She was running late, she was always running late, but this was not a good day to be running late to work. They were supposed to set up for the open mic night the café was hosting and she didn't want to miss it but she had all but forgotten after spending the afternoon with her friend Kristoff. She sped into a parking spot behind the café and headed in, slipping into the meeting as if she had always been there. Oaken, their manager didn't seem to notice and he was a kind-hearted man anyway so Anna knew he wouldn't take it out on her.
"So I want you all on your best behavior and to help out the performers if they need it. I know you will all do fine." He said as a conclusion to the meeting and Anna let out a breath she had been holding before meeting up with her coworker, a short haired brunette by the name of Rapunzel, who was also her cousin. It didn't take long for the questions to start- where were you? Why are you late? Were you on a date? Did you get into an accident? What happened?
Anna was rather accident prone so it wasn't shocking that Rapunzel thought she had gotten into an accident but she couldn't help laughing that was until a customer walked in and caught her attention. She had never seen this girl before and she had expected the typical afternoon crowd, not anyone new, especially not this gorgeous stranger, tale and fair, this platinum blonde hair beauty holding a guitar case and a novel. She had a stoic expression as she set the guitar case and novel down before sitting in a booth alone. Anna's aquamarine eyes were wide and she didn't know she was staring until a hand waved in front of her, bringing her attention to Rapunzel who chuckled and handed her a notepad and an apron.
"Go get her order. Maybe get her number with the way you were looking at her." She added with another chuckle before going to help another customer herself. Leaving Anna to put on the apron before heading over to the booth with some shaky steps. She stopped and watched the way the other woman was looking out at the frozen world outside.
"It's cold out there huh?" She asked unintelligently and wished she could take those words back into her mouth and swallow them. Well, she thought that until she saw the small smile on the other woman's face and the way she nodded.
"It's never really bothered me but yes, I guess it's cold outside. Haven't you been out there today? You might not see a lot of action here for open mic night." She added, looking up at the dimly lit stage, just waiting to be played upon. "Might just be me." She mused softly and then looked back over at her waitress.
"You are here for that? I mean, obviously, with the guitar. Not meaning you couldn't just be here with your guitar. I mean you could be a musician who doesn't perform live or something. I mean. I am just going to go bury myself in the coffee beans." She sighed, knowing her cheeks were a brighter red than her own hair.
She froze when the blonde laughed though, it sounded like music to Anna's ears and she wanted to hear it as often as she could. It sounded so beautiful and she couldn't leave it. "I don't think burying yourself in coffee beans sounds fun. I would however like to hear what tea you have and if you have any baked goods… Well, I could be tempted." She said and peeked over to the display case a bit behind the red head, knowing it was an unusual craving but the sweet girl in front of her made it hard not to want other sweet things.
"Tea, yeah. We have all your basics like earl grey and chamomile but my favorite thing to drink here, if you don't mind my input, is our blueberry lemonade. I know it isn't tea but it is really good and it goes great with either a blueberry muffin or, for contrast, I like to get the tea and a slice of lemon pound cake. Really yummy," Anna said, admitting to one of her favorite snacks, before flushing "Again, I can tell you the entire list of our teas if you want. We have-"
"No, no. I want to try that. Blueberry lemonade and a slice of pound cake please Miss…?" She said, obviously wanting to know the other girl's name with the way she trailed off and left it hanging.
"Anna. My name is A-Anna. What's yours?" She asked almost breathlessly, hanging on the air between herself and the blonde and realizing it was as if no own else was in Oaken's Wandering Coffee Shop but the two of them. It was amazing and it felt like the air had been pumped with electricity.
Chuckling at the eagerness from the younger girl she nodded "Hello Anna, I'm Elsa." She said and watched the way the bright teal eyes in front of her widened as if she had told her a secret and the way Anna smiled as she repeated her name in a soft voice "Elsa." It made her stomach do an odd flip as if she was driving quickly over train tracks. That had never happened before.
"I'll go get your drink and food, Elsa," It was as if the word was a drug that Anna had just been introduced to and couldn't get enough "I'll be right back." She said, jotting down the order and then, just because she could, Elsa's name. What a gorgeous name! Elsa! Anna hadn't heard it before and she had just known that the blonde would have an equally lovely name.
While she started to pour a glass of blueberry lemonade she looked for her cousin, briefly remembering where she was instead of floating on a cloud like she thought she had been. She could only smile lovingly when she saw that Eugene, Rapunzel's boyfriend, had taken a seat in her section so they could talk. It was a wonder why Eugene hadn't dragged along Naveen who could have played his ukulele for the mic night. But then she moved to get a slice of the absolutely freshest pound cake they had. She was going to make sure this was delicious for this pretty, kind girl.
"Wow, you're rushing that order huh? Blondie must be special." Anna balked and almost dropped the plate she picked up when Rapunzel was almost talking against her neck. She turned to look at her with an obvious blush on her cheeks before shaking her head and opening her mouth to say something "Save it. I know you'll make up some story about wanting to be the best you can because it's open mic night and yada yada but I know that you haven't starred at anyone the way you were just starring at that girl and I know you have never practically sat in a booth with a customer to get their order."
