The silence filled the entire room, disrupted merely by the soft buzzing of the lights and light tapping of a pen against the clipboard on the older woman's grip. Her brown eyes, void of emotion, stared blankly at the stiff figure on the bed.

"So..." She managed softly, pressing her lips in a thin line as the teenager flinched. "Anna, you don't have to raise your walls around me."

"I'm not."

Clara sighed and placed her pen inside the pocket of her coat. "Listen, I don't mind you spending your free time here, but have you eaten anything? At all?"

"I had bread."

"That's not a meal. There are bags under your eyes and I heard from Meg that you're not even eating properly anymore. What's going on?"

With the mention of her older sister's name, Anna averted her gaze from the woman and bit her lip. It had been about ten minutes since the bell for lunch had rung and all she wanted was to hide in the infirmary to take a nap. Clara had other ideas. The moment Anna entered the clinic, the nurse hadn't taken her eyes away from her even once.

"Nothing. I just don't feel like eating."

"Anna, my clinic has been your hideout every time you wanted to stay away from people or every time you wanted to think. Usually, I'd leave you alone, but this time, I cannot do that. Not when I can see how much it's affecting you physically."

Anna huffed and crossed her arms, glaring at the flower vase on top of the drawer near the window. This place had been her safe haven since starting at this school because Clara was the only person who would usually leave her alone when she wanted to be alone.

"Are you going to talk or am I going to guess?"

Few minutes passed and Clara never removed her attention from the petulant redhead. Realizing that the nurse wouldn't let it go, Anna exhaled loudly and grumbled. "Did Meg tell you anything?"

"Meg?" she asked, cupping her chin. "Aside from you not eating, nothing in particular. Why?"

"Nothing. It's nothing. That's... good."

"What is it?"

Anna met the woman's hardened gaze and swallowed hard. The last time she had seen that expression was when she brought Elsa to the infirmary because of a fever. "Do you think I need to see a counselor?"

Clara cocked her head. "Where is this coming from?"

"Meg suggested it." She clasped her trembling hands together. "I know I doubt people a lot and... compare them all the time. I can't help it either. But a counselor is... Do I really have to?"

Clara stared at her long and hard before placing the clipboard on her desk. "She isn't forcing you, is she?" Anna shook her head. "What do you think about it?"

"I don't know," Anna admitted. "If I go, I feel like I lost."

"To whom?"

To Vanessa, to the childhood classmates who had the gall to call themselves her 'friends', to the old teachers who compared her to her siblings all the time, and to those businessmen and businesswomen who tried to get on her good graces because of the perks that came along with it.

Anna didn't want to lose to any one of them.

"It's easy to think you are weak when you seek help from someone, but knowing when you can't do something alone is a form of strength in itself." Clara grabbed her clipboard and pen once again. "Your sister is only worried, I'm sure, but whether or not you should see a counselor is something only you can answer."

"Why's that?"

"You can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped, Anna."

A tiny jolt shot through Anna's chest, causing her breath to hitch, as that simple statement left the nurse's mouth. Clara had said it softly and with a tiny smile, and yet it... hit something inside of her. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, breaking their eye contact once again.

"Can I... Can I sleep? I'm really tired."

Clara shrugged her assent. "Turn on your alarm. I might leave in a bit for the staff room."

Anna sighed in relief as the school nurse didn't press any further and did as she was told. She removed the small journal inside her jacket's pocket and tucked it and herself under the blanket. Biting her lip, she turned to one side and closed her eyes, hoping for sleep to visit her even for a few minutes.


The cold air had Elsa's cheeks flushing as she made her way to the cafeteria. It was not freezing compared to the previous weeks with spring just around the corner, but the thermostat inside the building had been malfunctioning since that morning and every student had been left wearing their sweaters and jackets.

"Are you trying to get yourself sick?"

Elsa stopped in her tracks and turned to the hissing voice. Vanessa was standing there with her arms crossed, a subtle frown on her face. "I'm sorry. What?"

