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Strange feelings
Chapter one
May Day
Elsa leaned against a lamppost, backpack slung over one shoulder. She glanced at her watch expectantly, then looked back at the house in front of her. She had been waiting 15 minutes already, and she was starting to lose her patience.
It was quite astonishing. Elsa had been in Anna's room many times over the years, and she had seen proof that Anna's alarm clock went off at the same time as hers, and yet she was always the first one out. Even when she slept over, she was always out of bed before Anna. Maybe it was something in her genetics.
Finally, Anna burst out the door, hastily putting away her comb. "Sorry, I overslept," she said.
"No, that's the same amount of time you sleep every day," Elsa pointed out.
"You know what I mean," Anna said irritably.
"And you know what Mr. Wesley is going to say," Elsa said, walking quickly.
"Of course I do." Anna straightened her back, preparing her signature impression of him. "Anna, you live two blocks away from this school. I can see your house from this window." She gestured at an imaginary window. "And yet, you manage to be this late every single day. How? Even Miss Elsa is on time more often than you, and you two live next door to each other."
"Sounds about right," Elsa said.
"You know, I think he's said something like that every single day I've come to his class."
"Well, maybe if you showed up on time, he wouldn't say it," Elsa pointed out.
"Why should I change? He's the one who disrupts the class, day after day, pointing out the blatantly obvious."
Elsa threw up her hands, conceding the point.
"Anyway, did your folks leave already?"
"Yep," Elsa said. "Their plane left last night."
"Sweet!" Anna said. "That means they should land in France at…" Her face screwed up as she calculated the time differences. "8:45 in the morning on…May Day!"
"What?"
"May Day, the traditional European holiday on May 1st."
Elsa shook her head. "Never heard of it."
"You're lucky you aren't in Mr. Fitzherbert's class. He made us memorize, like, a hundred obscure traditions. May Day was the first day of summer, back in the middle ages or something."
Anna wiped a bead of sweat off her forehead.
"Man, it sure feels like summer. How hot do you think it is today? 90? 95?"
Elsa looked at her. Anna was wearing cargo shorts and a tank top, which were almost certainly against the school dress code. She, on the other hand, was wearing jeans and a blue pullover.
"What, do you just not get hot anymore?"
Elsa thought about it. "No, I guess I don't."
Anna pressed the issue. "Is this, like, a maturity thing? Like, when I turn 19, I'll suddenly never get hot?"
Elsa gave her a sideways grin. "Like you'll mature more in 3 months than in the last 18 years?"
"You never know, the future is always shrouded in mystery."
"I guess."
As they reached the school, Elsa thought about how lucky she was to have a friend like Anna. In the ten years she had lived here, she never really made too many friends. It just wasn't in her nature. Anna, on the other hand, seemed to make friends almost involuntarily. Wherever she went, people just turned friendly. Right from the start, she had been determined to become Elsa's friend, and she succeeded almost instantly.
Over the years, there had been times when she had felt like curling into a ball and just leaving the rest of the world behind. Elsa vs. the world. Anna would have none of it. She would always insist on keeping her company, even when she wanted to be alone more than anything else. With all the friends she had, Anna had decided that she, Elsa, the quiet introvert, was going to be her best friend.
Friends like that come around once in a lifetime, and Elsa was very grateful for her.
They hurried to their classroom, arriving just seconds after the bell rang. Mr. Wesley was standing there, chalk in hand already. When he saw the two of them, he frowned.
"Anna, you live two blocks away from this school," he began.
The whole class sighed as Mr. Wesley launched into his usual speech.
Elsa sat down, getting out her notebook. She reflected that, so far, everything was pretty normal today.
Then again, wasn't that kind of redundant? Most of the time, everything IS normal. That's where the definition of 'normal' comes from. Now and then, something unusual may happen, but it usually doesn't last long. If it does, then it becomes the new normal.
So yes, everything was normal. But that doesn't mean it's a bad thing.
xxxxxxx
The day went by fairly quickly and without incident – understandable, as it was just a few weeks before final exams started. The teachers elected to use this time to review. Anna elected to use this time to practice her paper airplane technique. In first period alone, Elsa counted 10 paper airplanes sailing past her head. She unfolded one that landed by her and saw, to her surprise, that they were from Anna's notebook.
