Name changes:
Einhart Aster Bunnymund is Bunny
Athiana Pavani is Toothiana
{Prologue}
Fifteen-year-old Jackson Overland Frost got everything planned out for his summer vacation before starting his freshman year.
He was going to finish at least ten books, watch all the movies that had been on his list since forever and try his best to help his family run the cafe slash bookstore underneath his bedroom. If he had enough time, he even planned on playing a couple of songs in the cafe on Saturdays and considered taking cooking classes.
The first couple of days of summer vacation went like a blur to Jack. The first Monday of the vacation, he went out and rented a bunch of movies from the rental store nearby and borrowed a pile of books from the local library. He spent the first week locked up inside his room reading the books and watching movies, only going out to do mundane things such as bathing and eating. Sometimes, his younger brother would join him in the midst of a movie or his sister would sneak inside his room and snuggle beside him on the deep blue sheeted bed while he read. The time rolled on and on and when Friday turned to Saturday, he managed to finish five books and more than ten movies.
For the second time that week, Jack trudged down the stairs to the cafe, his two siblings happily following his trails. The Frost siblings went out to return all the books and movies Jack had borrowed and rented earlier that week. After doing what they planned to do, they took an impromptu walk through the town's park and bought ice creams afterwards. When they were finally home from the unintended morning walk, the white haired boy spent the rest of the afternoon behind the cashier, serving every customers, giving them his best smiles. When the sun finally set, the teen ran excitedly upstairs and was back within mere seconds with his guitar in his hands. He set a stool in front of the cafe's huge windows, sat on it and strummed his guitar as a melodious tune came out of his pale lips, echoing throughout the room.
The next couple of weeks, Jack hung out with some of his friends, but never more than once a week. He preferred staying at home, reading or helping his parents shelf all the brand new books and brew teas or coffees for the cafe's regulars. If he chose to go out, he would bring his siblings with him since their parents were busy with the business and didn't have time in the afternoon to take them out. Every evening, before going to sleep, he would sing Jamie and Emma to sleep or tell them a bedtime story.
When July came, he signed up for the cooking class in the local community centre. At the cafe, Jack started making desserts again after stopping last year because school was taking up almost all of his time. The regulars opinions on Jack's desserts were mutual, his pastries, cakes and cookies were delicious and the people would smile while eating them. He guessed that seeing those smiles was the main reason he was back in the kitchen.
At this point of his life, Jack was enjoying his life as it was without sparing even a slightest care to the world, not because he didn't care, it was merely because he was in his own. He was having fun and he loved it.
They said time went by quicker when you are enjoying yourself and it's true. Because in a blink of an eye, after countless of sleepless dawns Jack had gone through, the last day of summer vacation arrived.
By then, the oldest of the Frost siblings already finished his movie list and had read twenty five books in total.
On that last day, the morning breeze hit Jack straight at his face as he opened the cafe door and walked outside. Despite the hot weather, the pale boy wore a long sleeved blue t-shirt with his white messenger bag slung over his shoulder. He was going to attend his last cooking class. He flinched at the word 'last', because 'last' meant the summer vacation was coming to an end. Like any other normal teenager, the thought of school gave horrors the boy, but it also ignited some kind of excitement within him. The thought of starting a new school year intrigued Jack, it felt like starting a new chapter in life and it felt amazing.
The class was a minute from starting when he arrived. Jack trudged to the last available counter and glanced at the girl he was sharing the counter with. The girl had waist long blonde hair, some of her locks were dyed deep blue and green and it was tied up into a neat pony tail with a feathery hairband. Jack didn't really paid any attention to her afterwards, vice versa.
In the midst of baking a chocolate cake, the white haired teen messed up a little. He was cracking an egg open when his hand slipped and he dropped it. The egg hit Jack's pants before it hit the floor with an audible crack, but the sound was engulfed by the clanking of kitchen cutleries all over the room. The girl noticed though. She handed him a handkerchief with her eyes never leaving the recipe on her side of the counter. He took the handkerchief from her hand and muttered a 'thank you' before he crouched down to clean up the mess he had made with a paper towel and using the handkerchief for his pants.
When the class ended, he went out of the building with his box of chocolate cake in his hands. He had decided to walk instead of using his skateboard since the building was quite near from the cafe, also walking gave Jack more time to think. Not really think, more like day dreaming. Even though most of his friends had told him that day dreaming while walking was one of his dangerous habits. Most of the time, Jack would just laughed them off.
What his friends told him was actually true, because right then, he bumped onto a man, much taller than he was with a bandanna and jeans jacket. The chocolate cake Jack was holding was all over his outfit.
