Chapter Three: Tomorrow Will Be Kinder
Elsa's eyes fluttered open as light streamed through the familiar window. Gently she removed herself from under the slender arm of the dark haired young lady that lay next to her. Leaving the cocoon of warmth that the pair had formed she stood and peeked through the window, eyes narrowing to protect herself from the rays of sunlight that had just begun to creep over the horizon. A small smile graced her lips as a tiny gray bird flitted from branch to branch as though looking for somewhere comfortable to rest for a while.
As her eyes adjusted she crossed her arms over her stomach and took in the beautiful colors that painted the morning sky. Dawn was so different from dusk, the colors were brighter, more hopeful, she felt. Something about watching the sun rise and stain the sky was much more calming than at dusk these days. Both are beautiful though. Her hand rose to cover her mouth momentarily as she stifled a laugh. The little bird had picked the wrong branch and it snapped beneath his spindly legs, sending him into a fit of frantic flapping as he rose back up to a more stable branch.
His white belly flashed as he struggled, but as he settled she noticed that the gray feathers atop his body hid the white fairly well. Above his gray beak was a small splotch of black feathers. It was as though the bird had stuck his face into something he shouldn't have and had gotten dirty. A little tuft of ruffled black feathers atop his tiny head almost gave him an expression of urgency, something the small black eyes couldn't communicate on their own at this distance. Moments later he fled the tree and flitted down the street to an otherwise unoccupied feeder and taking his fill. Elsa found herself wondering offhand how the birds stayed warm when winter was in full swing...
"Come back to bed." The words were sleepily mumbled from beneath a mass of black curls.
Elsa peeled her eyes away from the outside world and turned around to take in the sight before her. Her companion was nestled in the royal purple sheets that covered the queen sized bed, it would have afforded the pair plenty of space the night before if they hadn't been wrapped up in an embrace. It had been quite some time since Elsa had cried so hard that she ended up crying herself to sleep, but last night certainly hadn't been the first time and it likely wouldn't be the last.
Elsa had been so composed when she arrived, blue eyes bright and her body language conveying, or attempting to convey, happiness. As soon as the door had shut behind her though the dreaded question had come, 'What's wrong?' The two small words broke her illusion, shattering her into a million tiny shards as she rushed into the arms of her friend.
She didn't remember it happening, but at some point she had been moved to the bed so her wobbly legs wouldn't give out beneath her as she sobbed. She was pulled into a tight hug as they lay together and gladly surrendered into it. Wrapping her own arms tightly around the woman in response Elsa clung tightly until eventually the tears stopped and her grip weakened as she slipped into a fitful sleep.
"The sun is awake, we should be up already." Elsa said gently, returning to the firm mattress and seating herself at the edge.
A hand slipped out from beneath the blankets and felt around for what Elsa could only assume was her hand. Elsa took pity on her and slid her hand closer. As their hands met, their fingers intertwined and she couldn't help but notice that the difference in their skin tone. Her own hand was pale as milk against the tawny brown flesh pressed into it - the sight was almost laughable.
I'll have to get some sun at some point. She'd been telling herself that for years, but she was likely to become translucent the longer that she continued to sequester herself from the outside world. It'll be hard, but I'll have to force myself to start socializing more. The very idea caused a lump to form in her throat. Will anyone even want to be around me or will they all have taken her side?
"You were talking in your sleep again." The sleepy voice struggled to stifle a yawn, the attempt was valiant but ultimately unsuccessful.
"Probably speaking my praise for you, my dreams give me the courage to say what I cannot while looking into your eyes." Elsa teased, giving her companion's hand a light squeeze.
Esmeralda pushed herself up on one arm, brushing her thick curls from her face with the other. One eyebrow was raised and her mouth was nearly diagonal – she was clearly not amused. "Flatterer. I know you too well for this ruse to work on me."
Elsa scoffed, rolling her eyes as she stood up and crossed the short distance back to the window. Perhaps the sunlight will keep her at bay she thought to herself, shaking her head at her own idiocy. Her friend was tired, but she certainly wasn't a vampire.
"Don't be too down on yourself about it," Esmeralda continued, "You could have any other girl eating out of the palm of your hands with that shtick, but you choose to use those cheesy lines on me. You know, I've heard plenty of the girls talking about you. You play too hard to get!"
