Disclaimer: I don't own anything. There will be mentions of OCs in the future as teachers 'cause I'm too lazy to search up stuff.

Chapter 10 - Starlight

"Don't you see the starlight, starlight? Don't you dream impossible things?" - Excerpt from Starlight, Taylor Swift

A/N: I know what you're thinking: why the heck did this chapter take so long?

So...um...there really is no excuse. I had the whole outline, but...I kept getting...distracted. I started this the day I posted the previous chapter, but I just. Couldn't. Get. Around. To. Getting. It. Down. And I'm not even sure why. I wanted to write this chapter. Then, when the next day came, I was completely out of inspiration. For a long time.

Even listening to a bunch of Hannah Montana songs didn't work on me this time! Mostly, all the music I listened to made me wanted to watch some trashy TV.

Then, I listened to Vanessa Morgan's cover of 'Breakeven.' That's how I wrote 2/3 of this chapter. Yes, Vanessa Morgan being that girl Sarah from My Babysitter's a Vampire and Toni Topaz in Riverdale and Lyria in The Shannara Chronicles (I was busy binge-watching all of that). Gotta love her. Also, did everyone have a good turkey day?

Maybe it was a weird thing to do (though you'll probably be reading or thinking the word 'weird' throughout this), but Elsa enjoyed watching the dark night sky.

Perfect conditions included a slight drizzle and some clouds framing out a brilliant full moon, but we take what we can get. She wasn't exactly sure why she liked it best like that. Maybe it was just because that was when it felt more magical, more alive. More ethereal. No matter, whatever it was, it was...perfect—or, at least...the illusion of perfect. Er, well, perfection.

But now, even with the moon only partially filled in, Elsa could enjoy the wonderful sights. Yes, there were so many reasons why she shouldn't be watching the moon—cough, cough, she probably should've been sleeping, cough, cough—but she, for some miraculous reason, could not tear her gaze away from the sky. Sure, it wasn't raining. But there were some clouds in the sky, and it felt as if a certain mist hung in the air. Maybe that was just her imagination producing that feeling, but hey, she wasn't complaining.

Elsa shivered. Another reason she shouldn't have been out here was because it was also freezing.

Sure, winter had passed and all (ish), and most of the cold had left...but it remained: nighttime was always cold. But it was the kind of cold that made her shiver in anticipation, almost as if it was contributing to the magic of the moonlight, which was already purifying dazzling on its own. Or maybe it was all in her head, and she was just crazy and had a weird mind.

It was also the kind of cold that kept you up at night.

Another reason why she shouldn't have been out here.

But it was magical. And Elsa knew that this wasn't a viable reason for nearly freezing to death—never mind the fact that she had an important test the next day—but she just couldn't. Stop.

A soft smile curled onto her lips, and despite the cold seeping into her bones, there was this sort of free sensation within her. The smile grew softer, and Elsa tore her gaze away from the sky for a brief moment, glancing down at her freezing fingers. Her hands gripped the railing of the balcony in a vise-like grip, but she soon directed her gaze back to the sky.

Beautiful, she remarked. Gorgeous.

The wind picked up, and when Elsa shivered. When she finally drew herself back into her room, she blinked, surprised at the realization of how much time had truly passed. She closed the twin balcony doors and took a seat on her bed, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Her eyes half-closed, and a small sigh escaped her lips. At least today was Friday. Tomorrow was Saturday (they did get weekends off, you know?), so at least she could sleep in as long as she wanted.

Elsa thought she heard music.

Maybe it was all in her head.

Behind Her Smile

"You stole the last donut?!"

Flynn blinked, infuriatingly calm. "So?"

Jack glared, letting out a groan. "I need some sugar in my system!"

"Not my problem," Flynn said, rolling his eyes. "Besides, it was never your donut to steal. And anyway, you should get some healthier sugar. Like fruit or something." Flynn made a wide gesture towards the fruit section. It was always well-stocked with fruit, probably because no one ever took the fruit. "I heard they're serving pineapple."

Jack glared. "Thanks, but no thanks."

Flynn scoffed. "How are you not some obese monster?"

Jack's glare deepened. "I should be asking you that, donut thief."

Flynn simply responded with an exaggerated eye roll. "If you took the last donut, I wouldn't be accosting you like this."

"Not true!" Jack interjected.

"Yeah, well, if you keep making reasonable arguments, it makes it harder for me to win. Now shut up and leave me and my donut alone."

"Some friend you are," Jack grumbled sullenly, though he would've done the exact same thing had situations been reversed. Instead, Jack shoved his hands into his pockets and sauntered off. He had only walked just outside of the cafeteria when he saw an interesting sight. Hans with Elsa. Both looked extremely awkward, but Jack ducked out of view. This ought to be good, he thought.

Geez. And now you're eavesdropping on her now?

Shut up. I can't hear them.

You never hear anything, period.

"—I was wondering if, um, I don't know, you'd like to..." Hans was saying. Ish. Mostly he was breathing a lot between sentences. The air felt really tense and awkward, and Jack almost failed to stifle his laughter. Hans trying to court Elsa was perhaps one of the strangest things, seeing as though Elsa might be Hans' type, he definitely wasn't hers. Jack wasn't even sure Elsa had a type.

Or maybe she did.

Maybe she just didn't know it yet.

You're hoping it's you? Oh please, I think Elsa would pick someone a lot more...opposite of you.

I'm very desirable, Jack protested.

Sureeee.

Elsa ran a hand through her hair, attempting a small, barely there, smile. "Uh—"

Then, Jack leapt out of his hiding place and grabbed Elsa's arm. "Hey, didn't you say we could work on the Spanish project? Alright, let's go then." Elsa stared at him, utterly bewildered, as he dragged her away. When they arrived under the shade of a large hydrangea tree, he smiled at her primly. "You're welcome," he told her promptly, smirking at her astonishment.

"What?"

"You needed saving from that disastrous attempt at conversation," he said, very matter-of-fact.

Elsa raised a brow. "It wasn't disastrous."

"Close enough," Jack said, smirking.

