Elsa startled awake due to a light tapping on her shoulders. A disgruntled groan nearly left her mouth when she saw Olaf pressing a finger in front of his lips, silently telling her to keep quiet. Blinking groggily, she glanced at the odd weight on her shoulder to see a head of red locks. It only took a second to connect the dots and a blush crept its way to her cheeks. Her hands flew to her face to hide it from her grinning cousin and uncle.
"Is she staying over?" Olaf asked. "It's nine already."
As if on cue, Anna stirred, mumbling something incoherent before forcing her eyes open. She blinked a couple of times and then frowned, glazed eyes scanning the three people staring at her. A silent moment passed, and then her cheeks flushed almost instantly.
"Rough day, Anna?" Kai asked.
"Good morning!" Olaf laughed.
"Knock it off, you two." Elsa chided. "She just woke up."
Olaf hummed, his eyes lingering for a moment on a blushing Anna. Elsa glanced at the girl, tilting her head as she once again saw the puffiness of her eyes.
"Have you had dinner yet?" Her uncle asked.
"No. Let me make something quick." Elsa hurriedly stood, about to rush to the kitchen to whip up something easy.
"It's fine. Let's just order something. Is there anything you girls want?"
Anna raised her hand. "Oh, I better get going. I wouldn't want to intrude."
"You're not intruding, Anna. Come on, it's late. Eat here. Is pizza okay?"
When Anna opened her mouth for most likely another protest, Elsa grabbed a hold of her hand. Anna jumped, her breath stuttering and eyes widening in alarm. Elsa pursed her lips and squeezed her hand gently, maintaining the contact until Anna averted her gaze and gave a stiff nod.
Olaf and Kai shared a look before Olaf grabbed his phone to make a quick call.
As soon as the pizza arrived, they sat in front of the TV, watching a singing contest. "I'll go for this one. She sang it effortlessly. The other one's just screaming from the top of her lungs," Kai commented.
"Nah, my money is on Josh. 'Perfect' is hard to perfect, you know?" Olaf chuckled. "See what I did there?"
The minutes passed by like this. The father and son would place their bets on who they thought would go to the next round while the girls sat quietly on the couch. There was a lonely slice on Anna's hand, bitten once. It worried Elsa immensely. She had never seen Anna so out of it that she couldn't even eat.
"Anna, there's plenty. Don't be shy," Kai insisted.
She cleared her throat. "Thank you."
Kai emptied his cup and placed it on the coffee table. "As for me, I'll be retiring for the night."
"Already?" Olaf asked. "You're getting old, Dad."
"You'll understand once you reach my age, boy." Kai stood and stretched. "Don't forget to clean up," he said as he went to his room.
The photographer chuckled. "I'll do it."
"Let me—" The girls paused, looking at each other.
"I'll do it," Olaf repeated. "You two need to talk, right?"
A subtle squeak came from Anna's direction as she again averted her gaze. Olaf smiled, taking that as a yes. He packed the empty boxes and empty cups before heading to the kitchen, leaving the two in awkward silence.
Despite facing the TV's direction, Elsa was watching Anna closely from the corner of her eyes. Anna had been silent the entire time, simply staring at that one pizza piece that was still in her grip.
"Do you want to stay the night?" Elsa asked, brushing off the slight jump inside her chest as Anna's head snapped to her. "It's already late. You can borrow some of my clothes. We've done sleepovers anyway. It's not the first time."
Cheeks a bright shade of red, Anna nodded. Elsa turned the TV off and led Anna to her room, quickly grabbing a few clothes she thought would fit and an extra toothbrush for Anna to use.
"The bathroom's right there." Elsa gestured to the door by the hallway. "Sorry, I don't have a personal one here."
"... thank you."
Elsa suppressed a shiver as Anna's hands brushed against hers when she reached for the items. Once Anna left for the bathroom, Elsa released a massive sigh and flopped down her bed.
Oh right. I need to get a sleeping bag for—
She covered her flushed face with both hands, releasing herself from the composure. Her lips still tingled from their earlier kiss and Elsa truly wanted to know what that was about. But, she also wanted to know what could have caused Anna to act this way. It was sudden; so... different from what she was used to.