It was true. Anna had thought about taking the seat across from Elsa and discarding the fact that she was working but she couldn't bring herself to do it, knowing that Oaken was expecting them to do well by him. But she couldn't lie about the temptation being there. She looked over at Elsa who was crossing her legs so formally under the table and starting to read her novel with her head resting on her fist and her icy blue eyes scanning the page.
She shook her head when Rapunzel was looking at her with a mocking smirk and half lidded eyes. "Shut up." Anna said simply and headed over to Elsa's table, setting the plate in front of the novel and then the glass of lemonade next to that. She watched as Elsa placed her index finger under a word before her eyes flicked to the meal in front of her and then to Anna while smiling.
Anna swallowed a lump in her throat when that smile was focused on her; it was unnerving and made her more nervous than she had ever been before. "C-can I get you anything else?" She stammered and watched Elsa's smile broaden before seeing her shake her head.
"No but thank you Anna, I appreciate it. I'll make sure to get you, specifically you, if I do need anything." She said and looked down at her book again, letting the cake and the drink sit for just a moment longer while she finished the chapter. But she couldn't focus when she knew the girl was lingering still and that drew her eyes up again to see Anna biting her bottom lip and wringing her hands.
"Anna, I would ask you to sit down but you're working. Trust me, the idea crossed my mind," She said and placed her bookmark back in the book before looking back at her again "Maybe later, whenever you're done, you can join me. I think I'd like to hear some more about you. I'd also like to hear what musicians you know that won't play live." She teased and then moved the cake closer, taking a sip of the lemonade. Her eyes widened, it was delicious, and she smiled at Anna.
Anna felt glued to her spot, so many questions to ask the mysterious blonde, but then she felt something hit the back of her head and she turned to see Rapunzel snickering, she had thrown something! She flushed "That's my-my cousin. I should probably get back to work. Just let me know if you need anything, Elsa." She bit back the urge to continue that sentence. Let me know if you need anything, anything, and anything at all from me.
She retreated and noticed the way Rapunzel's eyes were widening as she walked closer to her "What? Why are you looking like that?" She hissed and then stood next to her, seeing the way she grinned at her and pushing her shoulder. She wanted to know what the hell she was seeing!
"Blondie was totally checking you out while you walked away. Like staring at your butt Anna! Jesus. I didn't know lesbians could be so sexy. She's really attractive," Rapunzel admitted and then looked at her cousin "And she seems really into you." She added softly, as if they were telling secrets, and watched with joy at how happy that seemed to make Anna. Anna had always been a klutz and she was in no way the most graceful girl, in fact she had gotten used to be looked at as the goofy friend rather than being able to get a relationship but it had never seemed to phase her but now, now someone was eyeing her blatantly and that made Anna soar.
However Anna shook her head and smiled bashfully "I'm sure she was only watching me leave to make sure I didn't bother her anymore. She's here for the open mic night, I think. That or she just totes her guitar everywhere," She started to restock the coffee straws and the cardboard cuffs that went around the cups "Which wouldn't be a bad thing, I bet she's a good musician. I wonder what she's going to play. I also want to know what she's reading." She realized she was rambling to her cousin who probably wasn't paying attention anymore but she felt the need to get it out.
"I wish I had the day off and was just hanging around here, maybe I could go sit with her," She finished the straws and cuffs before going to refill the stock of cups again "But if I wasn't working I don't think I would have the nerve to talk to her if I wasn't working. I'm not good with stuff like that I don't… I don't have game," She chuckled, tossing a look to Rapunzel who was still listening "I don't have the smolder or whatever Eugene calls it. I'm just ordinary Anna."
Ah there was the problem. Her cousin had zero self-confidence and that killed Rapunzel. "Come on Anna," She directed her by the shoulders to the bathroom despite the red head's protests and stood her in front of a mirror "I want you to look. Look at my goofy, dorky, klutzy cousin. Know what else she is? Beautiful. I mean it Anna, you are absolutely stunning and there is no reason to think otherwise. Yes, you are goofy and dorky and klutzy but it's what makes people love you so much. You're a looker and you have smolder and game hiding inside of you. Now find your own smolder and go work it on blondie out there because she definitely sees some game in you."
Anna smiled, her eyes getting watery, and then turned to throw her arms around her cousin. It was the sweetest thing Rapunzel had said to her and she felt very loved in that moment. She squeezed her tight "Thanks Rapunzel. It means a lot to me. Do you really, really think Elsa might see something in me?" She asked, knowing it was silly to get her hopes up.
"Elsa, huh? That's blondie's name? Suits her. Yeah, I think she leans toward you when you are talking and I think you should keep at it. Maybe not constantly but you know every now and again, like checking on her how a waitress would? Alright, you take a minute to collect yourself and I'll watch your tables, cous." She said before gently shoving her cousin's shoulder and heading out.
Anna fixed herself with a smile in the mirror and nodded, maybe Rapunzel was right. Maybe she did have "game" and maybe she could do this. Alright blondie, she borrowed Rapunzel's nickname, time to show you what I can do.