Frozen and other Disney characters belong to the Walt Disney Company.
Summer was on its last breath. September was there and so was the new school year, in the middle town of Northrock.
Anna Arendelle was quite excited. She will be a freshman and finally be in the same school as her sister, Elsa, who was a junior. No one admired more the platinum-blonde girl than her little sister. How could she not? Elsa was major of her class and respected by everyone.
And yet, Anna was still incredulous to see her sister anxious and uneasy around people. But, at the same time, she loved it. This way, she was the only one who could get really close to Elsa. Physically and emotionally. Even, their parents couldn't get that close to the older sibling of the Arendelle house.
"What are you thinking, little one?" Her father asked with a warm smile. Mister Arendelle was a forty-years-old man but you wouldn't give him more than thirty-five years. He gave both a reassuring and strict vibe. His employees loved his competent skills and paternalistic style in governing his company. So was his family and particularly Anna who was a daddy girl.
Anna responded with a bigger smile and sat in his laps like when she was five and gave him a kiss on his right cheek. "I'm just excited about the new year! Elsa and I will be in the same building again!" She took a slice of bread and started to put some butter on it, joyfully.
"Maybe, the fifteenth girl you are can sit on her own chair?" Her mother suggested while pouring herself some tea and proposing some to her oldest.
"Thanks, mom." Elsa Arendelle stared fondly at her sister and father. She loved nothing more in life than staying with her family.
"I don't mind it." Mister Arendelle replied, preparing Anna's hot milk chocolate.
"Agnarr!" Mrs Arendelle shouted. Clearly unhappy with her husband behaviour. "Stop spoiling her! She will be a high school student in less than an hour." Then she turned to Elsa. "I count on you. You know how your sister can be when she's excited."
"Don't be such worrywart, Iduna." Agnarr stated before looking at Anna. "Our little one will enjoy her high school life fully." He then pinched her left cheek. "But no boy before junior year." He warned, half seriously, half jokingly.
"Hmm." Anna simply answered. How could she enjoy her high school life without a boyfriend. Maybe sitting at her father laps wasn't a thing to do anymore. She got up quickly and sat on the empty chair between her father and her sister.
Not missing her husband sad face, Iduna stroke his back to encourage him while smirking with her older daughter. "Come on. One of them has to have a love life. And we know it won't be Elsa."
Agnarr glanced at his younger daughter with a loud sigh before turning to his oldest with a defeated smile. "I can count on you to be the only man on your life?" He needed some reassurance. His girls were growing up too fast.
"No worries, dad. I have no interest in anyone, in that way." Elsa replied quite seriously. And it couldn't be more true. She just never loved or even liked anyone outside her family. Ever.
Her father couldn't be more happier but her mother had a worried look on her face. Yet, she said nothing.
After a copious breakfast, their father dropped them at new Northuldra-Joan of Arc high school. Northrock was a middle town with only two high schools. Joan of Arc high school and Northuldra high. But some accident occurred on the country side of the town. And kids from Northuldra will start to follow their courses here for at least two years. So the school council decided to change its name.
"I heard the Northuldra people hardly speak the same language as us." Some student said in the corridor.
"Come on. They're from the countryside, not another country." Replied another one.
But Anna hardly heard them. She was too mesmerized by the building. It was so much bigger than her middle school. And most importantly, she was with Elsa. She took her sister's hand in her own ready to wander around the school. "Show me! Show me everything!"
Elsa looked at her sister as if she was some strange pet. "I'm pretty sure your main teacher will take care of it, if you're not too late for your first class. Show me your schedule."
"I'm not talking about the boring parts the teacher will show us!" Anna said while opening the school app to see her schedule. "Room B102 with professor Weselton." The look on Elsa's face scared her a little. "What's with the weird face?"
Elsa seemed to think her words, and she said nothing for a while. "I'll show you around after last period. Let's go to your class. Now!" She tightened the grasp on her sister hand and started to walk at high speed.
"O-ok." Anna said, trying to follow Elsa's lead.
They passed through other students in a hurry and took the long corridor of the first floor. The room 102 was at the end of the B aisle.
"Good. Your teacher is not there yet. Just wait quietly. Weselton is no joke." Elsa looked around, quite worried. More than usually, her sister thought.
"What's wrong Elsa. All the teachers like you, don't they?" Anna inquired, startled by her sister behaviour.
"I'm not not sure you can say that." Elsa answered with humility. "But even if it was the case, professor Weselton is not a fan of me. So, I apologize in advance if he dislikes you because of me." The platinum-blonde caressed Anna's left cheek with the back of her fingers, and stared at her fondly. Then she joined their foreheads, closing her eyes to enjoy the intimacy. "Good luck. I love you. I have to go too." Then she walked hastily to the third floor.