Elsa groaned but didn't contradict him. That satisfied him. "You know, if you were going to lie, you should've picked something a lot more believable," Elsa said, eying him carefully. He shot her a look that lucidly meant, whatever do you mean? She simply rolled her eyes. "I mean, we don't even have Spanish together. Heck, I don't even have Spanish as a class. I've got French."

"Ahem, I just saved you, you should be a little more grateful."

"A little more grateful?"

"No." He thought about it. "You should be a lot more grateful."

"A lot more grateful?"

He shot her an exasperated look. "Are you just going to repeat everything I'm saying?"

Elsa shoved him. "Besides, Hans is in my French class."

Jack had the audacity to smirk. "Pah, and we've got—what?—three classes together? If you're going after a guy, there are plenty better than Hans."

"But I'm not going after a guy," Elsa protested. Jack's smile widened at that. Elsa apparently took that the wrong way. "And please, if you're suggesting you, I would pick someone a lot less annoying." She finished the sentence with a disgusted scoff. Jack couldn't help but feel offended...and something else...at her abrupt words. Yes, he had teased her, but...the seriousness in her expression wasn't something he liked.

See? She admitted it herself that she would prefer someone that isn't annoying.

There is a time and place to talk, dumb conscience.

"I'm not annoying!" he cried indignantly.

Sure you aren't.

Correction, there is never a time and place for you to talk.

Elsa raised a brow. "Umm... Jack?"

He blushed crimson. "Yes?"

"Were you talking to that voice inside your head again?"

Why, oh why, did he tell her about that?

Instead, he feigned ignorance. "You...sure? No, I don't think I did."

It was her turn to scoff. "Um, yeah, you did."

He was about to bite back with some snappy retort, and the words faded from his lips as he caught her eyes. Heat rushed to his head, and he smiled at her instead. "Maybe," he admitted reluctantly. He glanced away briefly. "By the way...I am sorry...not for interrupting your disastrous"—she glared at this—"attempt at conversation with Hans, but you know..." He trailed off.

Elsa's eyes widened. "Jack Overland just apologized to me?! What has this world come to?!"

"Hey, now," he said, offended, "I've apologized to you plenty of times."

"Yeah?" she countered. "Like when?"

"Uh..."

His mind went blank.

Reminder to self: don't aggravate people by the name of 'Elsa Wynters.'

Behind Her Smile

"Hey...Elsa..."

Elsa looked up, half-surprised to see Hans. He had a slight smile on his face, which looked kind of cute in the nervous sort of way. He was holding something that looked like a brochure in his hands. His hair was as messy as usual in a stylish way, and his deep set green eyes reminded her of Rapunzel. She nodded at him. "Hey," she greeted, feeling suddenly awkward.

Hans cracked a small smile, revealing extremely white teeth. His jade green eyes flashed to her almost nervously—nervous, Elsa thought. That was exactly how Hans was feeling right now: nervous. Elsa smiled at the realization and gestured over to his brochure. "What's that you're holding?" she asked softly. There was a dazzling painting of art on the cover.

Hans smiled bashfully and tilted his head to the side a little so that the light caught into his green eyes, threading them with hints of blue and flecks of aqua. "It's about a museum," Hans said, fumbling with the brochure for a moment to give her a better view. "Art and history. It's fascinating. Some about the Renaissance—and the Greeks. The Greeks were fascinating to learn about."

"Is the museum around here?" Elsa inquired.

Hans brightened immediately at her words. "Yeah. It's not that far. I was, um, wondering if..." He ran a hand through his hair shyly, tilting his head towards the ground so that his face was partially obscured with shadows. It was quite a shame, really, as he did that. The light stopped teasing blue into his eyes. Really, blue would've been a much better color on him...or maybe Elsa just had a preference for blue eyes.

"Yeah?" she prompted.

"If you'd like to go to the museum," he stammered. "With me. If you'd like to go to it—with me. Like, on a...date or something." His tongue tripped over the words.

Elsa's eyes widened in surprise. A date? What? She caught Hans' gaze, considering. Hans was nice and cute, and the museum looked like quite a bit of fun—and Elsa knew that people didn't tend to be interested in those kind of things. And maybe it wouldn't be all that bad. Hans was a nice guy, and there was something cute about the way he rambled nervously.

Then again, Elsa wasn't really 'date-material.'

But...it could be fun.

The silence between them went on too long, and Hans looked mortified. He opened his mouth, no doubt to give her a rambling excuse to let her off the hook, but she spoke first. "Yeah, that would be...nice," she murmured, the pause between her words not too noticeable. Hesitance or no, a smile burst out onto Hans' face, his happiness seemingly palpable.

"Great!" he said enthusiastically. "How about this afternoon? I'll text you the information?"

She smiled. "Cool." In her head, the word sounded lame, but Hans seemed pleased. They excused numbers, and Hans handed her the brochure before making some arrangements for the date or something. Elsa went back to her room, utterly dumbfounded. She had a date. How on earth did she have a date? But...it was surprising how nice it felt—that Hans actually wanted to go on a date with her. And the fact that he was nervous.

It was cute, really, and Hans was really nice.

Behind Her Smile

"You want us to ditch this awesome cafeteria for a museum?"

Jack stared at Flynn incredulously, wondering if Flynn had hit his head really hard when he hadn't been paying attention. Flynn rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Of course not," he snapped. "Besides, this museum has an awesome food court. And"—then, Flynn smirked as if someone had handed him the world on a silver plate—"there are donuts there, of course. Plus a bunch of artsy stuff."

Jack contemplated for oh about a second. "I'm in! How soon can we go?"

The museum itself didn't turn out to be an absolute bore. Of course, it wasn't like going on Flight Deck for the first time in your life, but it wasn't bad—for a museum, of course. But Jack, being himself, didn't really go for the art. The donuts were quite wonderful. Glazed to perfection, fried to ecstasy. It was probably the best donut he had ever eaten in his tiny little life.

"I'll take a dozen of those and another dozen of whatever else is in here to go please."

Flynn raised a brow. "Did you just say 'please'?"

Jack glared. "Don't ruin this moment for me."

"What moment?" Flynn said incredulously.

