"Why am I even here?" Kristoff muttered to himself, taking a sip of his punch. He was leaning up against the wall near the back of the auditorium, watching as his fellow classmates were laughing and dancing away to the music.
It was senior prom, the last dance, the time to make memories, and the last big hoorah for the seniors. It was the night to have fun, to dress up, to enjoy the night dancing away to music.
To Kristoff, however, it was just an excuse for kids to get their parents to spend loads of money on a suit or dress, a nice dinner and then a few hours of dumb dancing. Nothing but a huge waste of time and money according to him, so once again he found himself pondering the question.
Why am I here?
"Kris!" That's why.
Tearing through the crowd came Anna, sweat glistening on her forehead in the little bit of light that was in the auditorium. She looked stunning. It was a simple gown, in Anna's eyes, but it fit her perfectly. It was an olive green, short, stopping just above her knee. It was tight at the top but splayed out in tool that had small hints of gold intertwined within it. Her shoulders were exposed along with the several hundred freckles, as the dress was strapless. For once, her hair was not in pigtails; pinned up in a rather intricate bun with braids leading towards it.
She looked beautiful, not that Kristoff would tell her. He couldn't do it; he just didn't have the nerve. They were friends, nothing more. And friends don't tell their friends that they are beautiful Right? Right.
"Someone's having fun." Kristoff joked as she reached him. She glared,
"More fun than you." She joked, shoving him with her hip.
"I am having a perfectly good time, thank you."
"Oh really?" She asked, her eyebrow raised. He smirked at her.
"Yep. Fantastic time. Just me and the wall over here, we're best friends now. His name is John." Kristoff laughed as Anna slapped him his arm. He watched her as she laughed, her smile brighter than the lights in the room. She bit her lip, turning her gaze to the floor and he could see the slight blush forming on her cheeks.
"Well, you know you could always—"
"Anna?"
Hans: reason number two why they were just friends.
Kristoff had never been a fan of Hans. Not because he dated Anna, but because the man was a spoiled rich kid. He never failed to point out his expensive attire, his lovely black car, and his large estate. He also never failed to point out Kristoff's hand-me-down shirts, his beat up truck and his not so big home.
It turned into a never-ending game for the two, always trying to outdo the other. Kristoff hated being apart of it. Anna wasn't a prize to win; she was a person to love. But no matter how hard Kristoff tried to avoid the damn game, he always found himself thinking of ways to make Hans jealous. He personally hated himself for even thinking like that, but seeing the look of anger or annoyance on Hans' face sometimes made it worth it.
So, when Anna had begged and pleaded for him to come to prom after hearing he had no interest in doing so, he had said yes for two reasons. One, no one could resist Anna's puppy dog eyes, her pouty face, her excitement when he had said yes; really, no one could resist Anna when she wanted something. Two, the look on Hans' face when Anna had jumped in excitement and beamed her beautiful smile when she had told him the most wonderful news iced the cake.
Kristoff watched as Hans walked up to them, dressed in his annoyingly perfect suit and his one stupid eyebrow raised.
What does he want?
Anna, for once, actually looked defeated as he approached. She never did get to finish her thought. What was it she was going to say?
"Love," Ugh, why did he have to call her that? "Would you care to dance with me?" The music had slowed; couples were now all across the dance floor much to Kristoff's utter enjoyment. Anna smiled weakly and looked at Hans,
"Yeah, that would be great." Kristoff caught the sideways glance from her but brushed it off as they headed to the dance floor. He didn't miss the little smirk Hans shot his way either.
Bastard.
Kristoff groaned and took another sip of his drink. He fidgeted with his tie as the song continued to echo through the room. He was so uncomfortable, physically and emotionally.
His suit was too tight, his tie was nearly choking him and he was hot. There was a very large possibility that he was sweating through his shirt. He looked back to the floor and saw how close Hans was holding Anna, his hand dangerously low.
Why couldn't he just tell her how he felt? How he had liked her ever since they had become partners in their math class sophomore, had wanted so desperately to tell her how he felt. He just didn't have the nerve. Then she began dating Hans; perfect, studious, rich, honor student Hans and he knew that there was no chance in hell that he would ever be able to tell her now.