"But why does he dislike you?" Anna asked in a whisper, even if she knew it was too late. She obeyed her sister for once and waited patiently until other students approached to the same door. The strawberry-blonde kept her smile. She was ready to make new friends in her new class. But she also hoped to see her friend and cousin Rapunzel.
"You heard the rumours about Weselton?" A curly redhead whispered looking at Anna.
"Huh. I'm not sure. But my sister warned me about him." Anna answered. Her prayers were heard. Maybe she can have a new friend already. "Hi! I'm Anna!" She offered her hand enthusiastically as a welcome.
The redhead watched her hand for a few seconds and stared back at Anna before she decided there was no risk to take it. "Merida." She simply stated. "Where were you in middle school? I was to northwest?"
Anna shook her hand with much energy to show her pleasure. "Southwest. So what's about Weaselton?"
"It's Weselton!"
Anna turned around to see where the voice come from. It came from an old man she guessed was their main teacher. How could she be so unlucky!
"Sorry, sir. I won't make the mistake again!" Anna might be clumsy sometimes but she knew how to apologize and earn sympathy from people.
Professor Weselton glared at her for a moment before he decided she didn't deserved more of his time. He opened the door of the classroom B102 and ordered all the students to follow his lead. "You'll wait my words before sitting." He shout while joining his desk.
"Pfff! You should go see some exorcist. Such a bad luck! Let's sit at the back." Merida proposed while they entered in the room.
Anna just shrugged her shoulders. She didn't think her mistake was so terrible. And she was just happy to see Merida wanted to stay with her. She hoped they would be good friends.
"Good morning, everyone. I am professor Weselton. I will be your history and main teacher for the year. It means that we will pass a lot of time together. Enough to understand my exigences." M. Weselton threw a glance to the class during his discourse but stayed behind his desk that was mounted on a pedestal. Otherwise, he would be too small to impress them. "First, don't think of being late. You will not be accepted in my class for the day!" He warned.
All the students looked at eachother. They immediately understood what kind of teacher, M. Weselton was. Three minutes in and he still hadn't give the order to sit. And no one dared to override his order.
"Good. Now that you know the rules, let's start the call. You can sit once I said your name."
A silent sigh could be heard from all the class students. Finally they will be able to sit.
Unlike most teachers of the twenty-one century, refused to use a computer or a tablet to make the call. He opened his classbook as he did for the last thirty years and started to call every student on the list from the bottom to the top.
Anna poke fun of herself mentally. I really need an exorcist.
"Oh, interesting. Anna. Anna Arendelle?" He called looking all over the room.
"I'm here." Anna replied raising her hand.
seemed taken aback for a second. "Any ties with Elsa Arendelle?" He asked threatenly.
"Yes! She's my sister!" Anna said with eagerness, missing the change in Weselton's voice.
"I knew it. Her hair color is unnatural!" He hit his desk with his fist while crying.
"Wait! What?" Anna exclaimed with surprise. "No, she's really a platinum-blonde."
"But you are not!" Replied Weselton as if it was some proof of his previous statement.
"That's stu-" Anna couldn't finish her sentence thanks to Merida who blocked her mouth.
"Are you out of your mind?" She whispered.
"It's my sister he insulted!" Anna whispered back.
"Do you have something more to say?" Weselton asked in a menacing tone.
Anna wanted to shout but Merida kept her mouth shut.
"Good. Now sit." He ordered. "Today's lesson will be about the pilgrim fathers. Then-"
But Anna wasn't listening. She was in a fury. She couldn't wait to be at lunch time and talk to Elsa.
The oldest Arendelle girl was in her own classroom, in the third floor of the same aisle. Fortunately for her, she had no course with Weselton this year. She hoped Anna will behave well and avoid any trouble. Professor Gerda was explaining to the class how junior year will work. Especially with students from Northuldra.
"So, to encourage mixity, we'll start the year with an assignment in each subject due to next month. One student from Joan and one from Northuldra working together on several matters to reinforce the ties between us." Gerda finish, a little too excited, some students thought.
On a second thought, Elsa wondered if being in class with Weselton wasn't a better idea. It's not that she disliked working with people. On the contrary, she liked to help. But usually, whatever she said was misunderstood, or she had trouble to express her intentions well. So she prefered to do work on her own to get the job done. Strangely, people seemed to like her more when she was distant while accomplishing her duties. And she didn't understand why.
"Elsa? Elsa Arendelle?"
"Yes!" Elsa got up suddenly, hearing her name. "I'm sorry. I didn't hear you earlier."