"Won't you need those to study?" Elsa asked later on.
"Study? I already know everything I need," she said with a laugh.
Elsa never understood how Anna had been able to maintain a string of Bs and B+s throughout all of grade school when, to her knowledge, she never spent any time studying. Asked about this once, Anna had replied, "Oh, I guess I just remember it all. It's not too hard."
One by one, each of her classes flew by, and before long, the day was over. The two reunited as they walked back to their houses.
"So, got any plans for tonight?" Anna asked.
"No, not really. I was just going to study."
"Well, that's no fun!" Anna replied. "Come on, your parents are out of town, out of state, out of country! How often does that happen?"
"Once a year, Anna. It's called an anniversary."
"Yeah, but this is the first year they didn't get you a babysitter."
"Because I'm old enough to take care of myself."
"Oh, really?" she replied, raising an eyebrow. "Tell me, what did you plan to make for dinner tonight?"
Elsa opened her mouth to reply, then stopped. She hadn't really learned how to make any kind of elaborate dinner for herself. Really, she had never personally prepared anything more complex than Ramen noodles. Anna, who had taken many cooking classes, was now grinning at her evilly.
"There was some…leftover meatloaf in the fridge," Elsa offered lamely.
Anna rolled her eyes. "You're hopeless."
xxxxxxx
The bacon sizzled and spat in its pan. Anna studied it carefully, then, deciding its time had come, whisked the pan off the hot burner, snatching up the individual slices and placing them on the two otherwise completed sandwiches.
Elsa stood beside her. "I don't know, Anna. When you said you could prepare a meal for me, I didn't think you meant a BLT sandwich."
"What, don't you like BLT?"
"No, I do, it's just that I thought you had something more…complex in mind."
Anna made an elaborate fake gasp. "Bite upon your tongue! And when you're done, bite into this," she said, shoving a plate with the completed sandwich into Elsa's hands. "And your misgivings will dissolve into oblivion."
Elsa picked up the sandwich and took a bite. A wide array of flavors assaulted her tongue at once, quickly combining into a cohesive, and very delicious, whole.
"Wow, this is great!" she exclaimed.
"Told you," Anna replied with a smug grin.
"I've never had a BLT that tasted this good," Elsa continued, taking another bite.
"Well, that's because it's not just a BLT. There's a lot of different ingredients you have to add to make sandwiches taste their best."
"Like what?" Elsa mumbled through a mouth full of sandwich.
"Love."
Elsa looked at her, a funny look in her eyes.
"Or horseradish. I always get those two mixed up," Anna said. "Both are lethal if you put too much in the wrong place."
"Ok," said Elsa uncertainly.
"And now, for the finishing touch, drinks!" Anna said.
"Right," said Elsa, turning to the fridge. "I've got half a case of Sprite, and there's plenty of…"
She trailed off when she saw the six-pack in Anna's hands.
"Sprite?" she said, grinning ear to ear. "I never drink that stuff. It'll kill you."
"Anna, are you crazy?"
"Honestly, Elsa, how is that still a question at this point?"
"We can't drink, we're underage!"
"My dad said that his dad gave him his first drink at 14, and he was just fine."
"Yeah, because that was in Russia, where there's no legal drinking age!"
"If he could survive it at 14, you'll be just fine at 19."
"It's illegal!"
"The cops don't take door-to-door breathalyzer tests, Elsa. We'll be staying indoors, not hurting anyone. It'll be fine!"
"But we have school tomorrow," Elsa pointed out.
Anna frowned. "Elsa, this is a six-pack. If we each have three drinks, we'll both be fine by tomorrow morning, I promise."
"How do you know that?"
Anna looked at her, raising her eyebrows.
Understanding dawned on Elsa.
Anna pulled out a can and offered it to her. "Trust me, you'll be fine. I'm not about to lie to my best friend in the world."
Elsa thought it over for a moment.
"Well, I guess you have experience with this sort of thing," Elsa said grudgingly, taking the can.
"That's the spirit," said Anna, taking a can of her own. "Worst thing that'll happen, you'll feel a teeny bit dizzy, maybe have a bad dream or two tonight."
Elsa opened her can and took a tentative sip.
She immediately spat it back out.
