Chapter 10: Who cares what people say

That night Anna received an intensive course on electricity and electrical appliances, telephony, computers, photography, plastics and recycling, gastronomy, politics, means of transport, sports, music, cinema and literature, economics, sewerage systems, and water treatment… I'm sure I forgetting something and surely I had things left to explain. It was crazy. I don't know which of the two ended up more tired.

We went to bed at dawn again and she almost bit me when, at ten in the morning, I knocked on her door to wake her up to go shopping.

"No way!" she growled inside her room.
"Anna, you need clothes."
"I won't need it if I never get out of bed again."
"C'mon," I said trying to hide my laugh. "We can't get used to this pace, we have to start living during the day."
"Gimme just two more hours…"
"Breakfast is on the table. If you haven't left the room in half an hour, I'll eat your portion."
"Are you kidding me?!"
"No kidding. I have to make up for the lack of sleep in some way."
"Okay, okay! I'm up now! Don't even think about touching it or you'll have to face the princess of Arendelle!"

Anna abruptly opened her bedroom door and I found myself face to face with a ramshackle, hungry beast ready to protect her breakfast at all costs. A laugh escaped my throat causing a small smile on her rosy face.

"Morning, feisty pants."
"Morning…"

We ate breakfast quickly and voraciously, got ready, and went out to the streets.

"Look, Kristoff! Traffic lights!"
"Uh… yeah."
"And the light's cables!"
"Yup."
"And a crane!"
"Good idea to spend all night studying. Now we're not drawing attention at all," I said laughing.
"I don't care! Let me enjoy it!"
"Be my guest."

It was really gratifying to see the emotion in her eyes every time she recognized any detail of everything she had just learned.

"Do you want to try entering here? They seem to have quite a variety."
"Sure, let's go in. And later, will you let me try the pizza?"
"Do ya think of something other than food?"
"I'm just trying to get to know you better."
"Of course…"

We entered that shop excessively filled up with clothes to a point a little stressful for my liking and, after Anna's revealing "Waaaaao", an attentive shop assistant approached us.

"Hello. Can I help you?"

Oh no. That voice. I turned around and, I saw that the one who looked like a friendly saleswoman was indeed Unne, the shameless Unne.

"Hey! Look who it is!"
"So here you work…" I said with some apathy.

Anna looked at me intrigued, Unne looked at Anna, Anna smiled at Unne, and Unne stabbed Anna with her gaze.

"Are you his little sister?" Unne asked with the poison restrained on the tip of her tongue.
"Kristoff's? Oh, no! That would be so weird, I don't know if you understand me."

'No, Anna, of course she doesn't understand you.'

"Of course I understand you, dear. But don't trust him too much: he's a loner; it won't take a long time for him to get rid of you."

Anna's friendly face suddenly changed to one of deep annoyance.

"I appreciate your concern, but I fully trust him. You don't thaw a frozen heart with fake feelings."
"Wha…?"
"Look, Anna! What do you think of that over there?!"

I dragged her to the first thing I saw away from Unne, grabbed her by the shoulders, and met her gaze.

"What were you doing there?!"
"I was speaking badly of you! How does she dare?"
"Hey, I appreciate it, but there're things we can't say, remember?"
"But…"

"Besides, what does it matter what she thinks of me?"
"It makes me angry!"
"Well, don't let it bother you. It's not important, okay? Better put your efforts into finding something to wear so we can go get that pizza soon."
"Is she an ex-girlfriend or something?"
"God free me from mixing with her…"

"All right, give me a minute, I'll be done right away."

Forty-seven minutes later, she finally finished choosing clothes and went into the fitting room. I waited outside, leaning against the wall, fighting the temptation to look for her reflection in the little piece of mirror that was seen above the door.

"So, you like naive dolls, huh?" Unne said attacking again.
"That's none of your business."
"I think you'd be better with a woman like me. You know, more worldly-wise. There are things that good girls don't know how to do."
"That naive doll that you say knows the world as you never could," I said crossing my arms perfectly sure of my words.
"Sure… Fine, play with her if you want. When you get bored, you know where to find me."
"Don't count on it. That's not gonna happen."
"So serious is your relationship?"
"Whether or not I have something with her, Anna is not a game to me."

Unne glared at me defiantly and angry and returned to the counter.

"Kristoff…" Anna yelled from inside the fitting room.
"You need something?"
"How should I open this?"

A hand reached over the door holding a closed T-shirt.

"Velcro."
"What?"
"Just pull sideways…"
"I don't want to rip it!"

I stuck my hands out over the fitting room door and took off the velcro of the shirt neck.

"Magic," I said as I handed it back to her.
"So there were still things to learn…"

She took the garment and, in a few minutes, was out of there with a wide, bright smile of satisfaction and dressed in clothing of this century.

"Clothes from this time are great! I'm wearing panties!"
"Anna!"

I looked in all directions hoping that no one had heard that, but it wasn't like that, a couple of kids were secretly laughing a few meters away. The good thing about being large is that a single look is good for many things, and it didn't take more for them to turn around and leave the store.

"The clothes you are wearing… will have to be paid too."
"Obviously. I had no intention of stealing it."
"I was afraid you would say that…"

Unne's face when she saw her appear back dressed in the clothes of the shop and with another pile of clothes in her arms, was priceless.

"I will have to cut the labels to pass the code."
"Oh, excuse me for giving you too much work. You know, it's what it takes to be a naive doll."

Unne and I froze. She had heard everything. I tried to lower my head to hide my colors, but I met her bright smile and stopped feeling that need. On the contrary, I enjoyed seeing Unne working in absolute silence much quieter and more crestfallen than I was.

When we finished in the register, Anna took hold of my arm and we left that nightmare place. She looked at me with anxiety painted all over her face and I knew what was the only thing that could be causing such a reaction in her.

"Pizza?" I asked with a grin knowing the answer.
"Pizza!"