Is it because I'm leaving?
Elsa shook her head and stood, deciding to put away the keyboard Senya had given her that afternoon. She set it near her desk and went back to her bed, pondering once again about Anna's strange behavior.
A knock rapped against her door. "Come in," she said, straightening herself. The door opened, revealing Anna in Elsa's snowflake pajamas. "You didn't have to knock."
Anna's mouth opened and closed, and then her shoulders rose as her head fell once again. "Sorry."
Elsa tilted her head. Sorry? Her eyes slid to her cabinet, momentarily breaking down her options. Her sleeping bag was inside and she really wanted Anna to take a rest already, but seeing this vulnerable side of the girl, she couldn't just leave her be.
"Sleep with me?" she asked, patting one side of the bed.
"Is... Is it okay?"
"Of course," Elsa promised. Anna slowly walked over to the bed, sitting an arm's length away from her. Rather than say something about it, Elsa merely smiled. "You can take the corner if you want."
And that was what she did. Elsa made her way to the switch and turned the lights off before opening the lamp, waiting as Anna made herself comfortable under the blanket. Once she was settled in, Elsa grabbed the other end of the covers and took the spot beside the redhead. She patted her pillows and noticed from the corner of her eyes how Anna was fiddling with the blanket, eyes downcast.
Gathering her wits around her, Elsa grabbed the opportunity to scoot closer and place a hand on top of Anna's trembling ones. "What's wrong?"
Again, Anna teared up.
Elsa almost regretted asking, but it was an inevitable question. She wanted to know why Anna was crying. She needed to know. Was it because of her? Because she was leaving? She thought they had the closure the last time they talked about it. Was this still because of that?
"Anna, what's wrong? Tell me."
Anna whimpered. "T- Tomorrow," she croaked. "I'll tell you tomorrow. For now, can... can I just lay here? With you?"
The look in her eyes melted Elsa's resolve. It was the embodiment of sadness. It broke her heart to see such a look in the eyes of a person she had always thought to be strong. And while she really wanted to know what the cause of all this was, experience told her that now was not the best time to press further.
Tomorrow, they would talk.
Light penetrated Elsa's eyelids. Her eyebrows furrowed as she blearily opened her eyes. The sun seeped in through her window, passing through the curtains. With a massive yawn, she lifted herself up only to be stopped by a strange weight on her torso.
Her head rose, eyes trailing across the arm wrapped around her body.
Anna.
The girl was sleeping soundly, hair a tangled mess. Elsa adjusted herself to lie on her side, facing her. She had seen Anna wake up in the morning numerous times, both in her parents' house and back in Corona. But now... now, there was something different.
Elsa removed a stray hair that tickled half of Anna's face, placing it back to the tangled mess. Anna's breathing was slow, and Elsa relished in... staring. The smile on her face faltered when she saw the light trail left behind by tears.
Right.
She was crying.
While trying to think of what could have been the cause of those tears, the girl began to move. Her eyes opened slowly and she squeaked, scooting backward. "E- Elsa?"
Elsa tilted her head, swallowing the small laughter wishing to come out. "Good morning."
Flushing bright red from cheeks to neck, she stammered. "Wh- Wha- Why are you staring?"
"I didn't want you to think I left?" Anna gaped, and then she bit her lip. The tension on her shoulders gradually lessened. "Sorry, was it uncomfortable?"
"A little." Elsa cringed. "But... thank you."
Despite the shame, Elsa cleared her throat and smiled. She wrung her hands together and stretched before sitting up and pressing her hands firmly on the bed. "I'm going to go make some brea—" A hand pressed against her own. "Anna?"
"Can... we stay here a little longer?" Anna meekly asked. "I'm sorry."
Elsa pursed her lips, waiting for a continuation that never came. She flopped back on the bed and faced the surprised redhead. "For what?"
"F- For... the..." Anna averted her gaze. "K- Kiss? I... I forced you a- and..."
