Disclaimer: I don't own Frozen, the characters or anything else Disney related. I also don't own any movies or songs, not Disney related, that may be mentioned throughout this story.

Prologue

...

"Ever since I left for New York… I knew..." Her voice pulled at my gut. I wanted to be mad, but she made it a difficult task.

Fat drops of rain stained the street, smacking down on my face and matting my hair. My chest heaved, whether from exhaustion or anxiety, I wasn't sure.

She looked just as bad. Her blonde hair turned a shade darker, rain clinging to her face and thick lashes as it came down relentlessly. A poorly lit streetlamp made her skin look flush, a far cry compared to her usual complexion. Her mascara had started to run from the edges of her eyes... but she didn't care. I didn't care. She was still beautiful to me even in this weather.

It was cold and wet.

But those blue irises that I've seen throughout my life, they were only focused on me. So fuck the rain, no matter how hard it came down. I was so focused on her lips and the way her mouth was slightly parted. Her bottom lip quivering before her tongue swiped her upper lip, catching a rain drop. I wanted to catch that drop for her. I also wanted answers, proper ones. So, I waited for her to say something, my eyes pleading for her.

God dammit, I deserve that much.

The space between us grew heavy as she took a small step forward, her bare foot squishing a puddle in her way. Another beat passed, the pitter patter of droplets offering background noise to ease the tension. Then she looked down and took her lip between her teeth, holding back what I needed to hear out of fear. That was when I knew it was time to walk away.

I turned on the ball of my foot, my soaked hair whipping around as my boots began to clunk away from her.

"A-Anna, wait!"

I tried to block her out. I tried to. Fuck, she didn't make it easy.

"Dammit, Anna, just hear me out!"

I shoved my fists into the pockets of my rain coat, trudging through the empty street at this dead hour. If it wasn't for the rain, I wouldn't have heard the growing sound of splashing behind me. It prepared me, taking in stride the moment she grabbed me by the elbow and forced me to turn around. Again, she was staring at me with those eyes. They were the brightest of blues, burning with fear of what was coming undone in a matter of seconds.

"Anna, please just wait…"

I was fuming now, nostrils flaring to hide behind my pain, "Why?!"

I almost laughed. Shaking my head, I gave her a sad smile as tears formed in the corners of my eyes. The rain made it an easy thing to hide.

She was close now, her hand hadn't let go of my elbow and I could feel the heat of her touch through my jacket. Those dainty fingers held on as I forced myself to not reciprocate the touch.

I took a deep breath, "Why, why didn't you tell me from the beginning, Elsa…?"

Her eyes wilted, and she took that plump bottom lip between her teeth once more. She settled for a sigh, "I… I didn't realize at the time… I was naive..."

Of course you didn't realize it, I wasn't any better though.

I couldn't hear it anymore. My heart was splintering and I couldn't take it. I tried to back away but she surprised me when her grip held me steady. This time, both hands held my elbows and the jostling action brought us closer. Her breath warmed my face in ways that made my spine tingle. A cold droplet rolled from her eyelash down to my nose. Somewhere in the distance, the rolling waves of thunder echoed as she took another breath.

"Dammit, Anna, I'm trying to tell you…"

Please, don't, I can't do this anymore.

"…I've been in love… with you… ever since I left..." Her eyes searched my own and I could see how vulnerable she had become within that moment. She was broken, just like me.

But I've already fucked it all up.

"I've practically loved you all my life."

Chapter One

...

My name is Anna Porter.

I'm an only child who had to raise herself for a bit while my dad carried two jobs over his shoulder. It wasn't until our new neighbors came in when I was about six that I started to understand what a real family felt like. The Knowles changed my life in way I didn't understand at such a small age.

You could say they adopted me in a sort of way. My mother wasn't around anymore and my dad worked constantly to give me everything he never had. So I always found myself at their house, having dinners with them and even staying the night when my pop would come home too late from a double shift.

The patriarch of the their family was a big teddy bear despite his superior attitude. He was tall, with dirty blonde hair always groomed back and broad shoulders. He also had the nicest hazel eyes that reflected gold in the sun. His son, Kristoff, was given the same genes. Sandy blonde locks and those light gold eyes that reminded me of autumn leaves.