Elsa whirled around, exaggerating a mock bow as she stood before the bed "Ah, but I only want you my dark haired temptress." She raised her head at the last few words and winked at Esmeralda, who promptly greeted her face with a pillow, tossed hard. Elsa quickly returned the volley and took a few steps back, preparing herself for any further attacks.
"So, are you going to tell me what was so urgent that you felt the need to invade my bed?"
There it was, a single playful jab and it was flooding back in all at once. The serene room had now become a cage, and she a helpless animal backed into a corner. Her lips tightened as she crossed her arms over her chest as though it would somehow protect her from the feelings that were building inside, a figurative hand of ice clutching at her heart and sending a chill through her chest as she made herself remember to breathe.
"I heard you say a name - her name..." Esmeralda began, more timidly than Elsa might have expected her to. Clearly she had already thought this through, likely she was awake well after Elsa had fallen asleep considering the possibilities. "Aurora, I mean. You're not-"
"No!" Elsa interjected, "No, no, we're not...no."
The bed springs creaked ever so slightly as Esmeralda finally mustered the strength and rose from the bed, approaching Elsa as though she might be a feral beast ready to explode out of fear or primal rage. She knew it was unlikely that Elsa would snap at her but it was best to be gentle in these situations. Her emerald eyes shone with concern as she reached out and rested a hand on Elsa's arm.
"She reached out to me. It was an e-mail. She wants to have coffee. To...to talk. About what happened." The words tasted sour as they rose from her throat, her short sentences only further attesting to her frazzled mental state. It felt wrong to even be contemplating the idea of meeting up with her ex and she could tell by her companion's narrowed gaze that she didn't appreciate the idea either. "Look, I wasn't going to-"
"Hey, not my call! Go if you want. God, that girl's a witch though. You should have known her when she was younger." With a wave of her hand, Esmeralda seemed to dismiss the idea, but not a moment later she continued. "Look, like I said there are plenty of people interested in you. You just have to turn on some of this charm around them and they'll be following you around like ducklings." The girl mumbled something else at the end of her sentence and Elsa only managed to catch a snippet. Something about 'harlot' and 'never see her again.'
Though the words were encouraging, Elsa's body only seemed to tense further the longer she stood in contemplation. If she didn't eventually agree to meet with Aurora then there would likely never be any closure for her. Going, however, could lure her back in to the same old thing that had caused her so much grief and heartache in the first place. Doomed if she did, doomed if she didn't. Can I live with never knowing what she's got to say?
Almost as if she could read Elsa's thoughts, Esmeralda took a step closer and wrapped her arms around the blonde, pulling her into a warm hug. Elsa buried her face in Esmeralda's shoulder, she could still smell honey scented shampoo on her hair from the night before. Enveloped in her arms Elsa began to feel safe again. "Thank you." she finally whispered, "I appreciate it but...I just don't know." She could feel her friend tense against her, obviously unhappy with the response that she had received but not saying anything further on the matter. "How about I take you out for breakfast, as a thank you for letting me intrude on you so late?"
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Oaken's was bustling at this hour, the two girls had hastily dressed and raced over in hopes of snagging something good before the store was cleaned out. Lucky for them, they had arrived early enough to get their pastry of choice, a very oversized chocolate cinnamon roll. The roll itself was far larger than either could eat alone (though that hadn't stopped them from trying on many occasions) but as a pair they could generally tackle it with little issue. After placing their order the pair sat and waited impatiently for a few moments before a burly, bearded man strolled from behind the counter and set the plate before them, smiling cheerily as the two girls immediately began digging in.
"You know" Esmeralda began, dabbing at the corner of her mouth with a napkin to clean up some stray crumbs, "We haven't been out like this in a while. It's nice."
Elsa paused, fork midway between the plate and her mouth. Brows furrowing slightly at the thought, she set her fork back down with a clink and looked up at Esmeralda who was now leaning back in her chair with a pensive look on her face. Clearing her throat Elsa leaned forward and crossed her arms over the top of the table.
"I haven't been a very good friend lately, I know. I apologize, Esmeralda. Even yesterday I just - I called you after not speaking to you in weeks and you..." Elsa's expression fell, her eyes closed as she sighed, "You're just really great, that's all I'm trying to say."