"Anna." Elsa turned her hand upward and held Anna's shaking one. "Breathe. It's okay."
"... sorry."
"I'm not mad. It just caught me off guard," Elsa admitted. "What happened?"
Anna's lips trembled and she licked them before inhaling deeply. "I... went to see Van."
Shock wouldn't even begin to describe what Elsa felt as she heard the news. Her protective instinct instantly rose as she realized Anna had been a crying mess after seeing Vanessa. What could have happened for her to be that emotional? Questions kept piling on top of Elsa's head, one by one, nonstop. She bit her tongue and quietly squeezed the girl's hand.
"Go on."
"She... She said she liked me."
Elsa stilled.
What?
Anna chuckled emptily, another set of tears rolling down her face and disappearing on Elsa's pillow. "A stupid crush, Elsa. That's why she pushed me away all this time." She sniffled. "Because her... her parents wouldn't allow it."
Elsa stopped breathing, eyes unblinking as she stared into space. Anna released her hand to wipe her own tears, sniffing continuously, unaware of Elsa's sudden dilemma. Elsa pressed her lips tight and refocused on Anna, her own heart beginning to thunder wildly inside her ribs.
"I hate it," Anna choked. "Why now? After all this time, why did she have to tell me now? Why did I have to go through... through all that because she 'liked' me?! I... I hate it. I hate her!"
A painful throb deep within her chest shook Elsa to the core. She shut her eyes, keeping away the bubbling fear under control. Deep and steady, she inhaled and exhaled, bracing herself and once again opening her eyes to see Anna wiping her tears away.
"I'm sorry," Anna cried. "I'm sorry, Elsa. I... I know I'm being childish, and... and I'm sorry. I hoped she had just been honest. I hoped things happened differently. Maybe... maybe I wouldn't be bothering you like this. I'm sorry for... for everything. I just—"
Elsa silenced Anna's words by placing a hand on her sodden cheek. "You don't have to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong."
"But—"
"If those things didn't happen, we wouldn't be here today. Maybe you and Vanessa could've had something more than friendship. She wouldn't make fun of Ariel. We wouldn't have met. I... Is it selfish... if I say I'm glad it happened?" Anna's breath hitched, her teary eyes searching Elsa's flushed face. "Does that put you off?"
Anna whimpered, shoulder slumping as she pressed her forehead on Elsa's chin. "Do you have to go?"
There it was. The topic neither of them wanted to open up. Elsa gritted her teeth, unable to form a coherent sentence. "Anna—"
"No, I'm sorry," Anna cut her off. "I... know why. It's just... Why can't you do it here? With me?"
Elsa remained silent. They had already talked about it once. It was killing her to hear these things again, but there was nothing she could do. Perhaps it was selfish of her, saying she was glad Vanessa did what she did because it led to her meeting Anna, only to make the girl cry. But, for once, Elsa was willing to be the bad guy.
"If you don't want me to always put you first, you can tell me and I'll try to change. I'll tell you everything. If there's something bothering me. I'll do what you want, just... please..."
Elsa inhaled softly and gently pulled back. She cupped the redhead's cheek, steeling a resolve of her own as she heard a broken whimper. "I want you to love yourself, Anna."
A few hours passed since their conversation. They had spent the time sitting idly after eating the breakfast they whipped up together. It had been a few minutes into the silence when Elsa dropped the invitation, causing Anna to twitch and snap her head to her.
"But isn't that family time?" Anna asked, placing the remote on top of the coffee table.
"They miss you," Elsa said. "They want to see you again."
The information caught Anna off guard. She was not close to Elsa's parents. Even her interaction with them was awkward at best. She had made Elsa's mother cry, for heaven's sake. Going to their house knowing that they had asked Elsa to go back with them to Corona was...
Elsa bit her lower lip.
Lips that I—
"Is it uncomfortable?"
Anna shook her head and cleared her throat. "No, it's... it's okay. But why so suddenly?"
"They want to see you before... summer."
