Elsa

Ring! Riiing! RIIIIING! goes my extremely loud alarm clock. I groan, and so does my roommate, Rapunzel.

"Elsa, I've told you twice to turn that stupid thing down," she held a pillow over her ears.

"But then I won't wake up," I slowly sat up and turned the clock off. "I have to get to class."

"Ugh, Physics, Physics. You do fine enough in there anyway. Professor Weselton practically loves you."

"Ew, no. Look, you need to get up too. We have Physics together."

"No."

"Come on," I rubbed my tired eyes. "It'll give you an excuse to see Flynn."

"I won't be able to talk to my own boyfriend during class. You know, if I don't want that weasel to give me an F in the course, that is."

"It's not that bad. But you can make your own decision regarding if you want to skip class or not, because I am getting up."

I headed to the girls' showers in my dorm. A nice, hot shower always relaxed me before starting the day off—but it didn't make me feel any more drowsy than I was. Ugh, I want coffee. I need coffee, I thought as I changed into a simple t-shirt and denim jeans.

After braiding my hair, I strode into the cafeteria, which looked like a ghost town this early in the morning. I poured myself some sizzling black coffee, and then finally made way to the Science building.

It's the same thing everyday, I thought, walking through the large campus. First, I wake up. Then I shower and drink coffee, and go to class. And then I repeat.

I wanted something more in life. Yes, something exciting—I wanted a life like my sister's.

Coincidentally enough, I spotted Anna surrounded by a group of other girls near the water fountain. They laughed and talked and discussed the latest gossip—Anna and I locked eyes.

But we didn't wave.

Anna never acknowledged me unless she wanted something. She knew she was too cool for her own sister: me, the major outcast, who was lucky to have even Rapunzel as my roommate.

Anna was only a sophomore, and I was a senior. Not a day had gone by where I was recognized like her, because I shut everyone out ever since I was very little—and I tended to not let anyone back in. It wasn't easy for me to make friends, because I had none.

Rapunzel was nice to me, but was only my acquaintance. She was practically Anna's best friend—Anna's idea of the perfect sister. The sister she wanted so much more.

I wandered through the halls of the Science building, on my way to Professor Weselton's classroom. I felt like a docile lamb surrounded in a crowd of ravenous wolves—people in the hall were throwing things, spitting—and even skating. My fingers grasped tightly around my coffee, and I looked around to view my surroundings. But before I knew it—

"Oof!" I crashed into a male student. The coffee I held split all over his nice shirt, and my large eyes widened.

"Oh, god. I am so sorry."

He grunted, and began to wipe his shirt with his hand. "That was a $40 shirt, you know."

He sounded awfully snappy, but I still felt bad. "Well, let me help—" I reached my hand out to touch him, but he flinched back.

His cold, pale eyes bore into mine, reminding me of my own. "I would appreciate some personal space."

Although I was astounded by his rudeness, I remained calm. "I'm really sorry. I can clean the shirt."

"You know what, forget it," he grumbled, and spun around—walking the other way.

I was left behind feeling confused, but eventually shook my head and forgot about it.

When I arrived in Professor Weselton's room, I spotted Rapunzel and her boyfriend, Flynn sitting together in the back. I was surprised to see her here already—but knew I shouldn't associate with her. She didn't like it when people like me interfered with her and Flynn's time together.

"Ms. Anderson!" Professor Weselton chirped, "You're awfully early today." Well, at least the weasel liked me.

"Yes, Professor," I fake smiled, though I was anything but happy. I haven't once been bubbly since months ago, when my aunt made me a cake for my birthday.

She was the only one who remembered it.

I try to hide the tear that rolls down my cheek, as I walk up the steps to take my seat. Don't think about the past, Elsa. Conceal, don't feel.

Eventually, more people file into the room. I sink down lower in my seat, feeling like crap—not wanting to be seen. And I wasn't.

The weasel finally got up from his desk and stepped onto the podium, adjusting the microphone so that it faced all the way down—being as short as he was. "Hush, everyone! Be quiet! We have very important matters to discuss today—that including a further study of Newton's Laws!"

The whole room groaned, reminding me just of a high school class.

"However, I will be kind and firstly, introduce a new student who has come to us. Everybody, please welcome Max Snow to Guardian U!"

The boy who I accidentally spilt my coffee on stood up from his seat—he wore a different shirt now, probably from changing, but it was still the same boy with silver hair and pale blue eyes. The whole room was clapping, and some girls who sat near Rapunzel sighed at his charm. I sniggered at their stupidity, knowing this dude was a total jerk.

"Alright, that's enough. You may be seated, Max. Moving on!" the weasel flipped through his teaching planner, "Oh, wait. I lied. None of Newton's Laws for today."

A few hushed yes!'s could be heard, but mostly everyone kept silent. We all knew Professor Weselton was a grumpy old man. "What we will be discussing today is a group project! Get in the spirit! Be pumped! Jump into the excitement!" he started doing this weird chicken dance around the podium, and the room was instantly filled in uproarious laughter.