The senior's frown deepened. "You should wear a thicker jacket."

"Oh." Elsa scrunched her face. "Thanks for the tip?"

Vanessa huffed, fixing her collar when she noticed Elsa staring. "What?"

She shook her head. "Nothing."

Vanessa rolled her eyes and went ahead, leaving Elsa staring at her retreating form. Elsa pressed her lips tight. She had the confirmation that Vanessa was involved with why Anna has trust issues and a part of her wanted to run after her; to ask questions and to clarify some things.

...

"Anna is special to me. I'm what you call 'wrong', 'disgusting', and 'immoral'. If you feel this strongly about homosexuals—" She looked at her dead in the eye. "—then why did you kiss me? It should've repulsed you."

Vanessa buried her hands inside her pockets, a hateful glare piercing right through Elsa's calm gaze. Elsa half-expected the senior to defend herself, but no. Nothing came.

"Why did you do it?" Elsa asked again.

A beat of silence passed, and then, "It's none of your business."

"You aren't," she agreed. "But Anna is. I can't shake this feeling. That there's more to this... this strong persona you're showing everyone. That there's a different reason why you did all of those things to her."

"And if you're right? What are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know. But you are hurting someone important to me. I don't want to think she's struggling because of something as petty as that."

"If you are right and that there's another reason behind my actions..." Vanessa narrowed her eyes. "What makes you think I'm going to tell you what it is?"

Elsa paused.

Vanessa scoffed. "Thought so. The next time you try to 'figure' me out, Elsa, do me a favor and don't. What goes on between me and Anna is between us alone. Stay out of it."

...

"Elsa?"

Elsa snapped from her trance and glanced over to the person who called her name. "Hey."

"Hey." Ariel tilted her head. "You're alone?"

Nodding, she said, "Rapz called in sick. I was on my way to the cafeteria. You?"

"Wow, I hope she's okay." Ariel gently lifted the books on her hand. "I'm about to return these to the library."

"Do you need help?"

"Oh no, I'm fine." Ariel squeaked when the book on top nearly fell. As she caught her balance, she released a massive breath, making her bangs fly upward. "Okay, that was close."

"Here, let me help." Elsa took half of the books on the redhead's grip.

"You really don't have to. The library's not that far."

"It's okay. I insist." Elsa glanced at the title of the topmost book. "Why do you have so many?"

"Oh, okay then. Thank you," she relented. "I'm just studying in advance. Anna and I will be taking advanced classes this summer in preparation for college entrance exams."

Elsa's eyebrows flew upward. "This early?"

"It's our last summer in high school." Ariel shrugged, resuming her walk to the library with Elsa following closely behind. "I don't want to procrastinate."

"And Anna?"

"She's sleeping in the clinic. She couldn't sleep for several nights now." Elsa stopped by the door of the library upon hearing that. Ariel continued towards the front desk and later spun around, staring straight into Elsa's rigid form. She ran back towards the blonde. "Hey, are you okay?"

"She can't sleep?"

Ariel sighed. "Don't worry. I'm sure Cla- Ms. Clara did something to help."

Elsa pursed her lips, pondering why Anna would have trouble sleeping. Was it because of what she said during the wedding? She lowered her head and asked softly, "Since when?"

"I'm pretty sure it's been weeks." Ariel nudged her head to the side, silently urging Elsa to follow. "I try to make sure she's sleeping, but I can't be there with her all the time to check."

"Is it my fault?"

Ariel exchanged a few words with the librarian as she grabbed the books in Elsa's grip. "I would be lying if I said no," she answered truthfully, smiling sadly at the blonde. "But it's not only yours. I'm also at fault. There's... a lot going on right now and she's getting overwhelmed, that's all."

Elsa appreciated the girl's honesty. She wrung her hands together and twiddled with her thumbs, weighing her options. She and Anna hadn't talked since the wedding and Elsa was at her wit's end. Graduation was near and she had to make a decision as soon as possible.