Anna averted her gaze, opting to watch the TV, and quietly observe their reflection on it. She had no qualms seeing Elsa's parents again. It was simply awkward for her. But, if this Corona thing was seriously going to happen—
"Okay."
Elsa gave her a look and, without saying anything, slowly nodded. Anna pursed her lips, curling her fingers around the edges of her shirt. With a sharp inhale, she abruptly stood up, startling the blonde.
"I'm gonna go change."
"Oh, okay." Elsa followed Anna back to her room. "Here, you can have this."
Anna stared at the offered clothes before pulling herself together and thanking the kind gesture. She rushed to the bathroom on the other end of the hallway and locked herself inside. Heart beating fast, she placed the clothes on top of a rack and splashed her face with water. The image she saw in the mirror made her frown. She glared at the bead of water sliding down her face, hands numb and knuckles white as they held tightly on the edge of the sink.
Would it be selfish if she tried again? To ask Elsa to stay?
Trying to put a stop to the selfish thoughts, she splashed her face with another handful of water. This time, she could feel a hot trail mixing with the faucet's cold water. She sobbed, frustratingly rubbing away the tears, and removed her clothes to step under the shower.
"Stop," she whispered, covering her mouth to stifle her cries and not let Elsa hear them. "It'll be okay."
This was not abandonment, Anna knew. It was true that time and time again, people would leave her side. It was inevitable; that was what she made herself believe. In Elsa's case, Anna knew that it was not her fault. She had known from the very beginning that Elsa's life was not simple and it was only now getting better. Who was she to go against that?.
But it still hurt.
Don't go.
Please stay.
There were many things she wanted to voice out. She wanted to make promises just to make Elsa stay. She would try to make herself better, try to love herself, try to be independent—these sorts of things—so that Elsa wouldn't have to leave. If those things were what Elsa wanted, she would do it all.
But that's not going to work, is it?
"Are you okay?" Anna lowered the towel to meet Elsa's concerned gaze. "Your eyes. They're still swollen."
She cleared her throat and blinked rapidly, hoping it will make the swollenness disappear. "It feels a little heavy, but I'm good." Elsa pursed her lips, seemingly unconvinced. "Marshall's car isn't here, right? I drove mine here last night. Let's take it?"
They left the apartment as soon as Elsa made sure that everything was in place. It was a quiet ride and not as comfortable as Anna would like it to be. Her head was throbbing and every time Elsa would cast a glance her way, the pounding would get progressively worse. There were too many things she wanted to sort out inside her own head. Elsa had already told her her opinion. This was all on her now.
"Huh?"
Anna's and Elsa's jaws dropped, eyes blinking owlishly at the teenage girl staring at them with an awkward grin. "Uh, hi!"
"You're here!" Anna gasped.
Ariel giggled, scratching the side of her head. "You too?"
"Anna!" Anna's breath caught in her throat as Elsa's mother quickly wrapped her in a massive hug. "I'm so glad to see you! It's been so long! How are you?!"
"Uhm- I'm good." Slowly coming down to her senses, Anna lightly patted the woman's back. "Thank you for inviting me."
"You are always welcome here." Mrs. Dalton pulled back, hands pressed against Anna's shoulders. "I hope you came with an empty stomach. I am making a feast for lunch."
"Oh." Anna glanced at Elsa who had been silent since the exchange.
Mrs. Dalton grinned. "In that case, I hope you have a big appetite."
Blushing, she stuttered, "I'll try."
"Good enough. Elsa, do you mind lending me a hand?"
"Okay," Elsa agreed, silently excusing herself from everyone and following her mother back to the kitchen.
"Nice to see you here again, Anna," Marshall said.
"Likewise." Anna glanced at her cousin. "I didn't know you'd be here."
"It was out of the blue," Ariel explained. "Mars invited me out for a date, but I didn't know it'll be here."
"Hn." Anna narrowed her eyes at the guy.
"Wha- They wanted to know more about her! They didn't get to know her much back in Corona because of the whole... thing going on."
Seeing the way he squirmed, Anna decided to ease on the teasing. At least it was nice to know he was serious about her cousin enough that he would introduce her to his family. That was one problem out of the way, she supposed. She was happy for the couple, but as she observed them longer, a pang of jealousy slipped inside.