"Stop that!" he screeched, and began to pound his little fists against the podium top. "The next person who laughs will fail this year's final exam!"

That shut everyone up.

"Good," he started. "Now, I will be assigning groups before I go over the project. Pass these out, Max, will you?" he handed a stack of papers to the new boy. When Max came upon Rapunzel's row to pass the papers out, the girls stared dreamily at him again. How does he have that effect on people so quickly?

When I received one of the papers, I noticed it listed the partners assigned together for the project. I quickly searched for my name—Anderson, Anderson—I hoped I wouldn't be paired with one of the cool kids.

To my surprise, I was paired with someone even worse.

Max Snow.

I found myself at Max's door that following night.

Hesitantly, he opened it after my knock. "Okay," he began, "Come on in. Flynn's asleep, but we can still work on the project."

"Look, I don't want to be here," I said coolly. "So let's just get this project over with."

"We can't just get it over with," he let me step into the messy room that reeked of spoilt pizza. Ugh, poor Rapunzel to have such an unhygienic boyfriend. "Working on this project will last us a month, at the least."

"Then let's get to it."

"Look, um—Ellie."

"Elsa."

"I'm sorry. Elsa. Um, well—I'm also sorry about that whole coffee incident."

I raised a brow, definitely not expecting two apologies from him. "I acted like a jerk," he continued, "And I just want you to know, I'm not that kind of person. Usually, I can be grumpy and uptight, but I was just stressed and—"

"It's okay," I cut him off. "I ruined your shirt in the first place."

"It's just a shirt," he shrugged, sinking into his desk chair.

"An Oxford shirt," I chuckled.

Okay, so maybe he wasn't a complete douche. But still—I didn't really like him. Maybe that was my fault, as I'm really picky when it comes to making friends.

Which is why I've lost all of them. After the accident...

I cleared my throat, shutting that forbidden thought off from my brain. "So, where should we start?"

Jack

I've heard a lot of people whispering about Elsa and I being paired together. That "a cute boy like him should be working with Rapunzel Corona or Elsa's sister; a girl more deserving." But honestly, I cared nothing about the stupid project, or these other girls. I wanted to focus on my job.

But, I would be blind to not notice that Elsa was indeed a hot little minx—in the nerdy way, which I actually preferred. Of course, she didn't know it, which made her even cuter—but I'm sure the girls that made her an outcast knew it. Maybe they were jealous.

When I thought of this, I could just imagine Bunny screaming at me to not start thinking about girls. I inwardly laughed—he cracked me up sometimes. I knew I wouldn't be wrapped around Elsa's finger—or any girl's, for that matter, but still. Those legs—what a shame she hides them beneath those jeans. I couldn't help myself.

"Oh, right," I cleared my throat, snapping back to reality. "Um, where do you think we should start?"
She sat down beside me. "Well, Professor Weselton said the project is based off of inertia. Why don't we first review its meaning, and get familiar with why it causes objects to resist changes in motion?"

I never took Physics in college, or even high school for that matter—so I was utterly lost. "Okay," I said dryly, not really catching on.

Elsa began to pull some notebook paper and a pencil out, and I realized I should call Bunny. He would want to check in on me and see how my first day was.

"Hey, do you mind if I go to the bathroom?" I come up with a fib.

"Just be right back," she looked down.

I headed out of the room, and when she thought I was going to the dorm's main bathrooms, I stepped outside. The fresh air hit my nostrils, and the nightly moon blazed from above. I secretively pulled out my phone from my pocket, and called my boss.

After a few rings, he picked up. "Thanks for calling, Jack. How is everything?"

"Good, I guess. I've been assigned to a project, but not much else has been happening."

"Considering you're already settled in, I have something important to tell you. We've all planned out your next move for tomorrow."

"My next move?"

"We recently found out: Nicholas North was very close to his nephew, Pitch Black. Have you heard of him?"

"No."

"He's the president of the most popular fraternity at Guardian U, besides being North's nephew. Anyhow, he's one of our suspects. Considering their close relationship, we assumed he would have easy access to his office, especially at wee hours. If he were to be the murderer, it could've been from a possible strife or betrayal—and we need you to get close to Pitch in order to find out possible evidence—which will point to if he's guilty or not."

This was a lot to take in, but I caught on now. "Okay, Bunny. I'll try."

"Don't try, Jack. Do it."

"Right. Can you send me more information in the morning?"

"Of course. Good luck, Frost."

And with that, he hung up. I was left feeling pretty nervous, but at the same time—thrilled.

That was, until, three burly guys jumped from the bushes and shoved me into an empty potato sack. "Woah—hey!" I yelled, trying to kick. "Who are you? Let go!"

The next thing I knew was being shut away into the dark sack as the three oafs tied it closed, and carried me into the wilderness. Come on, Jack. Use your spy instincts. What should you do?

I couldn't think properly. There was practically no air in the—cocoon—I was trapped in, and I wanted to scream.

My last thought, before passing out was: Am I going to be killed?