She had been so happy after their first date, almost skipping down the halls with happiness. He couldn't tell her how he felt now, not when she felt like this. There was no point. She was happy and he would do anything to keep her happy. So, he his feelings and just stayed the loyal, kind and sometimes humorous friend.
Speaking of loyal friend, why was Anna so...squirmy? Kristoff watched the couple and could not deny the fact that Anna just did not seem comfortable. He found out why fairly quickly. Hans' hand had made its way lower than it should be, gripping rather tightly to Anna's bum, while his face was buried in her neck.
Kristoff respected couple boundaries, and he knew that there was a large chance that they had been…intimate. It was expected; they were a couple after all.
Anna looked at him, her blue eyes wide and seemingly screaming at him to help. That was all Kristoff needed and the so-called boundaries were gone. Slamming the drink down on the table he stormed towards them. Anna continued to fight Hans, pushing and trying to get away.
"HEY!" Kristoff bellowed, ignoring the stares from the other couples. "Cut it out!"
Hans turned and glared at him,
"Back off Bjorgman."
"No, you back off." Kristoff said, glaring at him. "I'm pretty sure you've crossed a line."
"I've crossed a line?" Hans said with a laugh, "I don't know what—"
"Please Kristoff, it's fine." Anna whispered. Kristoff glanced down at her.
"No it is not fine. I saw the what he was doing to you and I saw how you—" He broke off. Did he want to say how terrified Anna had looked?
"What? Jealous are you? Can't take the fact that I won, that I got the girl?"
"Hans please st—" Anna tried, but Hans pushed her aside, walking right up to Kristoff who clenched his fist.
"Can't take the fact that I had the actual balls to get her?" He whispered. "Can't take the fact that you'll always just be her friend and nothing more?" Hans smirked at him, "Can't take the fact that I get to touch her—"
The slow dance turned into a brawl in a matter of moments. Kristoff didn't remember much, only that his fist made contact with Hans' face several times while he had pinned him to the floor. He remembered hearing a scream, not completely sure if it was Anna's or not, but it was there above the music. A crowd had formed around him because he remembered hearing a voice asking for them to move out of the way. He didn't care to listen or to stop, he just kept hitting.
Next thing Kristoff knew, Coach Oaken was pulling him up and asking him, well, really demanding him to leave. Hans laid a bloody mess on the floor, Anna standing between them both, hands cupping her mouth as tears went down her cheeks. It was then he realized what he had done. He had just ruined her prom.
Damn it Kristoff. The realization weighing heavy on his heart, he turned and left the auditorium. Not bothering to look back.
Now, here he sat on the curb, alone, letting the estragon and adrenaline of the fight dissipate into the cool night air. He rubbed his hand across his sore knuckles, making a mental note to check them when he got home. Not to mention his tux was definitely going to need dry cleaning with the few splatters of blood on the white undershirt. There was also the fact he would some how have to figure out how to explain said spots to his grandma when he got home. Then there was the big issue Anna; apologizing and hoping to God maybe, just maybe she would forgive him. Which was very unlikely at the moment.
"Hope you're proud of yourself Bjorgman." Kristoff turned to see Hans walking, rag on his bloody face, towards his car. Seems Oaken kicked him out too. "You'll be hearing from my lawyer." He bellowed.
"Yeah sure, go ahead." Kristoff murmured. "Like I care." He watched Hans slam the car door shut, the fancy car come to life, back up and tear out of the parking lot. Kristoff sighed and rubbed his forehead in frustration. This was not how tonight was supposed to go.
"I wouldn't worry about that lawyer." Came a soft voice. Kristoff looked up to see Anna walking towards him, a small smile on her face. "He uses that threat on nearly everyone." She sat down beside him and Kristoff raised an eyebrow at her.
Wasn't she supposed to be angry with him? Wasn't she supposed to be yelling about how he had ruined her prom and just completely ruined everything? Wasn't she supposed to say how much of a crappy friend he was, how she never wanted to speak to him again?