Anna wanted to believe nothing much would change between her and Elsa. It was only for two months. Two whole months of Elsa away from her. It shouldn't be an issue. Even worrying about it was ridiculous. They could still exchange messages due to the wonders of technology. Anna tried to convince herself of these things because it was the most sensible thing to do, but... the fear of abandonment still lingered.
"Hey." Ariel placed a hand on Anna's shoulder, making her jump. She gestured to her own face, particularly her eyes, and softly asked, "Are you okay?"
Before Anna could respond, the backdoor opened, revealing Marshall's father carrying a bunch of brown paper bags. Marshall hurriedly ran to his side. "Whoa, Dad, that's a lot!" he exclaimed, grabbing a few from him.
Ariel and Anna followed his example and rushed towards the older man. "Oh, no, no. You ladies relax. We got this," Mr. Dalton said, gesturing to the sofa with his head.
"Are you sure?" Ariel asked.
"Yes. Now sit down."
They watched as the father and son stumbled their way to the kitchen, cringing when Marshall nearly slipped on his way. As they disappeared inside the door, they sighed and sat on the sofa. "That was nerve-wracking," Ariel whispered, making Anna chuckle silently. "So what happened?"
Anna closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm fine." She opened them again right in time to see her cousin about to say something. "I will be if I'm not."
"Are you sure?" Ariel scooted close and placed a hand on top of Anna's. "If something is bothering you, you know you can tell me, right? I mean, you obviously cried."
"I know. I... I need time to think. It's just... she's going to leave and... I'm trying. I am."
Ariel gazed at her for a second too long and eventually nodded, giving her hand another tight squeeze before releasing it. They remained silent the entire time, glancing once in a while in the kitchen as they heard murmurs and utensils clashing against each other.
"They're okay now, aren't they?"
Ariel tilted her head. "I think so. They're easier to talk to now, too. It was awkward when I visited the first time, but they were surprisingly more welcoming than they were in Corona."
"Is this only your second time here?"
"Yeah. Same for you, right? But your first time was a sleepover for two days?" Ariel giggled, shaking her head fondly as a blush rose from the younger redhead's cheeks. "How does it feel? Seeing them again like this."
"Strange." She smiled softly as she remembered Elsa's mother giving her a hug when she arrived. "But it's a good kind of strange, I guess."
"Lunch time!" Marshall bellowed as he appeared from the corner, startling the cousins. "Come on, you two. Let's eat!" He grinned from ear to ear, waiting patiently for the cousins to move. Ariel waved her hand, signaling him to go on ahead. "Oh, uh... We'll be waiting, yeah?" He scratched his head and left for the dining room.
Ariel stood from her seat. "You'll be fine, Anna. Things are going to work out, I'm sure. I'll be here with you whatever happens." She offered a hand. "Come on. Everyone's waiting."
With her heart heavy in her chest, Anna took her cousin's hand and silently followed along towards the dining room. The Daltons were already in their respective seats. Mr. Dalton was on the head of the table while Marshall was on the other end; whereas Ariel was seated beside Mrs. Dalton and Anna beside Elsa.
"How have you been, Anna? We haven't seen you in so long," Mr. Dalton said.
"I'm good," Anna stammered, fingers curling around the fork on her grip. "I've been busy for the past month because of my brother's wedding."
"Oh, yes! I remember you mentioning one of your siblings getting married. Congratulations!" Mrs. Dalton announced. "It must've been a wonderful wedding."
"It was!" Marshall commented. "It was that wedding I went to with Ariel."
"Wait, then is it that one Olaf and Senya were in charge of?" Mrs. Dalton asked, glancing at Elsa. The younger blonde nodded. "Oh wow, this is amazing. You were all there?"
"It was a pretty big event," Elsa noted. "You've seen the photos, right?"
"Yes. The place was lovely!"
"So you're the only one left who's still not married eh, Anna?" Mr. Dalton grinned, his eyes twinkling as he looked at the stupefied redhead.