"Do you want to see her?" Elsa jumped, head snapping towards the redhead. "She's not going to leave the clinic any time soon."

"Will it be okay?"

"I'm sure it will be." Ariel thanked the librarian as she was given the sign that it was okay to leave. She tucked her hands inside her pockets and walked towards the entrance once again. "She's actually trying now. It's taking a while, but I'm sure she's getting there."

Elsa bit her tongue. It had been a while since Anna broke down in front of her, but every time she would remember that specific night, it would send a biting sting right through her chest. On one hand, she was glad Anna managed to say something somehow. But on the other hand, she wished Anna could say something more.

"I'm sorry for putting you through all this, Elsa. And thank you... for still being here."

The tight squeeze around her chest rendered Elsa breathless. The words quickly got trapped at the back of her throat, her voice refusing to come out. She subtly dipped her head in acknowledgment.

I'm still here... but until when?

She swallowed hard and lifted her head the moment they turned a corner.

"I'll be going back to our room," the redhead said, reaching for Elsa's shoulder and squeezing it once. "If you want to visit her, I'll leave you to it."

Elsa inhaled deeply as Ariel left her side, leaving her alone in an empty hallway. Her fingers trembled and she wondered, briefly, if she was ready for another confrontation with Anna. All the conversations she'd had with Olaf, Senya, Rapunzel, and Marshall made her unsure of her own actions. She knew it was not their intention to make her confused, but it made her think nonetheless.

Was she doing this for Anna, or for herself?

When Anna told her she liked her, Elsa had been afraid that she had only fallen with the person she was trying to be as. Elsa had, in all intent, tried to become her sister in order to make her parents proud. Marshall was right—she knew how it felt to do something for someone else even when it was clearly out of her comfort zone. Was she doing the same thing, now, with Anna?

She pressed a hand against her chest and took a deep breath, holding it in until she could feel her heart return to its normal beat. There would be time to think about it later. There were more pressing matters to take care of, such as Anna not being able to sleep. Elsa knew from experience alone how a noisy mind could take away the peace of sleep, and while she also knew there was really nothing she could do to help, she needed to see Anna even if only to make sure she was sleeping like Ariel said she was.

With the worry overpowering the uncertainty, Elsa licked her lips and made her way to the clinic with purposeful strides, stopping right outside its door. She raised a trembling hand, curled into a fist, and let it hang in the midair. Another quiet second passed before a soft stilted breath escaped her lips. Tightening her fist, she closed her eyes and, after pushing through the block of voices filling her head, gently knocked twice.

"Come in," a muffled voice from inside said. Elsa braced herself and opened the door. The school nurse spun around her chair and as soon as she saw Elsa, her eyebrows raised in surprise. "Oh, Elsa!" Ms. Clara removed her glasses and stood. "Is something wrong?"

Elsa shook her head. "No," she said, because that was the only thing she could say. Her eyes searched around the room and landed on a sleeping form by the bed furthest from the door.

The nurse smiled. "I'm just letting her rest. Did you need her for something?"

"Ariel told me she's here."

Ms. Clara tilted her head, watching Elsa stare at the sleeping girl. She sighed and put her glasses back on. "Can you stay here for a while? Wake her up for me when the bell rings in case I'm not back by then." Elsa looked at her questioningly. "I need to head to the staff room and discuss something with the other teachers."

Elsa swallowed, once again shifting her focus on Anna. Then, she nodded.

"Great! Thank you, Elsa." The nurse gathered some of her files and patted Elsa's shoulder before heading out and leaving the redhead in her hands.

As soon as she heard the distinct click of the door shutting close, Elsa did not waste time walking towards the bed beside the one Anna was laying on. She sat down carefully and was wholly glad it did not creak as she expected it to. She tapped her finger against the mattress and turned her attention back to Anna. Upon careful inspection, she noticed the unusual pale color of her skin and the dark bags under her eyes.