Esmeralda smirked and Elsa heard a small exhale of breath before her companion leaned forward too, nudging the plate aside and placing a hand on hers, squeezing gently. "Don't worry about it. I'll be here for you whenever you need me." she said with a sweet smile, "Hell, I'll be here when you don't need me too, just in case."
Pulling her hand away she laughed, the sound thick with something akin to disgust. Bringing her fork up she took another bite. "Everyone leaves eventually." she sighed, wiping a stray drop of sugary cinnamon syrup from her mouth.
Esmeralda scooted her chair closer and lowered her voice, though the idea of them being overheard in the bustling cafe was almost laughable. "Elsa, you're too good a person to believe that. I've known you for a while now, maybe I didn't know you so well before all this but I know who you are now. You're not the kind of person to really believe that one person can stop you from loving forever."
"My heart felt like ice for weeks afterward, like it was trapped in this block of frozen mess that had invaded my chest. How can I possibly let that happen again? How can I just trust someone again when-"
"When?" Esmeralda interrupted, looking rather cross. "When what, Elsa? You can't possibly suggest that you expect everyone you start to feel for to betray you. You just can't."
Looking rather flustered at being so clearly called out on her negativity Elsa forced a nod, she didn't entirely agree with what was said but she could tell that she was grating on a sore nerve. "I guess I can see your point." Her voice was flat, and following the short statement was a painfully awkward silence.
"Look," Esmeralda finally said, "I'm going out to a party tonight. Why not come with me, we'll take your mind off this whole...thing. Even if it's just for the night."
The invitation was sudden and almost uncalled for, the conversation wasn't even remotely steered in that direction. Clearly Esmeralda wanted to move on from the topic and Elsa was feeling nothing if not compliant at the moment – how could she not be when Esmeralda had already been so incredibly kind to her? Thoughts whirled in her mind as she debated the possibilities, if Esmeralda was gone for the night she would be left to return to her own home, alone. Memories would swim into her mind, thoughts that were along the lines that Esmeralda seemed to want to avoid speaking of and Elsa would rather not linger on any longer than necessary.
Looking to the table, Elsa finally nodded after the extended pause. "Alright. But don't expect me to be ecstatic about it."
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Elsa groaned as she leaned heavily against the back of the bench she had occupied for what felt like an eternity. "Come on, parade the next outfit already I think I'm losing the feeling in my ass!" Elsa whined loudly. After breakfast Elsa had been all but dragged out to her least favorite place – a shopping mall. She could hear Esmeralda shuffling loudly through the armful of clothing she had brought into the dressing room, a silent indicator that she planned on taking her sweet time.
She was seated on a white, obnoxiously over cushioned bench across from a row of dressing rooms. Surprisingly enough the crowds hadn't been too overwhelming, only slightly more than half of the doors were sealed as their occupants also debated on their outfits for whatever occasion they might be attending soon. Elsa imagined a grand gala for a woman in her late 50's with an armful of shimmery dresses. A young girl about their age with a stack of black clothing Elsa pictured moshing in a crowd at a rock concert. The image of a small school dance flashed before her eyes as a teenager timidly exited a dressing room for her mother who looked fondly at her daughter through misty eyes. Yet as she watched each person enter and exit, some parading their outfits for others and some simply exiting with fewer items than they entered with, she couldn't help but wonder what could possibly be taking so long.
The lock on the changing room finally clicked and the door flung open as Esmeralda pranced out wearing a pair of purple skinny jeans and a flowy three-quarter sleeved white shirt. A quick three hundred sixty degree turn showed off the outfit and she looked at Elsa expectantly. "Well?" Her face was split by an open mouthed grin, clearly pleased with her own decision.
Elsa pushed herself off the bench and to her feet, bringing her hand to her chin to give a mock contemplative expression as she walked a slow circle around the woman before her. The jeans were tight, as they should have been, and they worked very well on Esmeralda's curvy figure. Her hips were hugged by the fabric, her toned calves were pronounced, even her rear was accentuated in the jeans. The shirt was loose and low cut, though not too much so. Just enough cleavage to attract attention. Her feet were clad in a dark pair of leather thigh high boots with a small heel. Overall the outfit she had put together looked quite fitting on her.
Elsa hummed softly and looked her over top to bottom as she came back to her original spot, finally giving an exaggerated nod "I think this is the one."
Esmeralda smirked and poked at Elsa's shoulder with a single finger, once, twice, and then a third time as she spoke "You're just saying that because you're ready to get out of here."