"My moment with—" Jack stopped short as his donuts were brought in front of him. His eyes widened dreamily, and a smile melted onto his face. "My donuts," he finished, stroking the container of donuts and glancing around suspiciously as if just waiting for something to steal them. Or maybe he was just daring people to. But everyone else around here seemed to just be in it for the art, with the donuts as a bonus or something.

Flynn rolled his eyes. "You're crazy."

Jack shot him a look. "Are you saying these aren't the best donuts you've ever tasted in your pitiful existence?"

"No, but—"

"—then shut up."

Laughter brought Jack's attention to the two people entering the food court. His eyes widened impossibly as he stared in—in absolute fascination at Elsa with—wait for it, wait for it: Hans. Like, what? They weren't holding hands or anything couple-y or anything, but the fact that they were here—together, by choice—was shocking to say the least. They ordered some food and sat down at a table, seemingly immersed in a conversation.

The sight sent boiling feelings in Jack.

Flynn followed his stare. "Huh. Wondered when Hans was going to ask her out."

Jack raised a brow skeptically. "There's no way she's on a date with him. That defies everything known to man-kind. Besides, even if they are, there's no way she's having a good time."

"That's where you're wrong," Flynn said, observing the two. "They seem to be enjoying the date very much."

Jack's jaw dropped. For the second time. The first had been when he saw Elsa with Hans. "But—but," he spluttered, "they're so awkward around each other!"

Flynn raised a brow. "You've been spying on them?"

"I wouldn't prefer the term spying. I'm just...watching them without them noticing...um..."

"You do realize that that means the same thing as spying, right?"

Jack glared. "Whose side are you on?"

Flynn snorted. "Then I suppose it's not yours by the nasty tone you're giving me."

Behind Her Smile

The nice thing about Hans was that he wasn't really stupid, so Elsa didn't have to dumb herself down for him.

The museum was actually quite enjoyable, and both Elsa and Hans were eager to put in whatever two cents they had about one thing or another. There was something really relaxing about it. Hans immediately appeared more confident in the academic terms of the museum, and the history behind it all was quite fascinating. He wasn't the worst person to be in a museum with. He was probably in the top ten or something actually.

She and Hans were currently in the food court. It was a neat tidy place, and it smelled nice.

She turned towards Hans, smiling softly. "This was...actually really nice." Her smile widened. "Thanks, Hans."

A soft smile curled onto his lips, and the skin around his incredibly green eyes crinkled slightly. "Don't sweat it," he murmured.

Then, a silence settled over them. Elsa could try to pretend that it wasn't awkward, but...well, it was kind of awkward. But the food in front of them gave them an excuse not to talk. Elsa glanced around the clean food court before she—

Oh God. Why was Jack here?

She shot Hans a tight smile. "Can you excuse me for just one second?"

He smiled happily, blatantly oblivious. "Yeah, no problem. Take your time. That means the same as 'no problem.' Actually, no, it doesn't—actually, maybe you should just—"

"—yeah," Elsa said, biting back laughter. Then, she eased herself out of her seat and headed over to Jack. Flynn was nowhere in sight—which meant he was probably in the bathroom or ordering some more food or something. She crossed her arms as Jack waved and smirked that annoyingly egotistical smirk at her. She cut right to the chase. "Are you stalking me?"

Jack blinked a few times, as if waiting for her to continue or something. Or maybe that was just because he was letting the words sink into his thick skull. "What? Why would you think that?" His blue gaze flashed briefly to Hans. "I didn't even know you were going to be here. I'm solely here for one person." The worst part about it was that he actually looked earnest.

Elsa scoffed, biting back a stinging retort. "And what's that purpose?" she said testily.

"Flynn told me about the donuts here," Jack said, very matter-of-fact, "and why would I let go of the opportunity of getting some fried dough?" He smirked. "Besides, this grub is way better than the stuff we have at the academy." He glanced at the donut he was holding. This one had a sort of symmetrical design, but Elsa doubted that Jack noticed or cared much about the design. He probably just got all of the donuts or something, knowing Jack.

"You serious?" She raised a brow. It was very suspicious how he just happened to be in this museum at this very self-same day at the exact same time. She sighed. Well, there were such things as coincidences—though she would think that Jack would have another snappy retort if she voiced those words. "Well, enjoy your...um, fried dough," she mumbled. Then, she headed back over to Hans.

He smiled at her arrival. "You wanna go check out some more art?"

She glanced briefly at Jack, who was engrossed in his donuts. She grinned at Hans. "Sure."

"Great! 'Cause I saw this awesome exhibit about..."

Behind Her Smile

Jack couldn't help but watch as Elsa exited with Hans. It wasn't like he was stalking them or anything—but it was, you know, weird.

"Ah, still the ever-present stalker, I see."

Jack scowled as Flynn re-entered the room. "You know, I was having a fine day before you entered my life. Maybe you could exit my life, and it'll go back to the perfection it was before you arrived."

Flynn scoffed. "Please. Your life wasn't 'all that.'"

Jack slumped in his seat. "Let's just leave," he grumbled sullenly. "It's Saturday, and I don't exactly want to spend my Saturday in a museum of all places." He got out of his seat, package of donuts safely tucked in his pack. "You should host a rager or something," Jack advised wisely. "It would make this Saturday a hell of a lot more exciting."

Flynn considered it. "Yeah, why not? Let's grab some supplies first."

Jack grinned. "Like food?"

Flynn placed a hand over his heart tenderly. "Bless your soul, you know me so well."

"So, how fast can we do this?"

Flynn grinned. "As fast as we want, brother!"

Behind Her Smile

"That was so cool!"

Hans grinned. "Wasn't it?"

Elsa blushed in spite herself. "Yeah. Thanks, by the way. The museum was really nice." She glanced wistfully at the building behind them. The sunset was in full swing, deep reds and purples mingling with the pink, the deep colors of bronze and gold weaving through the heady blue. She couldn't help but smile at the sight. It delighted her, as crazy as that might seem. She could've watched the sky forever.

If only...

"Look, there's an ice-cream shop," Hans said, pointing. He smiled shyly. "Wanna go?"

She shrugged, smiling softly. "Sure."

They headed inside, immediately in a cool room with many delicious aromas. Hans ordered vanilla and caramel whilst Elsa ordered mint chocolate chip. They sat on a table near the large windows. Hans had ordered his scoop in a cone, but Elsa had hers in a bowl. The ice cream felt rich and creamy against her tongue. She could see Hans making valleys along his ice cream with his tongue.