"It's okay." Gerda said with a gentle smile. "I thought you could work with Honeymaren for next month assignment."
Elsa follow Gerda's stare behind her. Two rows behind her, a brown-haired with a light tan skin girl and a single braid was looking at her.
"So, you're Elsa." It was a simple statement. Not a question.
"Yes." The platinum-blonde responded. Even if there was no need. Then, seeing her new classmates lost interest from her to take notes of the teacher's discourse, she turned back and did the same.
"The election for the class representatives will be held in two weeks." Professor Gerda made a little pause to give an encouraging glance to Elsa. "Of course, I count on you to only propose your application if you're serious enough for the role. The duty of a representative is important for all your classmates but the school too. So I hope-"
Elsa sighed internally. She totally understood Gerda's message. Like the two precedent years, people counted on her to take all the boring responsibility. Well, why not she thought. She was good to it apparently. She reminded herself to give her appliance at the end of the course.
Elsa liked school and learn new thing in general. Professor Gerda's English class was rich and enlightening but it wasn't her favourite class. Mathematics, or more precisely Geometry had her preference. There was another course she was thinking about but never dared to take. She felt this year could be the one. She tried to encourage herself but she knew better that she will do nothing about it. She let escape another sigh and started to think of her schedule for next month assignments with the Northuldra girl, while their teacher was explaining again how the school works for the new students.
The rest of the class was uneventful. At the end of it, she notified to her teacher she will participate in the class representative election like it was expected from her. Gerda smiled widely with approval. Then she turned to the Northuldra girl to speak about their work together. Her name was Honeymaren she remembered.
"Excuse me, Honeymaren, right ?" The brown haired girl was packing away her school equipment and quickly glanced at her to nod, still tidying her things. Elsa noticed she also had a long bag of one meter and half with some stick or something like that inside, she thought. It intrigued her but she wasn't there for that. "Hum. I thought we could exchange our numbers so we could talk about how we can schedule our work together."
"I don't have a phone. I mean a mobile phone." Honeymaren replied, a little ashamed.
"Oh." Elsa was taken aback. She actually envied the girl. If it wasn't for her family, she wouldn't have a phone either. But they need to communicate. "Then your email address. I will answer quickly." Elsa proposed.
"Sure. But I might be the one who will be late to answer. We only have one computer for three people. Here." She took a piece of paper and write her address in it.
"Thanks. I'm sure we can manage. Actually, I thought-"
The second ring interrupted Elsa in her speech.
"Why are the schools' rings so alarming?" Honeymaren remarked with a laugh.
Elsa could only join her in her laugh. She didn't know why but it was easy to talk with the Northuldra girl.
"Do you know where to go next?" She asked to Elsa.
"Yes. I can show you. It's PE's time!" Elsa said enthusiastically.
Honeymaren followed her in the school corridors with her two bags. The long one in her shoulder and the other one in her back. "I didn't think sport would excite you." She said. "WIth your tailored skirt and blue blazer. The color quite suit you, if I may say."
Elsa was overwhelmed by too much feelings. She was used to compliments but for the first time, it really pleased her. It felt really genuine with no second thoughts behind. "I like these kind of clothes for school." She stated. "And sport is good for your health."Elsa added.
"I agree." Honeymaren stated with a little smile.
Then, the two of them left the main building to cross the interior court toward the gymnasium.
Lunch time arrived. Anna and Merida were on waiting line in the cafeteria. Anna was salivating because today was a sandwich day.
"How can someone be excited by sandwiches?" Merida asked in a retorted question.
"They come in diversity and are simple to make. It's the best food!" Anna answered proud of herself, as if her argument was infaillible.
"If you say so." Merida replied, unconvinced. Then she saw her new friend tortilling herself to look at their side towards the tables where some other students were already seated. "Who are you looking for? A boyfriend?" She took a meat sandwich and some water for lunch.
"My sister! I don't have a boyfriend, yet." Anna explained.
"Yet!?" Merida shout, surprised. "So you want one?"
"I do. Don't you?" Anna inquired finally picking the same meat sandwich as Merida.
"Nope. Romance is not my thing. But you can enjoy it for both of us." The redhead suggested.
"I will!" Anna replied with too much energy for her new friend. "Oh! It's my cousin Rapunzel. I have two friends now!" Anna said with some spirit.
Merida couldn't help but laugh at her fervor. She was glad she met someone like Anna on her first day in high school. "You can't know how happy I am to be away from my brothers. I love them, but there is just too much men in my life."
"How many do you have? Let's go there." Anna showed a table at the end of the cafeteria with two people already seated. One girl and a boy.
