AN: I'm back again with another Frozen Holiday fic. There's some references to this that you will only get if you saw the movie "You Got Mail". Again, I don't own the namesake movies (Frozen & You Got Mail). Also, IceQueen13 is obivously Elsa & FieryPerson15 is Anna's Chat name, just in case anyone gets confused. If the segues seem off, it's my first fic in this type of format, which will explain why.
It was a couple days before Christmas and everyone was gearing up for the festivities. Except one person. Anna knew she was doomed to spend another holiday alone, having broken up with her boyfriend because he was cheating on her. Fortnately, she had found solace in corresponding with "IceQueen13", whom, surprisingly, intiated the first conversation. Oh, what do you know? IceQueen13 had signed onto the Chat.
IceQueen13: You there?
FieryPerson15: Yeah
IceQueen13: What's on your mind?
FieryPerson15: The fact that I'm doomed to spend another holiday alone
IceQueen13: Oh
FieryPerson15: Well, goodnight
IceQueen13: Night.
The conversation ended after that and Anna went to bed, looking forward to more future chats with IceQueen13.
Next morning as Anna went off to work, she had walked right past a woman with blonde hair, as did the woman herself on her way to work. She didn't know it yet but IceQueen13 was none other than Elsa Winters, heir to the chain of Winters Books. Anna herself ran a small, average family owned bookstore which she inherited from her own family but lately, the store itself had been running into some financial problems as of late and the current CEO of Winters Books had approached Anna numerous times to negotiate for a buyout and Anna had refused numerous times but now, the offer was almost too good to ignore like she had done previously. "What shall I do, Kristoff?" she inquired. He had been with the store the longest and was one of the few employees she kept when she took the store over.
"Do what?" he inquired.
"Should I sell the store?"
"No way! I'd much rather work for you than for some corporate bigwig!" he immediately said. That settled it. Anna dialed the number of Winters Books and remained firm in her decision not to sell. However, after the store closed, Anna was in her apartment at her computer, wondering if she signed her store's death warrant in her constant refusals to sell it. Today, it was dry as dry can be. Fortunately for her, IceQueen13 had signed onto the chat.
IceQueen13: Hey, you there?
FieryPerson15: Yes
IceQueen13: Why so glum?
FieryPerson15: Well, Winters Books keeps offering to buy my store and I kept refusing each time. I inherited the store you see and I'm doing everything in my power to keep it alive but reality's setting in. I may have to sell it, even if my friend advised aganist it.
IceQueen13: Ah. If you inherited the store, DO NOT sell it. You need ways to bring customers in. That I can help you with. Sign on tomorrow and I'll give you some tips on how to do it. Okay, good. Nighty-Night.
The signal that IceQueen13 had signed off left Anna in somewhat good spirits but the fact was that she was just putting off the inevitable was the sad truth. After another slow day at work, Anna logged onto the chat and sure enough, the sign on occurred.
IceQueen13: So, you want those tips?
FieryPerson15: Yes, I do.
IceQueen13: Where I work, we do some theme days and launch days for new books. That might be a way to get in new customers.
FieryPerson15: Those are all great suggestions but see, we specialize in children's books.
IceQueen13: So, you don't want my help?
FieryPerson15: I do but
The sound that IceQueen13 had signed off was one of dejection for Anna but nevertheless, she decided to try what her mysterious friend suggested. They got a new shipment of books and the staff treated it like a huge event, the problem with that was the onlookers thought it seemed weird that a small independent store was trying something new for once. IceQueen13 hadn't contacted Anna throughout this period, although Anna kept sending her messages throughout as well. Meanwhile, IceQueen13 aka Elsa was checking her messages and she had thirteen unread messages from Anna. She thought about contacting her back but she didn't.
Eventually, despite Anna's attempts to keep the store open with IceQueen13's help, she had to file bankruptcy on the store. The reality of the situation was that her customers were just getting too old for children's books these days. "Well, at least you did the honorable thing in not selling", Kristoff said.
"That's true, it's just that, this store was in my family for a long time and I hate to see it go", Anna said sadly.
"Anna, relax, you can always open a new store or we can go work for Winters Books", Kristoff said with a shudder. Anna took one final look at the store before looking up shop for the final time. She put the lease up on the property for sale and at home, she wallowed in her misery when suddenly, IceQueen13 had signed into the chat.