Instead, she sat quietly as she looked up to the stars, taking a deep breath as a breeze came across her face. "The sky's awake." She murmured.
They were silent for a moment, listening to the music echoing into the parking lot, the trees rustling in the soft breeze from the nearby mountains.
"Anna," Kristoff said, looking to his shoes. "I'm sorry. I completely ruined your prom and your date and God knows how I probably embarrassed you in front of everyone and I shouldn't have interfered like that but the way he was touching you and how you looked and I just couldn't take it and I—" Sudden warmth touched his cheek, and Kristoff realized that she had kissed him. He turned to her, eyes wide and confused.
"Thank you." A shy smile on her face. He blinked,
"I—It was nothing." He murmured looking out at the cars, "Just looking out for a friend is all." He said with a small laugh. The words of Hans echoed in his head.
You'll always just be her friend and nothing more
"I'm glad you did." Anna replied, "I'm glad to have someone like you Kristoff. Someone who watches out for me and actually cares. Thank you."
Beat. Two.
"He's a jerk." Kristoff looked at her, her face hard in concentration as she stared at her shoes.
"What?"
Anna sighed deeply, "After the whole, you know, boxing match, he was so angry. I asked him if he was ok, I helped him up and got him something for his nose and everything. I tried to explain to Coach Oaken that it was just a misunderstanding that it was no big deal. But he didn't hear any of it and kicked Hans out. Hans was livid then. He asked me, well, more like demanded I go home with him."
"Why didn't you?" He couldn't help but ask. Anna smiled sheepishly,
"I wanted to make sure you were ok." He saw her glance at him. "Then there was the fact he never even asked if I was ok. Actually, he never even apologized for what he did. He just worried about his nose and the blood possibly getting on his expensive suit."
"Are you ok?" He asked, watching her intently. She looked out towards the parking lot.
"You know, there was always something…off about him. I couldn't put my finger on it but he just didn't seem right. Elsa could see it too but she couldn't figure it out either. I just had this feeling that maybe he was using me; manipulating me some how? I don't know. I just never felt like I could do anything around him that I wanted to do, like it was always about Hans. Always. Then there was the fact that I always had these butterflies in my stomach all the time."
"Sure you weren't just hungry?"
"Shut up," Anna giggled, bumping him with her shoulder. She sighed, "No, but really. I would always have them, and at first I thought it was just because I liked him. But I just couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't there because of that. They were trying to tell me something, maybe warn me. But I ignored them; just let them sit there." She took a long deep breath, "It took him doing this to make me realize that maybe…maybe he isn't as perfect as I thought. Maybe I was just being too quick to judge, too quick to jump in, just being stupid." Her voice broke and Kristoff looked to see tears forming in her eyes.
On instinct, he grabbed her hand and rubbed her knuckles gently.
"You're not stupid. You might be ditsy, but you're not stupid." Anna smiled, "People make decisions and there are some we end up regretting, but there are some that we can't be happier that we made them." He looked down at their conjoined hands; "My grandpa always says that bad things happen to good people all the time. They don't deserve it but it happens. But in the end they become the strongest and the happiest. Besides," Kristoff said with a sly grin, looking back up at her, "He was an ass anyways."
Anna laughed, looking at him for another moment, before looking back to the stars. There was an unmistakable blush on her cheeks as he felt her squeeze his hand and gaze up above, smiling a little up at the sky. Kristoff watched her for a moment, rubbing his thumb across her knuckles and turned his gaze out towards the parking lot. He heard a sigh, glanced over and found Anna leaning against him, her head resting on his shoulder. He could feel himself beginning to sweat from the growing blush on his face, his ramming against his ribs and he prayed that she couldn't notice either.
"Thank you, Kristoff." She whispered, her gaze still looking up at the night sky. "Thank you for being here."
"I'll always be here, Feistypants." He smiled as he heard her giggle. He turned his gaze up to the twinkling lights above, taking in the beautiful, peaceful moment.
Hand in hand, amongst the rustling trees and distant music, they lost themselves amongst the stars.