Anna blushed. "That... That is still a long way to go. I'm only in high school."
"Don't worry. I completely understand. I, too, am the youngest of my siblings. It wasn't easy being teased when I haven't found this lovely amazon beside me yet."
Mrs. Dalton narrowed her eyes. "You want to say that again?"
"As I was saying." Mr. Dalton shrugged. "If I remember it right, you want to be a teacher, right? Ariel said she wants to be a marine biologist or an actress."
"Ah, yes." Anna took a bite from the garlic bread and slowly chewed. "But... my sister thinks I should be a songwriter or something. I don't know."
Ariel blinked. "You're having second thoughts?"
"I don't know." Anna smiled wistfully, eyes falling on her filled plate. "A lot happened and I... I could try doing both. But right now, I'm honestly not sure if I still want to be a teacher."
"Whoa, hold up. This is the first time I'm hearing this. You write songs, Anna?" Marshall asked.
Anna blushed as Elsa, too, glanced her way with a surprised look. "They're more like poems, actually. But my sister insists they sound more like lyrics than anything."
"Oh, show us a sample!"
"Actually, I think you'll be more interested in hearing Ariel sing," Anna said, grinning apologetically when Ariel's mouth fell. "She won an award back when we were children."
"Wow, we have a bunch of talented musicians at one table," Mr. Dalton chuckled.
Anna smiled sadly, tuning out the rest of the conversation and forcing herself to eat. It was a pleasant meal with warm company. Anna would have enjoyed it if not for the constant noise inside her head.
Talented, huh.
An hour passed and everyone finished eating. They each helped put the dishes away and when it was time to wash them, Anna offered to help simply because she needed to do something to keep herself busy.
"Just relax in the living room, Anna. I will be done here in no time," Elsa's mother said.
"Please. I insist."
Mrs. Dalton studied her resolute face for a minute before relenting. "Okay. Help me dry the dishes after I'm done washing them. Is that okay?" Anna nodded, grabbing the towel she gestured to. "Thank you."
They continued the chore in silence, all the while hearing the others talk in the living room. Anna's fingers shook as she dried the plates. She gritted her teeth, mentally scolding herself for the mere possibility of breaking the thing. This went on until Elsa's mother was on the last dish.
"Are you really leaving?" Anna immediately regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth. Mrs. Dalton froze, the water still running on the last plate left to be cleaned. "Sorry, I... I didn't mean to."
Mrs. Dalton took in a shuddering breath and resumed washing. "For summer, yes. We will be back for the next school year. Elsa wished as much."
"She did?"
"Their father and I wanted to live there again, but she didn't want to leave you or the friends she made here behind." Mrs. Dalton turned the faucet off and turned to Anna, a subtle smile on her lips. "You all mean so much to her already and we don't want to take that away from her."
Anna's mouth parted, and then her gaze fell on the floor. "Can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"Why do you want to live there again?" she asked, her hands trembling as the thumps against her ribs became harsher. "Elsa said you want to move on, but how could going back there help with that? I just... want to understand."
"I'm not certain about that myself." Anna snapped her head back to the woman. "I don't know what will happen once we go back. I don't know if it will really help. But right now, my husband and I see that place as somewhere that is full of pain and suffering. Avoiding it all the time is the same as avoiding the place Cindy loved so much."
But why bring Elsa with you?
"I don't want to go back there, fearful and always thinking that it was the place where I lost a child. I want to cherish it as the place where she lived," the older woman explained. "We have missed so much of Elsa's childhood because of this. We want to make things right. In a way that she would want it, too."
Anna bit the evil words back. It was too much, too harsh, and too self-centered for her own good. Elsa decided the two months herself—her mother said so. She should be supportive. She had been able to support Elsa since they became friends. What made this so different, then?
Right.
She only had their words to hold on to that they will come back.
Tears brimmed inside her eyes as the fear engulfed her once again. She wanted Elsa to be happy more than anything. She wanted things to work out for her and her parents. If people did not support her, she wanted Elsa to feel safe in her arms. It was supposed to be easy. It had been easy... until now.