"Oh, damn," The white haired teen said. There goes Jamie and Emma's dessert. Jack looked at the guy, "I am really sorry about that."
The guy before him was staring at his jacket and smiled, "S'okay, mate." His accent was thick, Australian, Jack assumed. Albeit the fact that he was okay with it, Jack insisted on getting the guy's jacket cleaned and gave him the address of the cafe. He promised he would pay back the dry cleaning fee for his clothes before storming off.
The sun was blazing later that afternoon. The oldest of the Frost siblings was using his skateboard, making his way to the local library with a blue cap on his head to block the sun rays. He arrived within ten minutes and grabbed his skateboard off the floor before walking inside. He held his borrowed books in one hand while the skateboard in the other.
Jack went to the desk and looking for the librarian who knew him from of his constant visit, but instead he got a small golden haired boy in her place. The boy looked about Jack's age, but much shorter, his hair was spiked and his eyes drooped every now and then, indicating how sleepy he was. As a matter of fact, he looked like he was fresh out of his bed.
"Excuse me," Jack said. The boy's honey golden eyes gazed at his blue eyes in response. "I need to return these," He put the books he was carrying on the table in front of him.
The boy didn't say anything in response, instead he made a rectangle from his point fingers and thumbs. Jack understood immediately and rummaged through his pockets, searching for his library card. When he found it, he gave his card and the books to the golden boy.
Waiting for his library card, Jack glanced around. His eyes rested on an old grandfather's clock behind the desk he was at. When realisation finally hit him, he ran out of the library in a hurry, remembering that his shift at the cafe would start in fifteen minutes.
Einhart Aster Bunnymund and Athiana Pavani were childhood friends, they were starting their sophomore year tomorrow and they hoped they could make more memories with their friends.
"Aster, why is there chocolate all over your shirt?" Thia asked with a glare, evidently annoyed at the mess the tall boy in front of him had on his jacket and shirt.
Aster felt like the truth wouldn't hold Thia's nagging this time. She was a perfectionist, Aster knew that since they were kids. She couldn't stand the sight of something dirty or unfinished, hence why he tried to dress better and clean himself up before he was going to meet her. Unfortunately for Aster, he bumped onto the stranger with a cake in his hands when he was on his way to pick Thia up from her cooking class.
Looking at the mess on Aster's shirt made Thia determined to clean it up right here, right now. But she couldn't do that, thus she was left with the other option. She rummaged through her bag to find a handkerchief she always brought. When she found it, said handkerchief was inside a plastic bag and drenched in water. She almost cursed, but the girl restrained herself (due to her policy that girl shouldn't swear).
"It was an accident, Thia," Aster started to explain. "This guy with a chocolate cake ran into me when I was about to pick ya up, he said he would payback the dry cleaning fee and gave me his address." He pulled out the piece of paper he was given earlier by the guy.
She snatched it before calming down. "Well, we are getting that jacket to the laundry now and go to this address tonight."
True enough though, Aster got nagged by Thia for the rest of their journey home.
Sanderson Mansnoozie was a boy who rarely talks, he was due to start his junior year tomorrow and he dreamt for the best year yet, for his friends and himself.
Sandy watched silently as the blue capped boy left the library in a hurry. When the boy was out of his view, he took the books from the desk before him with his pudgy hands and put them in the green basket carefully, trying not to make any sound, just like what the librarian had told him earlier before she left for lunch.
The tiny boy had spent most of his last week of summer in the library since he liked the silence that always accompanied those kind of places. For Sandy, silence always took him somewhere, his thoughts swirl as he engulfed himself with the peaceful atmosphere silence brought. Not only that, same silence also had helped him concentrate better, finding ideas within his countless daydreams. In general, silence had also led him to his most favourite activity ever (and apparently everyone else's too), sleeping.
He was sitting down, his hand balled into a fist and used it to support his head, when he noticed a small card laying beside the computer. He was going to return it to the owner after scanning the owner's card number when the owner ran away. Sandy picked it up.
'Jackson Overland Frost' was the name written on it. The small boy flipped it and an address was written on the back of the card in bold letters.
Guess he had to return it tonight.
Jack was practising his guitar playing when there was a soft knock on his door. He lifted his head up to face the visitor as he said, "Come in."
The door opened with an audible creak to reveal his little brother, Jamie. "Jack," He said in return with eyes wide open and full of hope. The little boy made his way to him in reckless steps, he almost stumbled before he reached Jack. "What are you going to sing today?" The little boy asked, rather excited.