"I have four brothers. WIthout my mom, it would be just too sad. Me against five men, counting my father." Merida said, making a weird face while thinking of it.
"Hi Anna! Hi Anna's new friend!" Rapunzel said with the same passion as Anna..
They clearly were from the same family, Merida thought while they sat in front of them.
"I'm Rapunzel!" She had middle long chestnut hair and light green eyes.
"I'm Flynn!" The boy next to her said. He seemed a little older with brown hair and hazel eyes.
"Merida." The redhead said with the her usual monotone voice.
"I'm impressed Anna, you already made a new friend on first day! And where is Elsa? I thought you would stick to her all day." Rapunzel poked fun at her cousin while exchanging an intended smile at her neighbor.
"Pff! I'm not that glued to her!" Anna protested. But she was actually impatient to see her sister, especially to show her new friend. "You're not seeing her? We were supposed to eat together." Anna asked while looking around.
"No need to search for her, Anna. It's Elsa Arendelle were speaking about. Wherever she enters, people notice." Flynn said with no irony in his voice.
"Wow! Are we talking about about some royalty?" Merida inquired.
"Kind of." Rapunzel replied, more interested by her food. "A cold one. Except with her sister."
"But she's still nice!" Flynn added in a higher tone.
"Yes. Yes. She is. But still unreachable if you're not Anna. Don't hope too much with her." Rapunzel explained.
"Ok...I don't think I will try to befriend my friend's sister. But thanks for the warning." Merida said sarcastically.
"She doesn't understand." Flynn remarked while putting an arm behind Rapunzel's shoulders.
"Nope. But she will." Rapunzel predicted while drinking some water.
"Guys stop! Merida will think you're poking fun at her." Anna pleaded while making a apogeletic face to Merida.
"We're just trying to help, Anna. At least Merida doesn't seem to befriend you to get close to Elsa. But you know how it used to be in the past." Rapunzel told her, leaving her detached tone for a more serious one.
"I know." Anna answered with a sad voice. "Merida is from NorthWest. There is no risk."
"I think I start to understand." Merida said, looking at the entrance of the cafeteria. "It's her. Elsa Arendelle." For a second, the redhead thought she was dreaming. Clearly, she never met someone that beautiful in her life.
Flynn and the two girls followed Merida's stare and immediately recognized Elsa. She was on the waiting line like other students. But you couldn't miss her. The new students were looking at her like some celebrity they didn't expect in their school. The order students' stares were mixed. Some with envy, some with sadness, and some with jealousy. But Elsa ignored them all and picked her sandwich. When she payed for it, she heard her sister's voice from across the room.
"Elsa we're here!" Anna waved from their place.
Everyone looked at Anna.
"Who is she?" You could hear.
"How does she know Elsa?" Someone asked.
Elsa kept her neutral face and joined her sister, sitting next to her. She was immediately surprised by a new face. "Hi everyone." She said calmly. "I don't think we have met yet?" She glanced at Merida.
"It's Merida my new friend. She saved me from Weaselton." Anna told with excitement.
But Elsa answered with a petrified look. "Please, tell me you didn't call him like that?"
"It was a strike!" Merida clarified with a proud tone, mimicking the bowling gesture.
Elsa face-palmed herself with a defeated face. "Anna. The professor Weselton had a problem with me in my first year. Please don't provoke him!"
"And what did you do?" Merida wanted to know. Elsa didn't look like the rebel student. Quite the contrary, the redhead thought.
"Nothing." Flynn responded in Elsa's place. "Absolutely nothing. She was just better than him in explaining history and correcting his mistakes. So he accused her of cheating in tests and she had to repass some of them alone."
"Bastard!" Merida shout. She hated injustice, more than anything.
"But you never told me that!" Anna complained to her sister.
"It wasn't important." Elsa dissmed. She joined their forehead to reassure her sister and calm her. "I managed it. I'm fine as long as you're here. So stay away from trouble, ok?" She demanded with a tender smile.
"Ok." Anna could only agree with her big sister. She loves her too much to create trouble. And she was more than happy from the intimacy Elsa just showed. She feared things will be different in high school, like the end of grade school. But they were definitely all past that. The past is in the past. Elsa loved her and no one could get closer to her.
"I don't want to break the sister's moment but everyone is looking at you and some are ready to kill. I swear!" Merida interrupted them and actually looked frightened.
"Just ignore them." Rapunzel advised. "It will stop as soon as they will understand they're sisters. Half of them want to date Elsa. It's just jealousy." The chestnut-haired girl explained.
"Oh. Ok. I know what to do." Merida said.
"What?" All the group cried in unison. They were lost by Merida's conclusion.