Mrs. Dalton wiped her hands and gently pulled Anna for a hug. She caressed the crying redhead's head and whispered apologies and assurances that everything will be okay and that they would come back. Anna's legs were shaking and if it wasn't for the hug, she would have surely collapsed in place.
Outside the kitchen, Elsa was leaning against the wall in silence. Her eyes pricked as she listened to Anna's constant sob inside. She inhaled deeply and wiped away the tears before stepping out to the living room. Ariel, Marshall, and their father looked up from the TV the moment she arrived.
"Are they done?" King asked.
She shook her head, taking the spot beside Ariel on the sofa. "I think it will take them a while."
"I think I'll help!" Ariel moved to stand, but Elsa held her back. "Hm?"
"Let's just wait for them."
"Oh... Okay," she relented, taking a seat once again. "So! Is there, uhm... already a date for when you're leaving?"
"About a week or two after Marshall's graduation," King answered, scratching his stubble and changing the channel once again.
"That early, huh?"
Ariel slumped on the chair to find a comfortable position, staring blankly at the screen. Silence surrounded the four, adding tension to Elsa's shoulders. Guilt gnawed at her insides, her back jolting as she remembered Anna's cries. There were still a few weeks left of the school year, but Elsa could not help wondering if Anna would be okay after her conversation with Vanessa.
"I'm sorry," Elsa whispered in the silence. The other people in the room looked at her, but she had her eyes fixed on her fiddling fingers on top of her lap.
"Uh, Dad, let's go wash the car!" Marshall said out of nowhere.
"What? We can have it car washed an—"
"Come on! Let's do it together for once!"
"Huh?" King paused, watching Marshall make a face. His eyes lit up and then he nodded his head slowly. "Ohhhhh. Okay, got it. Get a towel and a basin. I'll wait for you outside."
Marshall did as he was told and their father left for the garage, leaving the girls on their own devices. The silence continued on and when Elsa did not say anything else, Ariel rubbed the back of her neck. "Uhm... why are you apologizing?"
Elsa chuckled bitterly. "I made Anna cry again." She rubbed her face, inhaled a shuddering breath, and turned to the redhead apologetically. "Will she be okay?"
Ariel looked at her, really looked at her. "I won't lie. She will be a crying mess once you leave. But at least she isn't keeping everything bottled in anymore." She leaned back on the sofa. "She's... a fragile girl, but I'll be here to help her if things get out of hand."
Truthfully, Elsa wanted to be there for her as well. She wanted to be because she knew from experience how difficult it was to not love oneself. But that was also why she had to leave. She, too, had issues within herself that she had to sort out before committing to whatever she had with Anna.
"Just tell me one thing." Ariel crossed her arms and faced her. "Is this really necessary?"
"I'd like to think so," Elsa admitted, clearing her throat as the redhead leaned closer. "I have my own reasons for going, honestly. It's not just because my parents asked me to. I want to. Because I want to figure some things out."
Ariel leaned back, tapping her finger on her upper arm. "And you think going back there is going to help you find the answer?"
"It was where everything started. Maybe I won't find the answer, but Arendelle didn't give me one either." Elsa pressed a hand against her chest, smiling as she felt every soft beat. "I already lost sight of myself once. I feel like I'm getting closer to finding myself again, or at least, find a new version of me. I want to stay here for Anna's sake because I know how she feels, but I also know I can't be there for her completely knowing that even I am not whole yet. I know it's selfish, but—"
"It's okay." Ariel leaned back on the sofa. "If you think this is what you really need, I won't stop you."
Elsa sighed. "Thank you."
"Keep in touch? I have no doubt you'll come back, but I can't say the same for Anna."
"I know," Elsa promised. "I've been in her place before. I know how it feels."
Ariel smiled. "You're kind, Elsa. I can see why she likes you." Elsa blushed, averting her gaze and staring at the show on TV. "Don't worry about her. I'll make sure she's okay."
Elsa laughed breathily and shook her head. "I think it's impossible for me not to worry."