Jack giggled a little before answering his sibling's question. "Well, Jamie, you have to find out later." The smaller kid pouted at the answer that was given to him by his older brother, but Jack continued. "But I guess I could play the chords for you."
Jamie grinned at his brother, showing off his pearly whites and sat beside him on the bed before letting his brother play a tune that almost made him drift off to slumber.
Nicholas St. North was about to start his junior year and he would make sure it would be as wondrous as last year.
Nicholas St. North was often called by his last name, North. He was a big bulky guy who usually wore outfits that were red in colour and warm, despite any weather.
On the last day of his summer break, he decided to call up all of his friends (namely Sandy, Aster and Thia) to catch up with things since they hadn't seen each other in weeks, probably months, he had lost count. Unfortunately, his friends had plans for that evening, so his plan was a total failure.
Hence, he went to a local bookstore that was merged with a cafe not far from his neighbourhood to grab a cup of caffeinated drink and check out some brand new books. He walked alone as the moon emitted a gentle glow above him, illuminating the sidewalk with a faint, yet soft, light.
The bell chimed as he entered the cafe. North gained stares from most of the occupants, but he knew it didn't mean anything and rushed into an empty booth. He rather liked the cafe, it had a nice interior and above average beverages for a very reasonable price. The place helped him think more rationally than he was anywhere else.
As he slid in, a pale boy approached his table. He was wearing an apron with 'The Stranger' written across the chest, indicating that the teen worked here. The boy had snowy white hair that glowed a warm yellow-orange colour under the lights from the lamps above, his eyes were light blue and when North saw him his thought drifted only to one word, cold.
The weather was unusual that night. The usually rainless nights were gone and rain was pouring down in their little town. For this reason only, there were more people in the cafe than most nights. Half of the people inside the cafe were there because of the rain, some were on their way home from work when the drops of water started to fall onto the earth, some were already there before it started raining and decided to wait for the rain to stop.
Although the weather outside was cold and grim, the Frosts made an effort on keeping the atmosphere inside their cafe warm and comfortable for everyone. The lights were the warm colour of yellow, the wooden floorboards were spotless clean and the walls were decorated with all kinds of paintings and dried flowers. All of the food and beverages they served remain fresh and delicious. The cafe was on full swing and packed with more and more people.
Behind the counter, Jack was making coffees and teas while his mother tended the cashier. Jack's father was somewhere in the cafe, making sure everyone's got their orders. Engulfed by the mass of people, Jamie and Emma were somewhere in the bookstore, probably reading the books in the children's section.
When the clock struck seven, Mrs. Frost took a glance at Jack. He nodded in response and grabbed his guitar from under one counter. Walking up to the little stage they finally decided to set up, Jack attracted every pair of eyes in the room. He waved at the people he knew, the cafe's regulars, before sitting down on the stool.
"Good evening," Jack smiled. "This is my last song before summer is over." When he finished, his pale fingers started to strum the intro t the song.
At the same time, the wooden door of the cafe opened. Allowing two people inside, a tall boy with a bandanna tied around his forehead and a girl, long blonde hair with blue and green streaks. They eyed on their surroundings before letting them fall on the white haired guitar player, sitting before the big windows.
Then the teen started to sing, with a voice as clear as glass, his voice ghastly yet beautiful and it echoed throughout the room.
The times were heard
From the paint build front porch
And it ran a chord in the cold wind
And those girls next door
Might've heard it before
If they did then it never was mentioned
The door opened for the hundredth time and a small kid appeared with shiny golden hair that matched his eyes. He was ready to walk to the cashier to ask for the teen he was looking for however, he stopped abruptly when the guitar player sang the chorus.
Janie I'm sorry but summer is over
And darling I'm trying to get back before it's too long
My eyes are opened up
So Janie I'm sorry but summer is over and done
Drag leaves burnt the colours have turned
The smoke from it turned as it floated
Over the roofs like string cut balloons
A drifting and autumn parade
Janie I'm sorry but summer is over
And darling I'm trying to get back before it's too long
My eyes are opened up
So Janie I'm sorry but summer is over and done
Have been too long to tell you
That I've gone too long without you
But summer's over
Over and done
Over and
Janie I'm sorry but summer is over
And darling I'm trying to get back before it's too long
My eyes are opened up
So Janie I'm sorry but summer is over and done
Summer is over and
Janie I'm sorry but summer is over and done
Over and done
Disclaimer: Rise of the Guardians is not ours, the song 'Janie' is also not ours. They are owned by DreamWorks, William Joyce and Further Seems Forever, respectively.
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