The redhead got up from her chair and put her hands on each side of her mouth to help her voice get through the room while shouting. "Calm down everyone! They're sisters!" And then she sat back with a smile, happy of her act. "Now, they know." She said looking at the group who was still dumbfounded by her behavior. But they couldn't ignore the relief sighs in echoing in the cafeteria.
"That's so stupid and smart at the same time!" Rapunzel exclaimed still laughing. "Well done!" She complimented Merida with a victory sign.
"And now we know people will be equally jealous of a girl and a boy. Your first date will need to be quite strong Elsa." Flynn asserted in a more serious tone.
"But Elsa will never date. So it's not a problem." Rapunzel declared with a blink toward her older cousin.
Elsa only answered with a timid smile. She didn't like these kind of talk. She still didn't understand what those people liked about her. But she knew they didn't have any right to be jealous of her imaginary date. She sighed loudly while taking a piece of her salmon sandwich.
"So, Elsa. Are juniors also paired with a Northuldra student to share with them the school spirit?" Flynn questioned in a mocking tone.
For a moment, Elsa seemed more lively. "Yes. We still need to schedule our work. But Honeymaren and I will team up for the month."
"You don't seem happy, Flynn?" Rapunzel inquired. "Are they hostile?"
"Clearly not!" Elsa shout. She put back rebellious front hair behind her back to hide her nervously. It wasn't like her to speak that way. But Rapunzel's words annoyed her for some reason.
Everyone was taken aback but they said nothing while looking at each other.
Flynn coughed and stroked the back of his head. "Hum. No, there is no problem. I don't even have a partner. There is no Northuldra in my class. But Hans -another senior- spoke about it and he didn't seemed delight." The brown haired boy shared an apologetic smile with Elsa who seemed clueless from his words.
"I don't know who is that Hans." Elsa's tone got colder at the guy name. "But I know you can't have any opinion on people you don't know and you can't have prejudice against someone just because they are a part of some group!"
"Yes. Elsa right. We can't judge people that way." Rapunzel agreed with her cousin while pinching Flynn cheek. "Who is that Hans guy? You never spoke about him?"
"Ouch!" Flynn complained. "I don't really know him. We never been in the same class in four years but we sometimes meets in the school gym club."
"The gym club!" Anna eyes were brighten. "There is a gym club! Where can we adhere?"
"Oh! You're that kind of girl." Merida said with an amused smile.
"Well, I'm guilty. I like handsome guys especially if they're are tall and muscular." Anna watched at her cousin with an intend smile.
"That's not why why I chose him." Rapunzel stated, contradicting Anna. "Flynn first quality is being nice."
"Ok. Enough with the romance talk. There are two people here who don't care. So spare us, please." Merida thought she had her dose for the day. She looked at Elsa to ask something. "How much do you take for an history test?"
The platinum-blonde almost spilled her water. "What!"
The rest of the group was astonished too. But Merida didn't see what was wrong with her demand. "You're apparently smarter than the teacher. I'm not. If you help me with history, I will have more time to work on the other subjects."
"How about also working in history?" Rapunzel suggested as if it was the obvious thing to do.
Merida shrugged first. "I hardly passed for high school. I need to work on all subjects."
Elsa smiled strangely. "Anna is good with history. Sometimes, working together makes thing easier. We can help with the rest. But no cheating!" She warned.
"Fine." Merida said, crossing her hands behind her head. "But if I fail, my mother swore to kill me! None of my brother went to college. The pressure is all on me!"
"But do you actually want to go?" Flynn asked.
"I dunno. Maybe. But I don't want to fail this year, that's sure." Merida explained.
"That's a good start." Elsa said. Then she looked outside, through the glassing door and a smile formed around her lips. "I think I will leave now. I need to work in the library before the last period." She kissed Anna cheek and while saying goodbye to everyone.
"Don't forget to show me around after!" Anna reminded her.
Elsa answered with another smile and was gone quickly.
"You're one lucky bastard!" Merida spoke suddenly.
"What?" Anna was startled.
"You have one sister. I have four brothers. The four of them reunited are probably still stupider than your sister. Thanks to share some of her smartness with me." Merida seemed sincerely thankful.
It made Anna's eyes teary. She felt the sincerity in Merida's feelings. She couldn't help but hug her new friend. "Don't worry. We'll pass this year together!"
"Cute!" Rapunzel stated.
"Hey! We're cute too!" Flynn protested kissing her cheek.
Her girlfriend simply laughed at his goofiness. Yes, they were back at school. But it was their last year together and she intended to enjoy it fully.
Everyone was entranced in their little world and they didn't notice some guy approaching. "Hi! I'm Hans."