Inhaling sharply, Elsa stepped off the bed and fixed the blanket on top of the sleeping girl. "Anna?" she whispered, reaching for Anna's hands tucked beneath the blanket. It was warm to her touch, pleasantly so; it eased her worries about the girl being sick. "Why aren't you getting enough sleep?"

She squeezed the soft hand and smiled when Anna mumbled something incoherent. Elsa was about to release her hold when something slipped from Anna's belly and fell against Elsa's hand. Frowning, she slowly pulled the blanket back. Her breath hitched when she saw a small notebook.

Her journal.

Elsa shook her head and hastily tucked the notebook under the blanket again. She bit her lip and glanced at the digital clock above the nurse's desk. She did not know how long the nurse was going to be away, but they still had about fifteen minutes left for lunch.

She sighed.

"Ariel said you couldn't sleep these past few weeks. Is it because of me?" Elsa asked, leaning back and looking at the space right beside Anna's head. "I'm sorry... for what I said."

Anna frowned in her sleep and, suddenly, Elsa wondered what kind of dream she was having. Her face was tensed and Elsa had half the mind to wake her in case it was a nightmare. Remembering what Ariel told her, however, made her go against the idea. She sighed once again. She had wanted to speak with Anna, but after their last conversation, she would have to be satisfied with this.

"Hey, Anna." Anna's face scrunched and she mumbled something again which caused Elsa to smile a little. "Mom and Dad want us to live in Corona again. What should I do? Mars suggested we spend the summer vacation there, but..."

I can't decide.

When Elsa was the one having a hard time opening up to people, everyone had been patient and kind to her. She remembered those days after Cindy passed away and her family left for Arendelle. The days and nights were filled with constant darkness that it even seemed endless. It had been hard to trust in the people that never left her side. It had been difficult because, back then, it was easy to think they would also abandon her like how her own parents did.

Her experiences may not be the same as Anna's, but Elsa knew how it felt to be alone.

That was why she was hesitating.

Elsa wanted to be there for Anna; to comfort and assure her that these seemingly hopeless days do have their end. But... there were other things just as important that she had to take care of—her family. They wanted her to make a decision for them, and Elsa was wholly grateful. Because this time, she did not feel the pressure of simply going along. Elsa could freely make a choice and they would be happily on board with it. This time, her parents were willing to make things right.

And Elsa wanted to give them a chance.

If they believed that going back to Corona was what they needed to completely move on, Elsa wanted to help them. It was a risk and the things that happened right after she moved to Arendelle still haunted her to this day. But she also knew that this time, things would surely be different. Because this time, her parents were willing to listen to what she had to say.

The problem was that she did not know what to say.

Olaf had told her not to lose sight of what was important, but what if there was more than one important thing?

She reached for Anna's hand again and squeezed gently, careful not to wake her. "Will you be okay with it?"

Only the buzz of the lights answered.

Then there was a light thunk.

Elsa turned around sharply and saw the door slightly ajar. Narrowing her eyes, she left Anna by the bed and headed over to it. She took one step out of the room and glanced around, and the only thing she could make out was a body disappearing behind a corner.


Tucked beneath her blanket, Anna laid flat on the bed while absently staring at the vast canvas that was her ceiling. She could easily imagine Clara's words written on it from how many times it had spun around her head. "Can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped, huh..."

A soft knock rapped through her door. "Anna?" Without waiting for a response, the person on the other side entered. "Are you awake?"

She inhaled sharply. "Yeah?"

"How long are you going to lie down there?" Meg took the spot on the edge of the bed and touched her gently on the leg. "Are you mad at me?"

Anna made a face before glancing at her sister questioningly. Meg's grin was strained, and suddenly it hit her. "No," she answered instantly. She turned to her ceiling again and patted around blindly for her blanket. "I'm not. It's fine. It's not that."

"Okay, I'll believe that. What's wrong?"