"Can you blame me?" Elsa said with a cheeky smile, "All joking aside, you look wonderful."
She watched as her friend turned around and re-entered the dressing room and emerged moments later with the final outfit she had tried on over one arm and a box undoubtedly containing the boots under her other arm. Clearly pleased with herself she strode right past Elsa and to the check out counter. Elsa sighed with relief, Finally.
The pair exited the mall and the sun was creeping slowly toward the horizon. Sunset would be in a few hours now and the party would be starting soon after Elsa imagined. Sunlight beat down upon them as they crossed the emptying parking lot and Elsa found herself thankful for the late hour. Perhaps it was a blessing that Esmeralda had taken so long to come to a decision, now they were able to walk across the lot without having to dodge between drivers that were too eager to return to their homes.
"So, you refused to buy anything." Esmeralda said pointedly, "Are you planning on going in that?"
Elsa brought a hand to the hem of her tee and pulled it out slightly to inspect it, it was only slightly faded and the hem had barely started to fray. Her eyes then trailed down her dark jeans (these only had one hole near the knee of the right leg) and stopped on her tattered sneakers before she directed them to Esmeralda. "Why not?"
"Oh Els...no hun, we'll get you to your place and-"
"No!" Elsa interjected quickly, her face heating slightly as she exposed just how displeased she was with the idea of going back to her own place so soon.
"Then my closet it is!" Esmeralda chirped in response, a rather sly grin appearing on her face.
Elsa wouldn't be the least bit surprised if this had been the plan all along. Esmeralda knew her well enough to know that she wouldn't want to blow a lot of money on an outfit just for a party, and that she wouldn't have brought much more with her in the way of 'outfits' than a few pairs of old jeans, some tee shirts, and whatever sneakers she had happened walk out the door with the night before. I forgot just how calculating she was Elsa thought wryly.
Half an hour later and Elsa felt as though she had descended into a level of hell that had been tailored specifically for her. Esmeralda had only a few inches on her and clearly saw no reason for that to discourage her from sharing her clothes. "How long do we have to carry on this charade?" Elsa groaned, no longer even bothering to leave the room as she peeled off a set of skin tight leggings and tossed them aside.
"Come on, last one, I promise. Then we'll make a decision." Esmeralda's voice was practically dripping with enjoyment, she clearly took pleasure in making Elsa suffer the seemingly unbearable task of trying on anything and everything that she thought might suit her.
Heaving a defeated sigh Elsa grabbed the armful of clothing without even looking and Esmeralda turned away politely as she began to pull apart the layers of the outfit to try on. Oh goody, another pair of these awful skinny jeans. Perhaps she shouldn't have been so bitter about the clothing options, after all she had been spared returning to her home for the time being because of this small kindness.
Begrudgingly slipping her legs into the inky black fabric she tugged them upward and around her hips before buttoning and zipping them. They were a tad long for her but she didn't doubt that Esmeralda would happily fix that with yet another glorious pair of boots. From the pile of clothing she had been given she pulled out a white shirt. Pulling it over her head and removing her braid from the shirt once it had been pulled down afforded her the ability to see that it was rather low cut and the sleeves were a bit long but could be rolled up and buttoned around the elbow. She did just that, adjusting the newly rolled cuffs and buttoning them into place before grabbing the next item, a simple black collared vest that buttoned to just below her breasts.
"Come on, Esmeralda, really?" she huffed as she turned around, buttoning the last button and spreading her arms apart so the outfit could be seen and begrudgingly turning in a circle.
Her friend's reaction could only be described as giddy, she squealed softly and approached to straighten the sides of the vest a little before gushing, "Oh this is the one. No need to take this off, here." Esmeralda rushed past her and dug around through a plethora of shoes until she pulled out what she deemed the perfect pair. The leather was black and supple from multiple wears, they were clearly well loved but certainly not damaged by any means.
Elsa slid into the (thankfully) mostly flat bottomed boots and found them comfortable enough, the fabric coming to just below her knees. Zipping the sides closed she rose and looked at herself in the mirror attached to the closet door. Esmeralda crept up behind her in the reflection, draping Elsa's braid over her shoulder to rest over her chest. "You're beautiful!" Esmeralda cooed, clearly pleased with her decisions.