Then, he looked up, smiling in a way that looked cute. His green eyes were darkened by the dim lighting of the ice cream shop, and Elsa thought she saw swirls of endless turquoise in his eyes—a nice touch. A happy, maybe even slightly oblivious smile was on his lips, but she didn't mind that all that much. He was nice, and it was flattering, really.

When they headed back to the academy, Hans suggested that they walk. It was nice out, and Elsa was inclined to agree with him. The sky was an artful array of colors, some washed out by the some, some vibrant and glowing. They didn't talk much, though, but the silence wasn't awkward. It was sort of...comfortable. It felt...nice.

Hans broke the silence, and Elsa realized how worried he looked. "How...was it?"

Elsa blinked a few times. He could've been talking about several things: the museum, the food court, the ice cream, or the whole date itself. Instead of asking him to clarify, Elsa shrugged slightly and smiled in what she hoped was an amiable way. "It was great," she told him, warm feelings washing through her spine when a smile broke out on Hans' face. It rather reminded her of the sun breaking through an array of clouds.

Then, very hesitantly, Hans said, "I like hanging out with you, Elsa."

It seemed to take him a lot of courage to come up to that milestone.

So she smiled, agreeing. "Yeah, me, too."

Behind Her Smile

The party was already in full swing by the time Jack and Flynn—the honorary hosts of the party—arrived.

It was held in Flynn's room. The dorm matron wouldn't bother them and wouldn't care much, Jack was sure. He and Flynn had invited everyone—teachers and people who would suck the fun out of anything and everything excluded, that was a given—and the room was packed. Music was blasting, and red cups littered the ground as people swayed across the...er, room (normally, parties would be in a club with a dance floor but seeing as they were in an academy...).

Taking a few donuts, Jack turned to Flynn. "My shift, right?"

Flynn nodded. "Yup," he said, popping his 'p.'

Even though they were fairly sure that no one would interrupt their rager, they still took precautions. Jack, Flynn, and some others would rotate shifts to keep a watch out. Jack already had a text ready in case there was trouble. In that case, the party would be disbanded (everyone would head down to Naveen's room, which was directly underneath Flynn's room), and a few guys would rush to clean every last evidence of a party and brush it off as just them 'joking around.' They had never gotten caught (thank God), but there had been several close calls in the past that called for such precautions.

Jack headed down the hall and leaned against the wall, simultaneously stuffing a chocolate-covered donut into his mouth. He nearly sank into the ground with ecstasy as the chocolate melted into the ground. And yes, Jack always took a snack—usually donuts—when he took his watch. He glanced over, suddenly put on guard as he saw a distant figure entering the hall. He narrowed his eyes, reaching a hand into his pocket for his phone, ready in case. If the dorm matron made a stop by and wanted to see the racket, Jack would have to text Flynn, stall for as long as he could, and then pray that everyone was out. They had actually timed how long it would take for them to clean up a rager. At least ten minutes was sufficient.

But Jack was awesome at distracting people, so if the dorm matron did come, he should have no problem.

"Jack?"

Jack froze. "Elsa?"

She approached, snickering. "I knew you were a no-lifer, but have you resorted to loitering on other floors with a box of donuts?"

"Hey, I'm not a no-lifer, and I'm not loitering," he defended stubbornly. "Besides, this isn't a box. It's a bag. Get your facts straight."

"My bad," she snickered. She crossed her arms. "Anyway, why is it so loud? I can literally hear the vibrations from my floor."

Jack smiled, chomping a third of his glazed donut. He paused. "Want one?" he offered. She shook her head and gave him a look that said, you're not going to distract me from my question, so you better just get on with it unless you want me to get the teacher here or something. ...or maybe he read too far into that look. Nevertheless, he sighed. "Well, we threw a rager." Seeing her blank look, he clarified, "A rager's a type of party."

She shot him a dirty look. "I know what a rager is, thank you very much," she said snarkily.

He shrugged. "My bad, my bad, but you don't seem like the type of rager girl."

"Should I be offended?"

"Er...I guess not?"

She shook her head. "And I didn't mean it like that. I mean: who's 'we'?"

He rolled his eyes. "Me and Mr. North," he deadpanned.

"Oh please, I passed Mr. North on my way here," Elsa scoffed.

He raised a brow. "You really don't get this sarcasm thing, do you? Anyway, Flynn and I threw it." He caught her gaze and flashed her a sheepish smile. "And I'm sorry about the rager. We got bored. Well, I got bored—and he was good company for a rager." His gaze softened. "Sorry. Were you studying or something?" He glanced over back at the room. "I mean, I could give them a warning and pretend if it's too much..."

A small smile curled onto Elsa's lips. "That's nice of you to offer, but"—she grimaced—"I'll be fine."

"I could walk you to your room if you want," he offered. He smirked. "I am quite the gentleman."

"Uh..." Elsa raised a brow. "What about your rager?"

He grinned. "Hey, we don't get caught. And I'll get Flynn to cover for me or something." She opened her mouth to speak, but Jack darted back to Flynn's room, opening the door just a crack (already the music flooded his eyes—Elsa was right about the vibrations) and slipping through the crack. He saw Flynn dancing with Rapunzel and gestured his friend over. Flynn looked at him, confused, before coming over to Jack.

"What's up?" Flynn said.

"Your shift," Jack said simply.

Flynn blinked blearily. "Oh? Alright then." He glanced back wistfully at Rapunzel.

Jack grinned. "I'll cover for another minute."

He slipped out the door and saw Elsa standing there, a little awkwardly. She looked at him strangely, and he smiled back crookedly at her. He offered a hand to her. She stared at his hand but didn't take it. He grinned, retracting his hand. "I'm just messing with you, sweetheart," he said, smirking as he saw her eyes widen his words. "Just messing with you," he mumbled.

Elsa nodded slowly. "Right."

He smiled at her. "Then let's go."

Behind Her Smile

"Jack, you said no detours!"

"Actually, you said no detours—I said nothing about it!"

Elsa groaned. "Jack," she complained.