Wrapping the blanket around herself, Anna answered with a hushed voice, "I don't know. The usual? Having an internal debate with myself." She chuckled emptily, murmuring softly when her sister didn't look amused. Her smile fell and she swallowed to ease the roughness of her throat. Sucking in a lungful of air, she forced herself upright. "I... want her to understand, but... I don't even know where or how to begin."

With a subtle nod, Meg nudged her shoulder and waited until Anna looked at her through tear-rimmed eyes. "Do you trust her?"

Hearing that question made her choke in her own spit. Her hands flew right to her mouth and her teeth ended up softly biting her fingernails in a poor attempt to prolong having this conversation. The ringing in her ears almost prevented her from hearing her sister shuffle closer to where she was, and her stiff shoulders nearly jumped when a warm arm wrapped around them.

When the minutes passed and Meg didn't say anything else, Anna gently lowered her hands on her lap in a daze. She repeated the question inside her head and pursed her lips. Meg took her momentary pause to grab the trash bin and a box of tissue and offer it to her as she placed the bin beside the bed.

Without waiting for her sister to settle down, Anna finally whispered, "She's Chelsea."

The confession came out easier than she expected. She didn't feel nervous or scared of how Meg could possibly take the news. No, she just... said it. Her lips trembled and as another sting burned the back of her lids, she lifted her gaze to meet her sister's stunned face.

"Elsa's Chelsea, Meg."

Meg frowned, tilting her head as Anna repeated her statement. When it became apparent that she wasn't joking, a simple "Oh," was all she said. Anna's shoulders raised to her ears and her hands, trembling once again, fiddled with the box her sister offered before this. Another beat passed before Meg pinched the bridge of her nose. "Is this what's been bothering you? Since when have you known?"

Her grip on the box tightened. "Since she was hospitalized."

"That long?" Meg asked, her eyebrows flying upwards. "I wish you had told me, Anna."

"I'm sorry."

Her older sister reached out and pressed a warm hand around her cold one. "You've been thinking about this since then, haven't you? It would explain why you've been acting like this."

"No," Anna answered guiltily, swallowing once again and looking desperately at her sister. "She didn't want to let me know, Meg. I found out myself. I didn't want to tell you, or Hans, or Mom. I didn't want to tell anyone. Not even her. I wanted to keep it... Forever if I could! But... but then she came out to me."

Meg furrowed her brows. It wasn't the angry kind, but rather one of confusion. Like she was mentally solving a problem with a complicated equation Anna dealt her with. Anna couldn't bear to look at her and averted her gaze, releasing the tissue box so she could stare at her hands instead.

"I know her reasons for keeping it a secret. I can also see that... she isn't completely over it yet." Her breath shuddered. Meg squeezed her gently on the leg, prodding her to continue. "Her whole life, she'd done things she was uncomfortable with just to make other people's life easier. I didn't want to force her into something like that. What if... this is another one of those things?"

Her sister's breath shook as she inhaled audibly. She remained quiet as if she was letting Anna's words sink in, and then, "Have you told her that?"

Anna pursed her lips and nodded stiffly. She couldn't remember most of what she had said outside the reception hall, but she was certain she had said something along those lines.

"What did she say?"

Anna's hands balled into tight fists. Her knuckles turned white and her head throbbed again when Elsa's words—her question—spun around it once more. "She asked if I trust her."

Meg's mouth parted slightly, her eyes searching Anna's face for something. When the realization seemed to hit her, she leaned back and folded her arms loosely above her chest. "You have to give her a chance."

Anna's fingers twitched and she opened her mouth by reflex, ready to tell her sister off. Everyone had been telling her the same thing as if it was the easiest thing to do. It was not. It may have been the most obvious solution, but it was far from easy. Anna wouldn't be in this position if it was in the first place. But as she remembered the experiences her sister had shared with her earlier this week, the words ended up getting stuck at the tip of her tongue.

It's not easy for her to say that.

"It's always a risk, Anna. There will always be hurt and pain involved in any relationship, but it doesn't mean it has to be like that all the time. It's only a matter of knowing what or who is worth being hurt for."