Elsa

I swear the clock hates me, ticking at a pace that would put even the slowest turtle to shame.

I can't get through each of my classes fast enough.
As the final bell rings out, I can't get out of this school fast enough.

I'm walking as fast as I can without breaking into a full-blown run.

On high alert for Jack, I glance around cautiously before approaching my locker.
There isn't any sign of him.
Relieved, I advance to my locker. Working with haste, I dial in my combination and yank the door open wide. My lock doesn't act up today, for which I am grateful.
I do what I need to do as fast as I can possibly do it.
Once I've done this, I slam the door closed and make a beeline for the exit.

I've got to get out of here.

Just as I'm starting to feel hopeful about getting out of this place alive, I hear a familiar voice calling me from behind.

"Elsa, wait up!"

I know Jack's voice like the back of my hand... maybe better.

"Elsa," He catches up to me. "We need to talk."

"No, we don't." I sound shaken up and I know it.

He reaches out to me; I jerk away from him before he can make contact.

"Getting upset will only make it worse." My father reasoned. "Calm down."
He reached out to comfort me. I jumped back, pushing against my bedroom wall as far away from him as I could.
"Don't touch me!" I cried. At that age, I shouldn't have been crying. "I don't want to hurt you; I don't want to hurt anyone!"
Please. Please, don't touch me.

"Jack, just stay away from me." The tears are too close. They mingle with my words, causing them to slur together.

I abandon my previous plan to walk out of the school. Walking isn't an option at this point.
I run.

Conceal. Don't feel.

Anna

Mr. Oaken generously takes the time away from his store to drive me to Arendelle Stable.

"Why are you going to this place, Anna?" Mr. Oaken questions me as I stare out the passenger window, watching the landscape roll by. I love how he pronounces his 'w's like 'v's.

"I want to see the horses!" I exclaim, totally enthused.

"Only one crazy enough to go out in this heat is you, dear." Little rocks crunch underneath the tires as he steers us into the Stable's drive. "You and that fellow."
He's pointing at the stocky figure of a familiar dirty blonde. I grin. I knew Kristoff would come if I ordered him to.

"I have your sun balm, remember?" When the car comes to a stop, I pull on the handle to let myself out.

"Yah." Mr. Oaken nods. He's still really proud of his invention.

I give him a little wave goodbye before turning toward the stable building. I head in the direction I had seen Kristoff going.

Mr. Oaken was right. The Summer heat is coming in faster than even Olivia could've imagined.

My strawberry blonde bangs already feel damp with perspiration.
My clothes are sticking to my skin with the humidity.
I cope with the unpleasant heat as I march across the gravel driveway to the large building where I'm almost certain the horses are kept.

The large door is already open, thus all I have to do is peer in to see if Kristoff is inside. I am met with an awful stench. Stables sure don't smell like flowers.

There is a long, empty aisle running through the middle of the stable. From this main aisle, individual stalls are hidden behind large doors, just tall enough to keep the horses from escaping.

I don't see Kristoff anywhere in sight, but I can hear an unidentifiable sound coming from farther within the building.

I advance down the aisle, taking each step very slowly. I wouldn't want to upset any of the animals by making an offensive racket. As I get near enough, I am able to better hear this mysterious noise.

"Horses are better than people, Sven, don't you think that's true?" Is that.. Kristoff singing? I'm dumbfounded by this revelation. His singing isn't at all unpleasant, but I never imagined I'd ever hear Kristoff actually sing.

"Yeah, people will beat you and curse you and cheat you." He changes the tone of his voice. It's deeper and more animated this way. "Every one of them's bad except you." He laughs and speaks, "Oh, thanks buddy."

I've reached the other end of the building now. Standing on my tip-toes, I can see Kristoff inside one of the stalls with a chocolate-colored horse, saddling it up.

I cough to get his attention. "Nice duet."

He's caught off guard. The tips of his ears turn pink. "Oh, it's you."

Judging by his reaction, I'm assuming he doesn't like that I caught him singing with his horse.

"Is this Sven?" I ask. I'll take it easy on him and I won't tease him about the singing thing... at least not right now.

"Yup." After un-latching the stall door, Kristoff leads Sven by the reigns out into the aisle to me.
It feels disconcerting to have such a large animal so close to me.

"Pet him." Kristoff urges. I glance at him, unsure.

He rolls his eyes at me.

This time, I'm the one caught by surprise when he grasps my hand in his, yanking it toward Sven. My fingers are sandwiched between Kristoff's and the chocolate-brown coat of Sven's body.
Kristoff's hand is so large, it practically swallows mine whole.

After a few moments, I can feel my muscles gradually relaxing from its previous 'stiff as a board' state.

Kristoff moves his hand away as I run my fingers over Sven's soft fur.

"You ready to ride him?" Kristoff asks, bluntly.

Without waiting for a response, he pushes past me and loops his boot into the stirrup dangling down from Sven's saddle. With a single burst of strength, he heaves himself up onto the saddle of the horse.

He's way up there and I'm way down here. I have to crane my neck to look at him.

"Are you coming?" He holds his hand out to me, offering his assistance to help me mount.

I hesitate.

I know Kristoff won't let me get hurt.

Placing my hand into his firm grip, I let him pull me up into the space behind him.
It feels strange to be so close to him.

With the gentle kick of Kristoff's boots against the horse's sides, we're off.
The movement lurches me forward. I wrap my arms around Kristoff's waist to secure myself.
The last thing I want to do today is fall off a horse.

We gallop out of the stable, over the gravel drive, and onto a trail leading us into the forest.

I can feel every muscle in Kristoff's back tense with the labor he puts forth.

I am closer now to Kristoff than I have ever been with anyone before.

Of all the things that have taken me by surprise today, this new realization beats out everything else: I like it.