me Spanish. I sighed heavily as I gazed into space.

"Sam? Room service is needed in room 511" Jack, my best friend called out to me. I pretended not to hear him as I continued gazing into space.

"Samantha Nadine Montero!" He called out my full name, eliciting a groan from me and an eye roll!

"What! Jack Fernando!" I called back, turning to face him. I smiled at him and he gave me a toothy grin. I ruffled his wavy brown hair playfully, causing him to groan disapprovingly!

Jack had been my friend since he moved into our neighborhood when he was just ten years old. He was a scrawny little kid and was pretty much afraid of everything. He started going to the same school as me but people often picked on him because of how small he was. I was the one who always defended him and the rest us history.

"Samantha? It took me forever to comb these babies," he whined, addressing his hair as his babies. He straightened them out with his hand and I rolled my eyes at him. I had never see someone so concerned about their hair before.

"Oh quit being a baby," I muttered with a little giggle, rolling my eyes again.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me?" Jack questioned menacingly. He tried to prance on me but it was easy for me to dodge because I has a masculine build, thanks to my father.

"And what if I did?" I questioned in a menacing tone of my own.

"You know what comes next... Hold up! Is that my Jacket you're wearing?" Jack queries, stopping mid track of what he was about to do and feigned anger. I had already taken numerous of his jacket and I knew this was his favorite one.

"Long story... Actually long, funny story. You are so going to laugh" I tried to say to quell any anger he might be feeling. I glanced at him but he was not smiling.

"I'm listening" he stated with his arms folded across his chest.

"Okay, well... you see...I ran out of the house in a hurry, thanks to my mother, then I realized that I had forgotten my Jacket. I saw yours on the hanger outside and it just sat there, lonely, begging for it to be worn."

"Now I regret asking you. You talk a lot!" Jack groaned out, face palming and I shrugged. We both giggled softly.

"Not to do the blame game but it's kinda your fault," I remarked with a pout.

"My fault? My fault! How is it my fault?" he exasperatedly groaned, thereby cutting me short.

"Ahem!" The shrill voice of Asher's personal assistant called out to us in her thick British accent and we immediately straightened ourselves.

"You are not paid to be fooling around," she warned.

"Sorry," we both say and feign a sorry face.

"Samantha, room services are needed in room 511 and Jack follow me," She instructed and we both obliged.

"See you around Sam," Jack said before following her dutifully.

"Excuse me but isn't that boss's room. I mean no one goes there except you", I stated with a shrug. Room 511 was Asher Hudson's room and nobody else besides Ashley, went in there.

"He has called for room service and you're the only one toiling about so do as you're told unless you want to lose your job", Ashley stated sternly and a gave a curt nod. There was no way I was going to lose this job anyway.

I didn't even want the job to begin with, I thought to myself. Jack gave me an apologetic look which caused me to smile at him. Once our shift was over we would be going over to the field for soccer practice, and with that thought, I entered into the elevator and made my way up to Asher's room.

Asher Hudson was one of the richest business tycoon in the world. He happened to have millions, if not billions of hotels scattered massively across the globe. The headquarters, apparently where he frequents, happened to be where I work.

"Being the daughter of a Mafia leader sure had its perks. I mean, it took just my Father's name to get Jack and I this Job." I muttered aloud to myself.

I groaned as I realized I was talking to myself, a bad habit I was trying to unlearn.

Ding!

The sound from the elevator signifying I had reached my destination, brought me out of my reverie
I gingerly walked across the hallway and took a deep breath before proceeding to knock on the door.

"Room service!" I called out but there was no response.

I rapped my hand rapidly against the huge mahogany door again and entered, without waiting for a response this time. I looked around and the quiet eeriness of the room made me shiver. I heard the shower running and guessed that was Asher taking a shower.

"Surely he's expecting room service," I mused to myself and decided to wait for him. I stood in front of the window and glanced across the vast land beneath the hotel. The glowing sun streaming down the window set the mood as my mind traveled back to what had transpired between my Mother and I that morning;

"Mrs Montero, I am not having this conversation with you. We've been over this multiple times but you don't seem to get that this is the 21st century and when I say I want to go to a football academy, I want to go to a football academy. It's my dream mum. I don't want to go to college and read psychology, please understand mother!" I tried to reason with my mother.