"Oh, yeah," said Anna, "I forgot to tell you. Until you build up an acquired taste for it, beer kinda tastes like piss."
xxxxxxx
In the end, Elsa only drank two cans, with Anna finishing off the remaining four. She didn't quite get drunk, although she did start to feel a warm, overarching sense of comfort and relaxation that Anna helpfully identified as 'a bit tipsy.' And although she still hadn't quite acquired the taste by the end of it, she saw why so many people would be willing to.
Anna, on the other hand, seemed to be running the full gambit, talking in slightly slurred speech and laughing at everything just a little too much. She assured Elsa that she was fine, and indeed, she did still seem to be quite in control of her own thoughts and actions.
"Next morning at school, don't yell too loud," she requested. "I'll be better by lunch."
The two spent the rest of the evening on Elsa's couch, watching the television but mostly just chilling out. Elsa heard herself talking a lot more than usual.
"I mean, why would anyone need a kitchen knife that sharp?" Elsa asked. "You only use them for, like, potatoes and shit, right?"
"That's why they show the commercials late at night," Anna mumbled. "You're all stupid and tired, so you don't think too hard about it." She yawned, stretching her arms up and leaning to her side, as if to lie down.
Her head landed gently on Elsa's shoulder.
Elsa looked at her. A few minutes ago, they had been sitting on opposite ends of the couch, and now here Anna was, right next to her. It wasn't unpleasant – quite the opposite, really – but it did seem a little weird.
"Anna?" she said inquisitively.
"It's cold in here," Anna responded, snuggling up even closer.
Elsa looked at the thermostat. It had indeed cooled down quite a lot, though Elsa felt fine.
"Want me to get you a blanket?" she offered.
"No thanks," Anna said. "You're enough for me." She clumsily wrapped her arms around Elsa.
Was this normal drunk behavior? Elsa couldn't say for sure. Anna certainly wasn't acting like herself tonight. Elsa decided to indulge it. She certainly wasn't hurting anyone. At the very least, she'd have something embarrassing to hold over her head tomorrow.
Although, now that she thought of it, it didn't feel that bad at all. It was actually quite pleasant, feeling the warmth of Anna's body next to hers. Warm and cozy next to someone you care about an awful lot.
This thought surprised her. She had never considered herself that kind of girl, and she had never thought Anna was like that either. It must just be the alcohol. Yes, that made sense. They were close friends, after all. With impaired judgment like this, of course that her feelings would get a little mixed up.
And really, what was it hurting? They were still two very good friends. So what if Anna was getting a little too close? Elsa didn't really mind that much. The next morning, she'd laugh about the thoughts that were going through her head right now, if she remembered them at all.
Then Anna slipped her hand underneath Elsa's jeans.
Elsa sat bolt upright. "Okay, that's enough for today," she said hastily, getting to her feet and pulling Anna up. "Time to go home."
"Sorry, Elsa," Anna said in a slurred voice. "You're just so fucking hot!"
"That's nice," said Elsa, pulling her along. "Now, come with me, and we'll get you back to your nice, warm bed."
"How about your nice, warm bed?" suggested Anna, but she complied.
The two staggered over to Anna's house, Elsa often having to use her full strength stop Anna from falling over entirely. Elsa knocked on the door.
After a few seconds, Anna's mom opened the door. She was a big and tall woman, but this imposing figure belied a warm and kind personality.
"Hi, Jenna," Elsa said amiably, trying to hold still with Anna leaning against her.
"Hello, Elsa," she responded kindly. Turning to Anna, she said, "Okay, little one, time for bed."
"Okay, mommy," Anna said sleepily, walking past her mother and stumbling upstairs.
"Don't forget to brush your teeth," Jenna called. She smiled, then turned back to Elsa. "My dear, you're blushing," she noticed. "Did my Anna say something troublesome?"
"A bit, yeah," Elsa admitted. "But nothing bad or anything, just a little…weird. We were both just a bit tipsy. I'm sure she wasn't serious about it."
"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that," Jenna said. "Alcohol never makes you a liar. In fact, most of the time, it's only when you get a bit of liquor in you that you start saying stuff you really mean, and thinking how you really think.
"Well, thanks for bringing her home. I'll make sure she gets to school on time tomorrow. Good night!"
And the door closed, leaving Elsa alone on the doorstep with her thoughts.