Mrs. Knowles was the ironic opposite of her husband. Her eyes mimicked the sky and her silky brown hair was usually pinned up with side swept bangs. She first came off quiet… but that woman was not to be reckoned with, I learned that the hard way.

Then there was Elsa, the eldest between the two siblings. I had no idea which side of their family this feature came from, but Elsa was born with the lightest of blonde hair. It was silky, fluffy, and almost angelic. I never knew blonde until I met her and I always admired it.

She also had the brightest baby blues I'd ever seen.

Elsa was the perfect blend of Mr. and Mrs. Knowles, always keeping her chin up but never forgetting that warm smile of hers. Kinda arrogant but a sweetheart once you get to know her. The blonde always wore elegance like a cardigan with the right amount of fun and rebelliousness in her bones. I guess Kristoff and I can be thanked for that.

We were always the trouble makers and Elsa usually tagged along for the company. As kids, we got into all sorts of mischief until their papa came around, then a foot had to be put down. That's how it was through most of our childhood, all the way up to high school.

That's when things slowly started to change.

Kristoff and I were only freshmen when Elsa was a senior, ready to graduate and move on. Naturally, she made a few friends closer to her age group while Kristoff and I always hung out together. We were comfortable that way and even if Elsa was more on the reclusive side at school, she was the same old Elsa back at home. It was also the same year I realized to what extent I truly liked Elsa.

It was getting closer to graduation day. The seniors were ready to throw their traditional parties and say their goodbyes as they prepped for college life. I didn't expect to go to these events prematurely, I would've been happy to wait my turn. Kristoff, of course, had other ideas.

"C'mon, Anna, don't be such a dud."

I crossed my arms over my chest, "I'm not being a dud, it's called being polite. We weren't invited, we can't just show up."

He snorted, "Are you listening to yourself? Hellooo, is Anna still in there?" He flicked my forehead to prove his point while I swatted his hand away.

"Think about it, Kristoff, don't you think a bunch of seniors will notice a couple of freshmen at their party."

"We'll blend in?" My face dropped at his poor attempt to persuade me as we stared each other down. Then he smirked and used his next best move, "You know my sister's going and she'll be expecting you to go. You don't want to let down your best friend, do you?"

Damn.

The moment I groaned and walked away, he pumped a fist in the air, "Yes! Come by the house at eight."

He couldn't see it, but I rolled my eyes as I sulked to my last period. Time was doubled in my mind, watching that big hand slowly make its way to my freedom. All the while, I couldn't stop freaking out about the party. My nervous tick had me doodling on my notepad, and before I knew it, the entire page was filled with drawings instead of notes. Who needs math, right?

"Anna. Perhaps you'd like to volunteer for our next algebraic equation?"

My pen stopped as I stared up like a deer in the headlights, "Uh… I'm…"

"Or would you rather doodle in detention?" Being called out like that in class was never the best thing in the world, especially when it came to math. And man do I suck at it.

I gulped, flipping the page of my notepad to a clean one as Mrs. Dunbroch nodded at my silent white flag. "Please, pay attention."

"Yes, ma'am."

It didn't last very long as I droned out again, thankfully there were only a few minutes left. Once the bell sounded off, I shoved my books in my bag and darted off.

I was skipping steps, dodging the bustle of students until I collided with someone. "Uff! Oh, are you alright?"

Elsa looked behind her shoulder, catching glimpse of my red hair as her small smile stretched to a warm smirk. "Anna, I figured it was you, always finding a way to bump into me. You should really stop sliding down those rails, you know? Might get hurt one day."

My heart did a little jump. I never understood why at the time, but my cheeks always grew warm when she seemed worried for me. A partial reason why I was so reckless, for attention, the rest was just bad luck.

"I'll be careful when I'm dead," I smiled back as she shook her head, her side swept bangs swaying. She usually reminded me of Mrs. Knowles when she wore her hair up.

"Are you coming tonight?" Oh. Kristoff wasn't kidding.

"O-Oh! Kristoff mentioned it but I'm not sure if we can go..."

She cocked an eyebrow, "Oh come on, nobody takes that 'no freshman' thing seriously and you know it."

"Well if you really want me to go, I guess I can squeeze you into my schedule," my expression went from smile to smirk as she narrowed her eyes at the tease.