"Oh Nadine! What do you want to do with all your good grades? Sell them? You were a valedictorian! The best graduating student! You even got a scholarship to study psychology in New York University. This is an opportunity of a lifetime," my mum lectured, eliciting an exasperating sigh from me. I rested my head in between my palms and sat on the couch in contemplation.

My mum grew up in England and had been bringing me up as a prim and proper English lady the only thing is I'm what you'd call a "stereotypical" tomboy. I have hated anything girly for as long as I could remember but I still had my manners. Well it was difficult to be mannerless when your mother was among the top three list of strict mums.

If there was ever a thing like that!

Just then the mail man arrived, causing me to rush out to receive the mail in an attempt to avoid further arguments from my mother. The little golden retriever, Marco followed suit, barking and wagging his tail playfully. I giggled softly and picked him up, ruffling his fur. I greeted the mail man and retrieved the mail from him. We engaged in a little conversation before he cycled off to deliver the rest of his mails.

That was me! Samantha Nadine Montero! I could have been described as a very jolly and easygoing who had physique and build of a boy, thanks to my father and I did dress like a boy too. I could be very intimidating to those who didn't know me and I lived by the rule, live life to the fullest.

I was that kind of girl that baked cakes and distributed to the neighbors. I was the girl who helped old ladies cross the road or who babysat kids  for parents, for free during my spare time.

I was the girl who had a brown hair and blue eyes with a height of 5ft 11 and a descent from Germany but grew up in England. I had freckles, just like my mother, apparently it was the only thing I took from her.

I barely knew my father because he was always away on business. Besides the fact that he was a mafia leader, I knew nothing else about him. My mother seemed pretty content with how things were growing up which in turn made me content.

"What does it say?" my mother inquired, looking at the mail in my hand. I shrugged and gingerly put Marco down, opening the mail.

"Holy Shit!" I exclaimed in delight, slightly scaring mother and causing Marco to give a small bark in fright.

"What's wrong Nadine?" mother asked as worry etched her tone. She and my father were the only ones who called me Nadine. I answered her by handing her the letter and giving a small dance of victory.

My mother read the letter multiple times and burst into tears. Marco barked in confusion wondering what the fuss was all about. I laughed heartily and embraced my mom.

"It's okay mommy," I consoled and patted her shoulder.

"My baby is all grown up already, soon you'll be leaving us," she sobbed into my chest, eliciting a soft sigh from me.

"Mommy! It's just an admission letter into football academy, don't be so dramatic! Besides I'm an adult. I'm 20 years old for Pete's sake!" I exclaimed in despair, growing weary of her.

"Why won't you go to college?" mother queried as sniffed.

"Here we go again! I'm not doing this mom. I'm off to work, I have an eight hour shift today," I groaned. I had only waited this long to receive my mail and now that I had, I was excited and couldn't wait to tell Jack. I grabbed a Ziploc bag filled with cookies my mother had laid out for me and stuffed some in my mouth. I bent down and patted Marco on his head before heading for the door.

"For the love of nuggets walk like a lady, young woman!" Mom called after me and I fought the urge to not scream out my frustration!

"I am mother! I am. Keep some pop tarts for me and please make me some more of these cookies. See you soon!" I hurriedly uttered, planting a light kiss on her cheek and practically running out of the house to avoid any further bickering.

"Can I help you?" Asher's deep voice resonating through the room, startled and bringing me back to the present. I took a quick glance at the elderly man and observed that he was wearing a short and had a towel draped around his neck.

"I'm sorry, I was sent here for room service" I replied.
I wondered why he sounded startled. I thought he was expecting the room service.

"I was told you needed room service sir." I reiterated and kept my gaze to the ground. Asher commanded an air of authority and his stance was quite intimidating.

"Yes I did and they sent you miss..."

"Samantha," I offered

"Yes, of course. Finn Montero's daughter," he stated and looked at me mischievously, unsettling me.

"What can I get you?" I asked in a clipped tone, determined to get out of the room as fast as possible.

"You see I wanted a bottle of champagne, but now that you're here, I don't mind having you," Asher retorted mischievously, moving towards me in a menancing manner. I sensed the impending danger and gaped at his audacity and feared for myself. My heart pounded heavily against my chest and it felt like my life was about to officially become a movie.

"Help!"