Author's Note: Hey all, decided to try taking a shot at a modern AU. It's bound to be interesting, given the ideas I have and the fact that I have to work at making the characters, in-character when the "Peanut Gallery" especially is pointedly OOC in some aspects. I don't have a direct trajectory for this story and haven't worked out everything about the characters, but hopefully things will work themselves out as they go along.
This isn't a particularly happy story, and contains themes that make some people uncomfortable. I'll give warnings whenever "Student-teacher relationship" is present in an update. The student is 18, but it's still portrayed as an issue. Other than that, I think the pre-fanfiction drabble is about done. Oh, and I don't own any characters.
UPDATE 5/25: Just wanted to clarify Elsanna isn't the student-teacher relationship. They're both students.
The afternoon slump started early. Students dropped like flies. Some counted the flies. Some stared with a dull gaze at the windows, which in their minds should have been closed since it was November and the chill was unrelenting. The sounds of traffic and arguing delinquents waved in, making focus on the teacher even less existent.
"And so, by the end of the novel both characters have made it out of the dystopian community." Her voice was fat and nasally, carrying an almost naturally pompous tone. "There is a great meaning in their escape, one as meaningful as the tragic ending of our Orwellian unit. This author, however, chose to propel her characters to a successful ending, one that brings hope to the series of ravaged landscapes in literature."
"Hah," called someone from the back row. "GAYYYYYYYY."
"Thank you, Merida," the teacher replied without turning around. "I'm glad those reruns are at least teaching you to memorize lines."
Merida crossed her arms in satisfaction and leaned back in her chair. Her other friends were paying attention, barely.
Anna Arendelle shifted between listening to the teacher and following the clock as it inched toward freedom. She fiddled with a braid as she thought about lunch. Tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock
"Before going into an analysis of literary devices, we're going to compare the two novels." The teacher's voice cut her back to reality. She watched the round woman pick up a whiteboard marker. "Now then," as she uncapped it, "besides the dystopian theme and the contrasting endings, what do these novels have in common?"
"Ooh!" A brunette with a choppy haircut waved her hand. Anna and Merida looked at each other smugly.
"Yes, Rapunzel?"
"Um…both novels have male and female characters?" said the brunette. "Who become friends and secretly depend on each other?"
"I'm glad to know you participated in the reading, Rapunzel," the teacher said without an ounce of sincerity. She began writing on the whiteboard.
"I got it on SparkNotes," Rapunzel muttered, and the others covered their mouths to hold back their snorts.
"I heard that, Rapunzel," said the teacher. Rapunzel cringed. "Any other snippets from the Peanut Gallery? Anna?"
"No, Mrs. Wanda," said Anna quickly.
They began whispering when the teacher had her back turned. "SparkNotes?" said Merida. "Lass, even I could make the connection between a man and a woman being friends."
"I had to use SparkNotes to save time!" Rapunzel protested. "You know, since I had to work on chemistry and pre-cal and history and German…" Anna made eye contact with Merida and shook her head. They left Rapunzel alone.
As the lesson continued, the slump got worse. Rapunzel gave up on following Mrs. Wanda and was ten minutes into sketching the figure of the Chinese dragon on one of the cabinets in the room. "Three feet of red sculptured beauty," Merida said under the drones of its owner. "Cooped up in a place such as this. We should rescue it."
"If you toss it to me I might drop it," said Anna through her teeth. "And that'd be a shame."
"Maybe it's her long-lost son," said Merida. She drew her hands apart in faraway speculation. "A dragon boy for the dragon lady…"
"Oh my god, shut up," said Rapunzel, her arm shaking.
A shadow loomed over her. Her smile fell. "You can have this back after class, Miss Corona," said Mrs. Wanda, snapping up the sketchbook with two fingers. "And then we can talk about the current state of your grade." Rapunzel's head sank between her shoulders. The other students hooted.
The three girls cracked their books open for class. Reprieve came five minutes later, when Mrs. Wanda announced, "Okay, class, for the rest of the week we'll be watching the movies based off of these books."
"Oh great, I already know how it ends," said Merida to her friends.
"But beware, this is not a time to catch up on sleep." Mrs. Wanda sent a brief yet pointed look at Rapunzel. "We'll be taking notes as the movies go along and compare them farther with the devices and themes used in the books."
"Mrs. Wanda?" said Anna innocently. "Since this is a distance that's figurative and not literal, shouldn't it be further?"
"Thank you, Anna," said Mrs. Wanda flatly. "I knew there was a reason you passed my last test."
Anna giggled self-contentedly. The class got ready to take notes on the movie. "We'll begin with one of the finest theatrical adaptations of classic literature," began Mrs. Wanda, turning off the lights. "Directed with passion and bringing the horror of the story to a new level…"
"Do you think she reads off a script before coming to class?" whispered Anna. A long blow burst from Merida's lips. She smacked Anna on the arm.
"Would you like to join Rapunzel after class, ladies?" asked Mrs. Wanda as she turned on the projector.
"Oh, absolutely not, ma'am," said Anna. "I mean, Mrs. Wanda."
They remained silent for the beginning of the film. Eight minutes after the opening credits, the projector started to blink. "Oh, darn it," said Mrs. Wanda. She hustled over, bringing her pointer to reach the buttons. "What's wrong with it now?"
"You might need to turn it off and on again," said a boy in the front.
Mrs. Wanda took his advice. "There we go…I see the light…"
"Don't go into it!" yelled Merida, and at the instant half the class burst out laughing, the door opened. Anna looked, glad for the distraction.
Her chest tensed. She forgot how to breathe. In the darkness this creature came, stepping in like a dream. Pale arms wrapped around each other for security. The girl's quietness was magnified by the activity of the room, and she stayed waiting, dazed.
Mrs. Wanda turned. "Yes, what is it?" she asked.
"Um," said the girl as Mrs. Wanda came closer. "Mr. Silver wanted me to return this to you." She held out a book.
"Ah yes, I finally get it back." Mrs. Wanda took the book. "Tell him it's about time. You didn't take your time coming here, did you?"
"No, ma'am," said the girl. "I came right here."
Mrs. Wanda hummed impatiently. "If that's all you may go." The girl had her head down, watching the teacher's every move. At her dismissal she took a step back. For the smallest of moments before she went out the door, her eyes rested on Anna.
Anna tucked her hair behind her ear.