"Oh, I have to be put in your schedule now? Guess someone's too busy for little ole me then."

I laughed aloud, "You kidding? You probably take up most of my time."

She laughed with me and my stomach twisted into a tiny knot at the sound, "You're no walk int he park either. But seriously, see you tonight?"

How can I say no?

"I don't think I have a choice anymore, I'll be at your place by eight, under Kristoff's orders," I gave a mock salute as she giggled.

I had stared at my closet for an hour. Another hour was spent just on testing outfits. Thirty minutes later, I decided on the first outfit I pulled out initially because I'm crazy and that's how I function. A dress with a cardigan seemed comfortable enough and after all the outfit swapping I was too tired to change my mind anymore. Meanwhile, Elsa looked flawless and I was sure she barely even tried.

She went for a more casual look, but no matter what she wore, she made anything look good. Opting for black jeans that folded by the ankle and a simple top with a jacket, she looked perfect. Her bun was gone and replaced with a braid, bangs still covering her forehead in a side sweep.

Kristoff was just as simple: baggy jeans and a plaid button-up shirt plus a beanie like every other boy in high school. We rendezvoused just out front by the sidewalk, the bright streetlamp illuminating my nervousness as I tapped my knuckles together.

"Um… You look nice, Anna." Kristoff rubbed his neck, looking at me in a way that made me slightly uncomfortable.

It's just a compliment. Calm down.

"T-Thank you, Kristoff."

Elsa threw one out there too, "You do look beautiful, Anna." Of course, my brain wasn't sure how to react when she said it. So I did what I do best. I spewed word-vomit.

"O-Oh no, you look beautifuller- wait, more beautiful? Um, what I mean is, you look nice. Well nicer than usual, not saying that you don't look really nice normally. I just don't know how to compliment. You're gorgeous- wow, okay. I'm shutting up now. Right now."

Just kill me now.

Elsa's eyes widened, failing miserably to cover her snort as she clutched her stomach in laughter. Kristoff couldn't help but join in as I chuckled nervously.

I turned beet red from embarrassment, I think I was brighter than my hair. Once they could breathe again (and I no longer felt like dying on the spot) we were on our way. The party ended up being a block away from where we lived, so walking seemed like the best option.

Soon enough the blaring music poured from the windows and seniors were either chatting out front or dancing inside. The second we stepped in, we lost Kristoff. I wasn't too worried since he kinda did his own thing anyways. Elsa found a few of her friends from her economics class and was already getting in the swing of things.

They were talking about college, moving away from their home town, while I hung around like a wallflower. At some point, I stopped listening to their conversation and just watched Elsa immerse herself. It was weird, seeing her so engaged, but it's also part of what she studies. Her social skills needed to be strong so she can run a business or whatever she plans on doing in New York.

I was proud with a dash of envy too.

She fit so well, as did her friends with their plastic solo cups and thick mascara. They all had this desire to leave so quickly and make it in the big leagues, while I hadn't planned anything yet or even decided on a major. I was just an awkward girl barely getting the hang of high school.

One thing I had noticed was Elsa's empty hand. She was offered a drink several times that night but kept declining. It made me smile, almost like keeping a dear secret. It felt nice being the only person to have noticed this.

Elsa didn't like alcohol, at least the smell of it, from the way she'd slightly scrunch up her nose with every decline. At some point, she started to look around until her eyes found me. I had already migrated to the other side of the room. She smiled and gave a small wave which I returned just as awkwardly. She excused herself from her group and started toward me, all the while, my eyes were fixed on hers.

Then he showed up. Hans Westerson AKA Pompous asshole.

I was undecided when I first met him. He was the kind to dress nice and comb his red hair back, with a splash of overpowering cologne. He was polite enough and charming in school, so I never had a problem with him until he put Elsa in an uncomfortable situation. He always had a thing for her no matter how many times she told him no.

From my spot on the wall I could tell he wasn't all there, the way he swayed as his eyes zeroed in on Elsa's figure. That was strike one for me. The double drink in his had was strike two and I couldn't understand why I was getting angry, more than usual.

She's just going to turn him down again anyway.

Then he interrupted her stride, shoved a drink in her hand and leaned in too close to her personal space. I could feel Elsa's anxiety spike and all her social skills were thrown in the trash. She tried to take a step back but the sleazebag wrapped his free hand around her waist. Strike three.