His blue eyes gleamed with an unspoken emotion. "I promise you'll like it," he assured her. He looked so earnest. Screw him. His smile widened. He was obviously pleased about her agreeing—or, well, at the very least, not protesting. Sort of. But when it came down to it, he was dragging her to...who knew where? And she wasn't exactly stopping him.

"Jack, do you have any idea how late it is—?"

The words fell straight out of her mouth as Jack came to a halt. They were in the garden, AKA 'his lair.' She gasped as she stared up overhead. Millions among millions of twinkling jewel-like stars exploded out into the sky. No clouds dusted the sky, and the luminous moon was full and bright and beautiful, an aura upon itself. Elsa was positively dazzled at the sight.

Jack smiled at her. "Nice, isn't it?" he said happily.

"Better than nice!" Elsa exclaimed. "How'd you know I wanted to see the sky?"

Jack smiled, grabbing a pew by her. "You've only mentioned it five hundred times," he joked.

"Yeah, but I never thought you listened," Elsa told him.

"Surprise," Jack said, ducking his head. He pointed at a constellation. "See that one? That's Aquarius. And that one—Aquila."

She stared at him, amazed. "How do you know?"

"Are you saying I'm stupid?" he teased. He shook his head ruefully. "Naw, I searched them up online and spent half an hour checking them out in the sky to make sure I had them down instead of studying for that history test we have coming up." Elsa's eyes widened, and Jack laughed. "I'm just messing with you. Flynn and I used to look at the stars, actually. We would count them out and name them because we were bored and didn't want to go to sleep. And his parents thought we were being productive." Jack's blue gaze turned slightly distant. "Astronomy isn't the worst in the world."

"No," Elsa said gently, "I suppose it wouldn't be." She smiled. "I don't think I'd ever tire from this view," she murmured.

Jack's smile was real and warm. "Do you know much about stars?"

"Strictly the ones visible from the Northern Hemisphere," she joked.

He grinned. "That's not weird at all." His smile softened. "You know, if you ever need anything to talk about...for anything...I'll always be here."

They stayed silent and just stared at the stars for a bit. Elsa was dazzled by the brilliant display above their heads. Stars encompassed among more stars—it all just lit up the sky in such a remarkable way. It was like Elsa's personal light show. It was so dazzling, so beautiful, and Elsa was just absolutely enraptured by the stunning display above their heads.

Somewhere through this, Elsa suddenly become conscious of the fact that Jack was staring at her. She met his deep-set blue eyes, just a ring of buffed sapphire glowing in the dim. Warmth spread through her as their eyes locked. The look in his eyes was tender and soft, something that surprised and thrilled her at the same time. A soft smile was on his lips.

Then, he leaned forward and kissed her. His lips were soft and gentle, not at all what Elsa was expecting. But that wasn't the part that shocked her the most. The fact that she was kissing him back did. Then, he pulled back, looked directly into her eyes, and smiled. Then, he turned back to the stars, leaving her stunned. Blush crept upon her cheeks.

Did that just happen?

Elsa closed her eyes. Warmth spread through her despite the breezy chill in the air.

"You know what?" Jack said suddenly. "You're right. I don't think I'd ever tire from this view." She kept her eyes closed, humming softly in response.

Had she opened her eyes, she would've realized that Jack wasn't looking at the display of glittering stars above their heads, or the moon glowing with ethereal beauty.

He was looking at her.

Behind Her Smile

I'm dreaming.

No, I'm dreaming inside a dream.

Stop it, Elsa. That doesn't even make any sense.

Elsa opened her blue eyes. She had tossed and turned in bed for the past half hour, maybe more, but sleep would not come to her. Not this night. She could probably just rustle around for the rest of the night and still not get a wink of sleep. Blue eyes and a sweet smile invaded her mind. Magical and blissful and so surreal, but oh God, was she going crazy or something?

"Forget sleep," Elsa muttered, giving up.

She eased herself off her bed and entered the bathroom. She turned on the light and splashed some icy water on her face. She looked up at the mirror. Her blue eyes were wild, maybe from excitement or adrenaline, and her cheeks were flushed. And no matter how hard she tried to convince herself that her cheeks were crimson because of the cold water, she could not.

Elsa pressed her fingertips against the sink, sighing deeply. Her thoughts were a whirlwind in her mind. They seemed to just go and go, and she couldn't grasp any particular thought because of the rate they were going at. When she tried to grasp one and read it, she just felt queasy and dizzy. She decided to let the thoughts go and just cleanse her mind—but it wasn't as simple as that.

Breathing in sharply, Elsa shifted some stray strands of her hair out of her face, closing her eyes. The image followed her, not that she should've expected any less. Her breath caught as she saw the oh so familiar frost-colored eyes framed out by an ice-like sheen of a complexion. Why the heck was she thinking about Jack Overland? ...clearly, the universe had gone bonkers.

But, luckily for Elsa, she had a best friend by the name 'Rapunzel' who was sure to distract her.

Behind Her Smile

"So, what do you want to talk about?"

Elsa immediately chickened out.

Anyway, it wasn't like she wasn't going to tell Rapunzel. Just...not yet. The Jack thing could wait. It wasn't even bothering Elsa...at least...not that much—at the moment. She would tell Rapunzel—just later, when she actually found the words to say something. Besides, Elsa also had other news to tell the girl—providing that the long-haired girl hadn't heard already.

The expectant look in Rapunzel's eyes definitely wasn't helping. But Elsa couldn't say that because then, Rapunzel would know something was up.

"Well...I went on a date with Hans."

Rapunzel's light green eyes widened. "Really?" Rapunzel actually squealed. The news wasn't exactly out of this world, but it certainly wasn't squeal worthy. Well...she supposed that was just Rapunzel. Rapunzel clapped her hands together happily. "So, what did you guys do? A movie? I mean, he seems like the movie type of person. Or did he take to a restaurant or something?"

"A museum."

Rapunzel scrunched up her nose. "What?"

"A museum," Elsa said. Then, she grew defensive. "It was a very nice museum—art. And the food there was great, too. We also went for ice cream later."

Rapunzel blinked. She almost looked disappointed. "Well, I guess that's something." A smile crept up on her lips. "You haven't been on very many dates, have you?"

