Well, this was awkward.
Nervously shifting her weight from one foot to the other, Elsa lifted a closed fist and was prepared to knock on the door in front of her when guilty memories of who was behind that door rushed back and she let her hand drop.
She couldn't do it. She couldn't face her.
It had been almost five years. Anna had probably forgotten all about her. Out of obligation she'd nod and pretend she knew the strange platinum-haired girl standing on her doorstep, but probably - hopefully - she'd have conveniently misplaced her memories of their time together. Well, let's hope.
Forcing herself to inhale deeply, Elsa reminded herself of why she was standing on this doorstep in particular.
Freshman college had hit Elsa with a workload heavier than a truck. Coming from a disadvantaged background meant the teachers treated her with a little more sympathy than normal, but the amount of work given was still merciless for a girl who'd spent most of her time during high school on the roof, blowing bubbles with gum, accompanied by the other slackers in her class.
However, the bonus about college meant a subject Elsa liked - in this case, clinical psychology. Interesting as hell and something she could have used as a kid, that was for sure.
Their first assignment had been met with a buzz of enthusiasm from Elsa's class - they'd been studying family therapy, how to nurture and develop previously damaged relationships; to analyse rifts between family members, and propose a course of action, or locate the source of the estrangement.
Elsa could remember her own grimace as she'd read the task title. Family therapy? This was going to be difficult. Seeing as, y'know, she didn't have any family or anything.
Her parents had died ten years ago, leaving her in the untrustworthy hands of the American child-care system. No one had been able to locate any aunts, uncles, grandparents or cousins to speak of. So she'd remained at the trusty old Northern Home of Care - or the NHC - where'd she spent most of her childhood anyway, her parents being too drunk or stoned to take care of a cat, let alone a child.
And Anna... Elsa pulled a face as she remembered the girl from the care home - a freckled child with a mouthful of buck teeth and wisps of ginger hair; a girl who was practically the definition of "bubbly", and who had been Elsa's substitute sister for some time.
She was the only one from Elsa's childhood who wouldn't back away at the sight of her. Hopefully.
Well, it would be a start, at least. She'd rather interview Anna than return to the care home, where she'd be treated with dirty looks and awkward small talk.
Elsa sighed. She'd practically bolted out of the care home door on the morning of her eighteenth birthday; no one else had woken up yet and rather than face them she'd written a note explaining her college acceptance (a small miracle, given her appalling grade-point average). Her college was located fifty or so miles away from the care home, but it still didn't feel far enough. Or close enough? Whatever. Elsa was so done trying to figure out her confusing feelings.
She'd been lucky - or unlucky, whichever way you chose to look at it - to discover that Anna and her parents lived in the same city as her college. She could interview Anna, buy a caffeinated beverage, and then be back at her dorm by dinner.
So there was no point moping over it anymore. She had to pass college. That was that.
Clenching her hands into fists, her fingernails biting crescents into her palms, Elsa raised her left fist to hammer on the door, when -
"Elsa?"
The female voice had come from behind her; the voice sounded uncertain, nervous.
Elsa turned.
A group of teenagers stood on the sidewalk; one girl had her hand on the glossy black gate Elsa had entered through ten minutes ago.
"Hi?" Elsa answered tentatively, straining to recognize the girl by the gate; she definitely remembered those wide, dazzling turquoise eyes, and that familiar, friendly grin, although the teeth were much straighter, more even - regular, now...
"Elsa!" The girl at the gate laughed with delight, running a lightly freckled hand through her bangs, her green-blue eyes dancing with joy. "It is you, God, you look amazing - I almost didn't recognize you! Wait - that's not to say you didn't look amazing five years ago, but - ah - Elsa?"
Anna? Elsa blinked repeatedly, almost unable to process the information onslaught.
The girl in front of her was Anna? The girl who'd been all snaggle teeth and blotchy freckles a few years ago had become a teenage girl on the cusp of something incredibly beautiful - sleek strawberry blonde hair fastened into a plaited bun, expressive eyes lined with brown eyeliner, her teeth successfully sorted - thanks to a set of braces, no doubt - and pearly white.
Elsa gulped. Five years ago, it was obvious Anna was going to be an attractive girl in a few years' time, despite her imperfections; but this was in a completely different league. As in, like, a supermodel league.
"Hey... Anna..." Elsa attempted a flat and unsurprised tone. "It's good to see you again?"
The girl's smile widened and Elsa found that she was even more beautiful than before. That was when Elsa knew she was in trouble.
Life's Too Short
I came all this way today
To give us a fresh start;
But now that you're like wow
It's all like, warm in my heart
So this chapter is roughly based off those first four lines of the outtake "Life's Too Short" from Frozen!
The next chapters will be better and longer, I promise c; Please review / favorite / follow if you liked it xx