That set off a siren in my head. I pushed myself off the wall and made my way to her as she looked around for Kristoff. When he tried to lean in again, I spoke up in a tone I'd never used before.

"Hey, asshat! Can't you take a hint?!"

He jumped and whirled around with wide eyes, as did Elsa, "A-Anna."

I pulled Elsa by the elbow and put myself between her and Hans, "She's clearly uninterested, that usually means to back off!"

He scoffed and took another sip of beer, "Who're you, her girlfriend?"

Wait, what?

My eyes widened as I blanched. He waited expectantly but I was too focused on the term girlfriend. The best thing I came up with was a grumpy, "whatever…" and I left too quickly to process Elsa following me out of the house.

Once outside, I took a deep breath and shut my eyes. I didn't know where I was going but I didn't want to stay in that house anymore. It felt so cramped and constricting, my throat closing up as I thought of the way Elsa was looking at me. I felt like her hero until I ran off.

What's wrong with me?

"Anna, wait up!" I looked back to find none other than Elsa trying to catch up. I wasn't going to make her run after me, so I stood there and wrapped my cardigan around my middle to steady myself.

"…Hey," I greeted weakly.

She didn't say much, but her eyes were reading me and I suddenly felt hot again. I had to look away, focusing on a crack that split the sidewalk between us. "Anna… are you alright?" I looked back up at those imploring eyes.

No.

"Yea."

Elsa bit her lip in response to suppress a frown. She knew it was a lie, I was always bad at it. "Look… thank you, for what you did for me back there…"

"I-It was nothing," I gave her a stiff smile and tried to shrug off the realization that was slowly dawning on me the longer I stared at her.

"No, Anna, that was…"

I looked back down because staring at those baby blues prevented any kind of thinking. I watched her feet shuffle closer to my own, stepping over the crack between us. Then I felt familiar warmth envelop my body as she circled her arms to embrace me.

"…that was brilliant."

Her breath tickled my cheeks as I awkwardly took out my arms from between our us and linked them around her waist. I couldn't tell if that was the greatest idea or not, but I became acutely aware once we were flush together: her proximity, her breathing pattern, the way her hands rubbed my back gently.

She pulled back to study my face with a doleful expression, "Please, tell me what's wrong. You've been distant all night."

It might have been the way she said it. It may have been the way she looked at me. I'm not entirely sure. She did something that forced my bottom lip to quiver and a little sob come up from my chest.

"Oh, Anna…" She hugged me tighter, cooing in my ear.

I sniffled against her chest. It felt so safe and warm, I never wanted to leave.

I… I like you.

"Y-You're leaving, Elsa." She didn't say anything, waiting for me to let it all out. After a few deep breaths to keep some control, I continued. "You're going off to college, to New York... I overheard you and your friends. You plan on leaving and you're gonna forget about me and…"

I like you a lot.

"Anna, what makes you think I'll ever forget about you? You've been my best friend since we moved here and that'll never change."

I hiccupped, "People change, Elsa, things will change."

I could feel her sigh against me, "That's true, life changes all the time. But you in my life, that won't change. Do you want to know how I'm so sure?"

I nodded, letting her loosen the embrace once more so she could hold my hands in hers. She smiled and took a moment to swipe her thumbs under my eyes, "Because constants are variables that we choose to sustain... and you're the one variable I choose to sustain, Anna. So I'll make you a promise. I'll write to you as often as I can to keep it that way. Once every month, how does that sound?"

I giggled, sniveling as I laughed at her cheesy reference, "You're such a nerd. Yes, I'd love that."

"You see how great science can be? It even stops crying." She giggled with me, smiling even brighter when my tears were gone. "There, all better. I don't like seeing you so upset. You wanna ditch this place?"

"That would be great."

It was nice knowing that we'd try to keep in touch. A little part of me knew those things never lasted but it was still comforting to hear. It was even nicer when she planted a kiss on my cheek before she ran back inside to fetch Kristoff. I stood there a bit bewildered, slowly bringing a hand to my freckled cheek and smiling to myself.

I really like you, Elsa Knowles.

Updated:4/30/17

PM's/Reviews and feedback are always welcomed and appreciated. Till next time.