Elsa blushed. "Was it that obvious?"

Rapunzel grinned. "Well..." She then proceeded to trail off. "He's handsome, though. But—the important question: did you have a good time?"

Did it make the top ten best times of her life? Not by a long shot. But Hans was nice—and now that Rapunzel had mentioned it, very handsome. Elsa smiled softly. "Well, yeah. He knew a lot about the art, and yeah...we had a good time." Why did her words sound like she was trying to convince herself? Elsa tried to play it off with a casual smile.

Rapunzel smiled. "Okay, now the real question: do you want to go out with him again?"

Elsa paused. Did she? "He's nice..." Elsa said, hesitating. "I..." She blinked. "It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. I mean, it was fun."

Rapunzel had the audacity to laugh—but at least she tried to mask up her laughter. "Sorry, I'm not laughing at you. It's just...whenever a girl hesitates before answering that question, it means she's leaning towards the not really. I mean, don't get me wrong: I think you and Hans would make a super cute couple—if you actually went further with your relationship."

Elsa smiled at Rapunzel's logic. "Maybe..."

"Anyway," Rapunzel mused, "speaking of cute guys, I saw Jack earlier, and he was looking for you."

Don't make a stupid face, don't make a stupid face, don't make a stupid face.

Elsa tried to appear indifferent. "Really?"

"Yeah." Rapunzel smiled, dubious. "Any idea what he might want?"

"Not really," Elsa answered honestly. She frowned slightly. "Jack was actually at the museum when I was on my date with Hans."

Rapunzel raised a brow. "That doesn't sound like Jack."

"He was there for the donuts."

"That sounds more like Jack."

Elsa grinned. "Yeah. I accused him of stalking me."

Rapunzel still looked slightly puzzled. "Not sure why he would want to talk to you—I mean, I know you guys are friends and all, but he looked a little...I don't know, anxious or something. Nervous." Elsa was positively sure that her heart had stopped. Rapunzel cleared her throat. "Well, I mean, he was acting a bit weird, but when isn't Jack acting weird?"

Elsa took a moment to answer. "Yeah."

Rapunzel grinned, happy-go-lucky once more. "Anyway, did you hear the rager they threw the other day?"

The mention of the rager made Elsa feel uncomfortable at once. "I, er, felt the vibrations. I'm surprised the dorm matron didn't catch them," she remarked. Talk about sleeping on the job! "Jack told me all about their little deduction system of how they patrol the area just in case someone does come in." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "It was smarter than what I expected from someone like him."

"Don't let Jack hear you insult him like that!" Rapunzel teased. Then, she frowned. "Wait—when did you talk to Jack?"

Don't blush, don't blush, don't blush.

"Oh, um, didn't I mention it? I was going to yell at him for being so loud." Elsa was quick to change the subject. "That's a nice necklace."

Rapunzel went full on 'gush' mode. "Oh, thanks! Flynn gave it to me!"

Rapunzel fingered the necklace. An emerald hung from a gold chain, something that definitely suited Rapunzel's features. Elsa tore her gaze away from the gleaming necklace and half-listened as Rapunzel chattered on about one thing or another. Elsa just nodded sagely at regular intervals, and Rapunzel would be pleased. Call Elsa shameless, but she did have a lot on her mind.

She was probably just tired. That was probably why her mind was overly-focused on one thing.

Behind Her Smile

So, Jack kissed Elsa.

He had a perfectly reasonable explanation for it! ...he just hadn't found it yet.

But there were loads of reasons. One, he just came from a rager and was pretty brain-dead. Another, it was really late at night, and he was probably really tired. And for another...well, Jack was as susceptible to lust as anyone else. And, as proven earlier, Elsa was very pretty. And she was...well, his type, certainly (except for her bossy personality).

But there was no way he actually liked her, right? After all, there was a difference between like and like.

He didn't like her...did he?

NO. Of course he didn't. Besides, she didn't even like him. Yes, they were friends. Good friends. But that was it.

And yeah, Elsa was a good kisser, something he hadn't expected from someone as aloof as her. And yes, that kiss meant more than kisses with random girls. But there was a perfectly justified explanation for that. For one, Elsa wasn't a random stranger. She was his friend. A stubborn one, but a good one. For another, that was, like, literally their first kiss (and only kiss because he obviously didn't like her, not like that). There was bound to be something different about that kiss.

They were friends. And that was all.

That was what he wanted.

[Wasn't it?]

Behind Her Smile

There was something up in the air, but Rapunzel couldn't quite put her finger on it.

It had something to do with Elsa. Rapunzel wondered if Elsa knew that Rapunzel caught those strange things that kept happening. More specifically, when Rapunzel talked about Jack. Rapunzel wasn't sure what the heck had happened between the two—after all, things didn't seem that different, but still...there was something undeniably different.

Which was why Rapunzel was crafting up an experiment.

Yes, maybe Rapunzel wasn't being a good friend, but she knew Elsa. Elsa would lull her into a completely separate conversation, and Rapunzel would never be able to openly ask Elsa about Jack. And besides, Elsa wasn't good with boys and feelings. Rapunzel was almost sure that Elsa would change the subject, lie, or merely hide the truth.

It all amounted to the same thing: Rapunzel not getting the answers she desired.

Rapunzel knocked on Elsa's door. Elsa opened almost immediately. Rapunzel had asked Elsa if she could help her study for some upcoming exam. She knew Elsa wouldn't decline. But Rapunzel actually had to work so she made this all believable and stuff. Elsa was smart, but sneakiness wasn't in her suit. She wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

After about a billion hours working on math equations, Rapunzel groaned. "Let's take a break!" Her frustration wasn't entirely all faked. After all, spending her day working on math wasn't exactly her idea of a good time. But Elsa merely smiled at her in that quiet, innocent way that reminded Rapunzel of...well, innocence. There was no other way to describe it.

"You're getting the hang of it," Elsa encouraged, tone reassuring. "Sort of..." Elsa smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Not your fault," Rapunzel mumbled. "It's not your fault I can't stick an equation in my brain. Anyway..." She leaned against the ground and stared at the ceiling, golden locks like thick tendrils snaking all around her. She glanced over at Elsa, who was slipping a silk bookmark between Rapunzel's math book and closing it. "You know," Rapunzel said breezily, playing the perfect role of innocence, "I saw Jack the other day."