"We should go..." Elsa said quietly, feigning disinterest in her reflection. Her eyes gave her away though, how strange was it that a simple change of clothing could make her look so very different.
"Yeah, we should get there before Snow gets too much alcohol in her. We want her to remember who you are after all!" With that, Esmeralda took Elsa's arm and practically dragged the woman behind her.
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It was a flurry of greeting from the moment they passed the doorway. Elsa was all hello's and smiles as she was paraded before face after forgettable face. Those that Esmeralda couldn't name their hostess quickly supplied identities for, though Elsa knew she would only be able to recognize their faces if they were to cross paths in the future. It wasn't long before Esmeralda had disappeared from her side though. At least for the moment Elsa was comfortable in the spot she occupied in the unfamiliar living room.
But the party dragged on, minutes felt like hours as she stood nursing a mixed drink that the hostess had shoved into her hand just before Esmeralda had vanished. Elsa had been promised a great time at this party, but as she stood awaiting Esmeralda's return she could only think of how incredibly alone she felt despite being surrounded by friendly faces. Left to her own thoughts Elsa could bring herself down faster than anyone she knew.
Despite her best attempts, she couldn't seem to coax anyone into staying by her side for too long. Unfortunately Elsa was finding it difficult to provide any one of them with more than short answers – hardly fit for anyone attempting to actually carry on a conversation with her. She was certain that she was looking the part of the sour wallflower at this point, but this late into the night she couldn't muster the strength to care any longer. I haven't always been this lousy of a conversationalist, have I?
Try as she might, she couldn't explain her lack of ability to carry on with any of them. Sighing and finishing her drink Elsa turned her eyes to the people occupying the living area. Mostly female, she noted, but there were a few males intermingled in the group as well. Esmeralda had said the ratio wasn't unusual for this group but had not elaborated any further. Everyone seemed to at least be acquainted with one another as they all talked in bunches of three or four. Occasionally a smaller trio might join up with another, making a circle of people as they all conversed and laughed. Less frequently a pair of people might take their leave towards a hallway where Elsa could imagine they would be having some alone time. Her prediction was confirmed when a pair of handsy young girls locked lips in the hallway before one pushed the other deeper into the hall in search of what she could only guess was a room.
Her eyes stopped on a rather muscular young man with three young ladies enraptured as he performed rather tired party tricks. Either they were being very polite or he was simply very attractive to them. A muffled shout reached her ears over the buzz of the crowd, pulling her gaze away from the man and his prospective one night stands. Dozens of heads turned along with hers and their eyes collectively settled on the slightly raised entryway as a cheer rang out from the crowd in response. Three people stood in the doorway, she was easily able to identify one of them as the hostess. No one could mistake that dark, short hair even among the large crowd – it certainly helped that she was clad in a bright, daffodil colored skirt and a frilly, dark blue top.
The newcomers were unfamiliar. Not that I should be surprised, I don't really know many of the people here. The brunette was tall but not terribly so, perhaps around the same height as the hostess she guessed. She wore a simple red hoodie and a pair of jeans that was torn on one thigh and had a fairly large hole in the knee of the other leg. Between the brunette and the hostess was a shorter woman, a redhead, dressed simply in a blue tee shirt and darkly colored jeans. Obviously they knew one another well, the hostess was draped around the redhead as they all spoke and soon the brunette joined her in the embrace. Elsa's thoughts immediately turned to plotting the perfect revenge for Esmeralda forcing her to dress up when jeans and a simple tee would have been perfectly acceptable.
Innocuously the redhead began looking out across the sea of people as though she were taking in the sight of the sheer number of people in the small area, but suddenly her eyes seemed to settle, causing Elsa's own eyes to grow wide. Is she looking at...me? Though Elsa knew it was impossible (there were so many other possible targets between she and the stranger after all) it seemed like the newcomer was staring right at her, right into her soul.
A flush of heat began at her neck and crept into her cheeks, her whole face was pink in a matter of seconds. Blue eyes widened, her breath caught in her throat. Her stomach turned nervously and her head was reeling. The alcohol. That's all it is. Her tongue quickly slipped across her lips to wet them, she swallowed hard as her heart pumped faster in her chest. She found her lips parting without her permission as though she might dare to mouth a hello. All of a sudden she was wrapped up in the very naïve idea that she had managed to lock eyes across a crowded room with a stranger who was so incredibly...