IceQueen13: Sorry about being AWOL the last few days. Work, you know. So, what's up?
FieryPerson15: I lost my store, you know
IceQueen13: Somebody buy it?
FieryPerson15: I filed Chapter 7 on it. The reality was my customers were just too old for children's books these days
IceQueen13: You know, maybe you could come work for me?
She sounded hopeful enough but the reality of the situation was that she didn't even know who she was corresponding with. Anna had asked her numerous times to send her a photo but she seemed reclutant to do so.
FieryPerson15: I'll think about it
Anna signed off on the chat and clocked out. Next day, she told Kristoff about the job offer her mysterious friend gave her. "I'm not sure if I should take it or not", she said.
"Anna, maybe you should check out the store first and see what the atomsphere about it is. If it's nice, you contact your mysterious friend and tell her you accept her offer. If it's not, you do the first but say you refuse", Kristoff advised.
"I will." Anna walked down the New York streets to one of Winters Books' stores and went inside. She was surprised to find that the atomsphere inside was just like her own former store, abiet in a more formal setting. In her act of looking around, she didn't realize that she was obscuring someone in the way.
"Excuse me", the woman said.
"Oh, sorry", Anna said, moving.
"You should be", the woman said and walked away. As she walked, Anna caught a glimpse of blond hair. She didn't realize it but she was her mysterious friend online. Anna, dejected that the atomsphere seemingly wasn't like her former store, left almost immediately.
At her computer, she signed onto the chat.
FieryPerson15: Sorry about what happened at the store
IceQueen13: You were in the store? I didn't even see you
She was lying, of course. She was the person whom Anna unknowingly obscured at the store. As a matter of fact, she owned the store.
IceQueen13: Also, I'm sorry for my frosty attitude in how I handled how you obscuring me from making my rounds. I should have asked nicely. So, I'd like to extend an invitation to our annual Christmas party, then we can meet face to face
FieryPerson15: Sure, I'd like that. If it's okay with you, I'd like to bring a friend along as well
IceQueen13: You mean that burly guy you always make sure to mention in our chats?
FieryPerson15: Yep!
IceQueen13: Sure, bring him along. I'm anxious to meet him as well.
They both signed off for the evening, for tomorrow was Christmas Eve and that was when the party was going to be. While Anna chose a simple dress, Kristoff was fretting over his suit.
"Do you think I'm overdressed?" he asked.
"Kris, relax, you look perfect. It's just an informal shindig", Anna said. Kristoff conceded and ditched his tie, subsituting it for a scarf. When one lives in New York, the cold weather isn't particularly kind this time of year. Anna and Kristoff entered the store and meandered around a little bit, Kristoff slowly coming around to the formal nature of the store and realizing he was being a little pre-judgamental on them. However, he then had another worry.
"Anna, you think she'll be here?" he asked
"She should be", Anna said, looking worried. Leaving Kristoff to his own devices for a little while, Anna went to the spot where she unintentionally obscured the store's owner. She was wallowing to the point where she didn't even see someone approach her from behind.
"Excuse me? Miss? Are you looking for someone?" the person asked. Anna turned around.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am"
"Who, may I ask?" Anna then realized that they never exchanged actual names during their lengthy chat sessions, so she figured she'd use the chat name.
"IceQueen13"
"You mean Elsa Winters?" Anna froze but she couldn't turn around. "I think you saw her one day when I passed by you on the way to this store. You know, you aren't doomed to spend this holiday alone." That did it. Anna turned around and there stood IceQueen13 herself aka Elsa Winters, heiress to Winters Books herself.
"It was you!" Elsa nodded.
"That scenario at the store when you first came in was a little test before I revealed my identity to you. I knew all along you were at the store", Elsa admitted rather sheepishly. "I'm also sorry for the loss of your store by the way, you told me how important it was, which was why you never sold to us. Besides, even if you did sell it, we had every intention of keeping you and your own staff on", she explained. "But beside the point, my job offer's still on the table, if you're interested." Anna told her she would think about it while she took her to meet Kristoff, both glad they finally met, face to face.
AN: So, Bold=Chat while normal font for the main stuff. Again, some of the stuff I have in here will only be understood if you saw the movie "You Got Mail". Happy Holidays & R&R!