Elsa seemed indifferent. "Really? What did he want?"

Rapunzel shrugged. "We exchanged a few words, but...I don't know. He seems...different." She smiled. "I think it's because of you."

Elsa raised a brow. "Did you hit your head really hard, Rapunzel? Again, might I add?"

"No," Rapunzel said defensively. "And I only hit my head really hard once." Stay on track, Rapunzel. Rapunzel took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts. Elsa played with a number two pencil. "Anyway...I don't know, I feel like he likes you, or you like him or something." Elsa froze at her words briefly, and Rapunzel raised a brow at Elsa. "What do you think?"

Elsa cleared her throat. "You think that?" There was a thick level of skepticism in Elsa's voice.

"Yeah," Rapunzel said boldly, flushing slightly. She caught Elsa's gaze. "Do you?"

Elsa scoffed. "Please. Jack?"

"Good," Rapunzel said, smiling. "Because he'd only break your heart. He's done it to countless others."

Elsa nodded. "Alright. Break's over. Let's go back to question twenty three."

Rapunzel didn't fail to catch how Elsa had evaded the question.

Elsa was smart. Rapunzel just hoped that Elsa wouldn't fall for Jack because just look at the school. It was very, very easy to fall for him.

Behind Her Smile

Soon after Rapunzel left, Elsa found herself staring at the TV mindlessly. There was some old movie playing on: My Babysitter's A Vampire. Elsa distantly remembered watching that movie with Anna years ago and how Anna had wanted to be a vampire and just had an obsession with them for ages before she moved onto the next thing to obsess over.

Elsa couldn't help but feel that Rapunzel was a lot smarter than she usually acted. Yes, she knew that Rapunzel was smart, but in their last conversation, Elsa couldn't help but feel that though academics might be troubling for the beautiful girl, she was quite the expert in a few other things. Like...relationships and boys and confusing everything could be when you had no idea what you were doing.

The way Rapunzel asked questions about Jack made Elsa feel...strange. The whole conversation left her with a strange feeling. Elsa knew that she was probably being paranoid because this was Rapunzel, and Rapunzel could prattle about one thing or another at random intervals, but somehow, a part of her felt as if Rapunzel was purposely asking the questions...

But why? It didn't make sense. Why would Rapunzel be so interested in whatever relationship might harbor with Jack?

...unless Rapunzel found out about how Elsa and Jack had kissed? Elsa began to panic. What if Rapunzel had just been testing her, to see if she'd tell the truth or not? And if Rapunzel had been testing her, then Elsa would've failed, most assuredly. Taking a deep breath, Elsa pulled out her phone. Breath, she told herself consistently. Just breathe. The mantra rang through her head for several more moments.

Elsa quickly put her phone down. She wasn't sure what she'd say to Rapunzel. Steeling herself, Elsa got out of her room. She headed towards the cafeteria and grabbed an apple. She wasn't sure why she'd come here, but she just...needed to do something normal, something mundane, to appease her worrying mind. A familiar voice brought Elsa back to the present.

"Elsa! Hey!"

Elsa turned and smiled to see Anna. She hadn't talked with her sister in a while, and she was glad to see her. "Hey, how are you?"

"Great!" Anna exclaimed. "Anyway, so in math, there was the cutest guy ever. I mean, he wasn't in the class or anything, but he just entered and said something to the teacher. And then Jasmine had to take him to wherever he was supposed to go. I'm not even sure exactly what he was doing there, but he was just so cute, and then, I totally forgot what lesson we were on. And the teacher called on me and stuff, and I didn't even know what we were doing, right? So I was all embarrassed and stuff, but it was all fine because I couldn't get the image of that guy out of my head, and oh my God, Elsa, how are you? I haven't seen you in, like, forever, and we, like, live in the same place, so I don't even know how that's possible," Anna continued, talking a mile a minute as usual.

Yes, Elsa loved her sister, but pretending to understand everything that Anna had just said was a step too far.

"I'm glad," Elsa managed to say as Anna watched her expectantly. "You know me: happy-go-lucky." Elsa took a moment to speak. "So, who's the guy?"

A large grin exploded on Anna's lips. "His name is Hans. I found that out later from Tiana when I mentioned him. He has, like, red hair and really green eyes. And he's so dreamy, and he was so charming and nice to the teacher. I feel like he's my soulmate or something, and Tiana said that you knew him, so I guess I want to ask you about him. I mean, how is he? Do you think he's cute? Is he as nice as he seems? You have French with him, don't you? I know his entire schedule because I asked a bunch of people—but don't let him find out. I mean, that seems so stalker-like, and I don't want him to think that I'm a stalker or anything, which, I suppose, I kind of am for doing all that stuff, but I just wanted to get to know him."

Elsa blinked, taking a moment to process all of that information. "Um... Well, yeah, I guess I know him. And yeah, he's very nice." Elsa smiled softly. So Anna hadn't found out about her date with Hans. It wasn't like Elsa considered Hans a boyfriend or anything, but she wasn't exactly sure where they stood after that date. She still felt as if they were just friends, but some people might not see it that way. She had to talk to him and clear things up. And what if he tried to ask her out again? What would she say?

"He is?" Anna seemed thrilled. "Really? Do you think that—?"

"—Anna," Elsa interrupted, amused. "I mean, if you want, I can introduce the two of you."

"AWESOME!" Anna exclaimed. "I want to change into something nice first. Five minutes, okay?"

Elsa barely had any time to nod before Anna dashed off. Elsa shook her head ruefully. She had no idea how her sister had that much energy and optimism, but she had to admit that that was quite a refreshing quality of Anna's. Not a lot of people could remain so optimistic like her. Anna was certainly special. Elsa froze as a hand touched her shoulder gently. She turned, and a warm smile spread across her lips.

"Hey, Hans," she greeted.

He smiled at her. "Hey, Elsa." His smile turned bashful. "How are you?"

"Great. Now, listen..." Elsa smiled. "My sister kind of wants to meet you. Her name is Anna."