Suddenly the eye contact was broken and she was jolted from her thoughts. Esmeralda had collided with her and pulled her into a hug, "Well, well! Do I see what I think I'm seeing?" she crooned, an open mouth grin spreading across her face as her dark brows wiggled suggestively.
The spell broken, Elsa scoffed and shoved Esmeralda off of her. "Don't do that." she hissed, a note of fury to the three short words. Grumbling, she composed herself and brushed her clothing flat again after the playful assault. "You should be more kind to these clothes, they are yours."
"You're dodging." The words tumbled out and taunted Elsa, pushing her into a hasty response.
"Dodging what? I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, I think you know what I mean." Esmeralda seemed to ignore Elsa's poor attempt at a changing the direction of the conversation and continued to goad her, dark brows waggling suggestively once again. "Making goo goo eyes at some girl so early in the night?"
"I don't- I wasn't-" Elsa was grasping for anything to say, her face flushing again as she turned away from her friend and carefully navigated her way to the less crowded hallway and out of the line of sight of most of the crowd. Esmeralda was hot on her heels. Suddenly a hand wrapped around Elsa's her upper arm and halted her would be escape. A gentle tug turned her around and the two women were face to face.
"Elsa..." Esmeralda's voice was softer now and more kind. A coy smile graced her lips as she took a step forward, "Your cheeks are pink."
Elsa took a step back in response, "I've been drinking, of course my face is a little pink. Next you'll be telling me I'm slurring and my eyes are a little..." Esmeralda advanced another step and Elsa took a step back in response. The little 'dance' quickly ended in Elsa's back pressed against a wall as Esmeralda refused to cease her advance, tenderly placing a hand on Elsa's pale cheek.
"You're not drunk. I saw it, all of it." Esmeralda proximity was uncomfortable but not entirely unwelcome."..Is this what you were feeling earlier?" Esmeralda continued as she inched closer, her hand trailing down Elsa's neck and arm until it wrapped around her waist and gently tugged her forward. Their hips touched and Elsa's grip on her cup loosened and it fell to the floor with a gentle foop.
Elsa's brows furrowed as she let the scene play out. Her friend was clearly trying to evoke a very specific feeling but the only thing being brought to the forefront of Elsa's mind was her own confusion at the current situation and her denial of the previous one. Still, her heart was in her throat and thumping hard as she stood stiff, desperately avoiding Esmeralda's gaze. She was trapped, once again playing the part of the small, defenseless creature. She felt a hand on her face again, this time tilting her chin up to make her meet Esmeralda's gaze.
"Is it?" Esmeralda breathed.
Elsa could feel Esmeralda's words hot on her lips as she stood momentarily speechless, thankful that at least for the moment Esmeralda was no longer trying to get any closer than they already were. "N-No." she finally managed to choke out, breaking the eye contact that Esmeralda had initiated as she turned her eyes to the floor again."I think I understand what you're getting at, but you certainly aren't..." Elsa paused for a moment, her eyes narrowed as she realized what was happening - Esmeralda wasn't drunkenly hitting on her, she was prying for information! "No." Elsa repeated, more firmly this time.
Parting from Elsa, Esmeralda laughed heartily. "I almost had you, you have to admit it! You were ready to tell me every little detail about...whatever you want to call that."
"Look, it was nothing alright?" Elsa said, stepping forward from the wall and crossing her arms over her midsection, "You know I'm hopeless anyway." she added for good measure, her gaze falling to the floor. Aurora had left her heart in tatters, she wasn't sure that feeling anything for anyone was in the repertoire of things she could currently handle.
"Hey, we talked about this..."
Turning away Elsa nodded, if only to give the impression that she was listening or that she believed. "If I am determined to be hopeless, best to be a hopeless romantic. Was that the gist of it?" she muttered quietly before taking a few steps back towards the crowds.
"Elsa." Esmeralda chided, walking side by side with her, "No one deserves to have their heart locked away forever."
With that she smiled and returned to the party, leaving Elsa with her thoughts at the entry to the hallway. Elsa's eyes followed her through the crowd and found her chatting with the hostess in a matter of moments. As the pair glanced back at her she couldn't help but feel as though her dear friend was up to something. I'll regret this party very soon, I'm sure of it. Even so she couldn't stop herself from scanning the crowd and subtly searching for a particular shade of red.