Hans tilted his head. "The energetic one?"

Elsa mimed a trigger. "Yeah, that's her. Now, listen..."

Behind Her Smile

"HEY, JACK."

"RAPUNZEL, DON'T DO THAT."

Jack glared at the overly-excited girl standing in front of him. Her light-green eyes glittered with mischief, and a bright grin was on her face. Jack placed a hand over his rapidly beating heart. Rapunzel had just caught him just as he stepped out of the library, probably attempting to study. The last thing he could possible need was for an ambitious girl to leap out in front of him and scare the daylights out of his dead brain. Which was exactly why she did it.

"Sorry," Rapunzel said apologetically, hiding her smile. But he saw the glint in her eyes. Of course he did."I just saw you and thought I'd say hi."

"Well"—Jack brushed past her—"you've seen me, and you've said hi."

She had to run to keep up with him, and Jack finally stopped, deciding to put the girl out of misery. He raised a brow at her, and Rapunzel smiled sweetly, watching him with an intent stare. Jack smiled back crookedly at her, but it probably came out as more of a grimace than a smile. Did that delay Rapunzel? No, duh, this was Rapunzel. "You know," Rapunzel said conversationally, "I saw Elsa the other day."

His face screamed: Why, oh why, can't I go through an entire conversation with someone without someone mentioning Elsa Freaking Wynters?

"Yeah?" Jack grunted. "What about her?"

"Well, she actually helped me study earlier, but—" Rapunzel paused for breath and clutched her book bag, a wide smile spreading across her lips. She shrugged. "I don't know. I see you checking her out sometimes." It wasn't a lie. Rapunzel had seen Jack look at her, but was there honestly a difference on the way Jack looked at Elsa compared to the way he looked at other girls?

Jack scoffed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Defensive," Rapunzel commented. She wouldn't have expected that particular comment from Jack, but Jack wasn't known for being predictable. If anything, he was the exact opposite. She wasn't sure whether she liked that part about him or hated it. It sure made him a hell of a lot of trouble for everyone else around him. "I'm just saying," Rapunzel said, raising her hands in defense, "don't go checking her out or anything."

"Or what?" Jack snorted. "You'll send me to Fairy Godmother. Please."

Rapunzel turned her steely gaze towards Jack. "I'm just saying—she's my friend. I don't want you to do anything or think that she can be manipulated."

"Have you even met Elsa?" Jack scoffed, crossing his arms. "She won't take crap from anyone, much less me. She might not outright yell at someone, but she'll do it in more sneakier ways." He shook his head, and a slight frown befell Rapunzel's lips. "I don't think Elsa can be manipulated—and why the hell would I have feelings for her? I mean, she's a great girl and all, but if I'm falling for someone, I would choose someone a hell less annoying."

Rapunzel took a moment to process his words. For someone trying to play it off as a nonchalant being, Jack was failing in that category. He didn't have to spew out an entire paragraph just to prove his point. Rapunzel wasn't stupid.

"Just back off, Rapunzel," Jack finished.

Rapunzel scoffed. "Alright, alright."

If Jack wasn't willing to open up, maybe Flynn would have some answers. Rapunzel pulled out her phone and was about to dial her boyfriend's number when she reconsidered. Instead, she sent him a quick text that read meet me in the food court in five. Then, Rapunzel made her way to the food court. Not to her surprise, she already saw Flynn in there, chomping a third of his sandwich. He looked up and smiled when he saw her.

Rapunzel headed over and gave him a small hug. "Are you always here?" she remarked.

Flynn grinned. "No. Just most of the time."

"I have a question," Rapunzel informed him.

"'Bout what?"

"Your best friend Jack Overland."

Flynn smirked. "Shoot, blondie."

Rapunzel nodded, smiling. "I was just wondering...if there was anything going on between him and Elsa," Rapunzel said. Flynn's smirk faltered at that. Bingo. He had to know something. "I mean, it's just—I don't know... You know how Jack is. I just want to make sure he isn't going to hurt her or anything, you know?" Rapunzel sighed. Flynn thought she was coming from the perspective of a concerned friend, which was what she was.

"Honestly, I think he does like her," Flynn told her slowly. Then, a crooked smile spread across his lips. "Not that Jack would ever admit it. But I know he values Elsa's friendship, you know? He's different to her. He lets her tease him, and then he'll tease her back. Not like with other girls." Flynn shrugged. "To be honest, I think Jack likes her because she's different, refreshing."

Refreshing. Yes, there were a lot of words to describe Elsa. And yes, refreshing could be one of them. But when Rapunzel thought of Elsa, she thought of a refined and elegant person. Beautiful and smart. Shy yet artistic. Elsa was a great person. She just needed a little more confidence to embrace her true potential. Elsa could achieve great things in her life, no doubt.

Rapunzel nodded. "I agree," she said softly. "But I feel like it's deeper than that."

Flynn caught her gaze and laughed. "Jack just isn't the type to fall in love with someone. You know that, Rapunzel."

Rapunzel nodded. "Yeah, I know."

"But, just for the record, if there was a soulmate for Jack, I would feel like it would be Elsa."

"Yeah," Rapunzel muttered. "That's what scares me."

QotD: Have you ever watched Riverdale?

A/N: So, this chapter. I'll be honest: I don't particularly like it that much. I mean, some parts I adored writing, but I felt as if I wrote the whole thing in the strangest way. I feel as if the words didn't flow into each other smoothly. Does that even make sense? BUT I wanted to get this chapter out there because we just hit 100,000 words! Yes! That means this story is halfway done. I revised the outline a bit, so the next chapter should be easier (hopefully) to write.

Anyway, let's get to the big news: Jack and Elsa kissed! Finally, tenth chapter, and they finally locked lips! Don't worry, it's a lot more complicated than that. Don't worry, they'll get together. Eventually... Sort of. Maybe. Kind of. QUIT GRILLING ME. The next chapter is really the one to tie up some ends and explain the real aftermath after the kiss. There will be fluff! xD

Also, how about that date between Hans and Elsa? A museum, eh? What would you have expected?

Well, thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated (criticism and praise) though not necessary. But what writer doesn't like reviews? ;)

~Darkwind