Chapter 2:
A/N:
This chapter was easier to write than the last one, so it's a little earlier than I expected. And I didn't want to leave anyone hanging, especially because I'll be busy especially starting this week. Again, this is a short fic, so there'll probably be just a chapter or two after this.
Without further ado, I hope you enjoy!
Nearly a week later, I find myself laying in bed, listening to music. I close my eyes as I let my mind drift and allow the music to bring me to another place
If I don't say this now, I will surely break
As I'm leaving the one I want to take
Forgive the urgency, but hurry up and wait
My heart has started to separate
I open my eyes and stare at the ceiling as I continue listening.
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Be my baby
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Be my baby
I'll look after you
Just then, my phone vibrates next to me. I glance at the notification. Elsa sent me a text. How timely. It's like the universe is watching over me or something.
Elsa: Hey, I'm bored. Please talk to me. :)
A blush finds its to my cheeks.
Me: bored? lol aren't you too busy doing homework? :p
Elsa: I just finished actually. What are you up to? Have you started on yours?
Of course she's done with homework before dinner. What a nerd.
Me: ...kinda. i'm just chilling rn.
Elsa: "Chilling" huh?
I can almost see her smirking through the screen. That stupid smirk of hers that does things to me.
Me: uh huh!
I then send her a goofy selfie. I was laying down on the bed, sticking my tongue at the camera with my earphones draped from my ears to my shoulders.
Elsa: Hahahaha. That's expected.
Me: your turn! send a selfie
After a few moments, she does. Her hair was undone, and she was smiling lopsidedly. She's absolutely stunning. God, she doesn't even have to try! It's so unfair.
Me: yay :D
Elsa: Hehe. Well, anyway, I've been meaning to ask. Do you want to sleepover this weekend? We can have it at my place this time.
Suddenly, I'm grinning like an idiot. I swear, if someone walked in on me right now, they'd remark that I looked like a lovesick teenager. Well, I mean, that's exactly what I am, right?
Me: yes please! i've missed your mom's cooking :D can't wait!
I hear my door swing open, and I turn my head to see my mom standing at the doorway.
"Time for dinner, honey," she says with a smile.
I sit up on my bed and smile back at her. "Okay, mom. I'll be right down."
Me: welp, i gotta go. dinner time. see ya tomorrow, Els!
Elsa: See you. :)
The song was long over, but one line reverberated through my mind.
You've begun to feel like home.
Elsa and I would have occasional sleepovers, usually during a weekend unless it was summer vacation. And this is just one of those weekends. I arrive at her house after lunch, then we did some homework. After a scrumptious dinner, we talked about life, school, shared jokes (and memes, because memes are awesome), and ate way, way too much junk food (mostly my fault). Afterwards, we decided to watch some Netflix. I'm lying down on my front on her bed, my elbows propping me up as I hug a pillow, while she sits right next to me.
I hear the door creak open. "Hey, girls. You doing okay? Can I get you guys anything?" Elsa's mom asks.
My face brightens up. "No, thanks. We're good, Aunt Iduna."
"Well, if you need anything, just let me know. Good night, girls. Love you, Elsa," she says and I voice a 'good night' in response.
"Love you, too, mom," Elsa replies. Her mom nodded with a smile, then closed the door.
I grin at their exchange.
"So, uhm, Anna," she mumbles as she fiddles with her thumbs. "There's something I'd like to share with you."
"Sure. What is it?" I inquire, my eyes still fixated on the TV screen.
"Just...don't make a big deal out of it, okay?" she utters worriedly.
I raise my eyebrow at her and sit up on the bed. She then takes both of my hands in hers.
"Els, what could you possibly-"
"I like someone." She gulped.
I blink. Then, I slowly avert my gaze to the bed beneath us.
Oh.
"Anna?"
"O-Oh, sorry," I stutter. "Uhm...who?"
"Uhm...Bell. The girl in my French class?"
I take a deep breath as I struggle to keep my emotions at bay.
Oh.
I felt a pang in my chest. Oh, god.
My best friend bites her lip in apprehension. "I mean, she's smart, well-read, diligent and really sweet, and I've liked her for quite a while. I just wanted to confide in you, since you're the one I'm closest to. You're like a sister to me, Anna."
My heart sank.
I press lips before giving her the most genuine smile I could. "R-Right, of course. I'm glad you opened up to me about it, Elsa." I pause for a moment. "So...are you gonna ask her out?"
Slightly taken aback by my question, her cheeks flush. "N-No. I mean, I don't know…"
Heaving a sigh, I suppressed all the words that I actually wanted to say. "Well.." I begin. "If you really like her and see potential, then I say go for it. I want you to be happy."
She chuckles. "I already am happy. Besides, I just like her, Anna. That doesn't mean I have to ask her out."
"I know."
She beams at me. Although it pains me, she's happy. And that's all that matters to me.
The platinum blonde rarely showed any romantic interest in anyone, if at all. And of course it would never be me. Why would it? I know Belle. I'm nothing like her. Come to think of it, they're similar in so many ways. I'm way out of her league. I mean, I always knew that she probably wouldn't reciprocate, but actually hearing her express how she liked someone else and saw me as a sister all in one breath... hurts.
And because maybe deep, deep down inside, there was just a tiny sliver of hope that maybe...she would feel the same way about me.
She might as well have taken a knife and stabbed it through my heart.
"Anna, are you okay?"
I snap out of my thoughts. "What? Of course, I am," I lie. "There's no reason for me not to be." Although it feels like I was telling that last part to myself.
"You seem...a little distressed, I've noticed. What's wrong?" Her eyebrows were scrunched in concern.
"N-Nothing's wrong. I'm just...tired, that's all." I turn my eyes away from her, then force out a chuckle. "Busy week, ya know."
Still, she doesn't look convinced. "You can tell me anything. You know that."
Like I said, I couldn't ask for a better best friend than Elsa, and I know that she'd love me no matter what. But I can't tell her how I feel.
I can't do that to her.
"I do know that, Els. But I'm okay, really."
"Anna, please-"
"I said I'm fine. I mean, besides just now, it's not like you always open up to me, anyway!" I lash out, sounding much harsher than I intended.
My eyes widen. I fix my eyes on my best friend and she looks genuinely hurt. I'm a fucking idiot.
She averts her gaze to the floor and bites her lip. "I-I'm sorry."
Wait, what?
"No, Elsa. I-I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have said that. You're just naturally reserved and not as much of an open book like I am, and I get that," my eyes soften as I bite my lip. Right now, however, I was anything but an open book.
She wraps her arms around me. "No. I shouldn't have pushed you. You're not comfortable telling me, and I respect that," she replies as I hug her around her waist. "But I just want you to know that I love you and I'll always be here for you."
"I know. I love you, too." My eyes glaze over the baby blue walls of her room, musing about how I want her to love me the same way I love her. But I can't tell her that. "I'm so lucky to have you as my best friend," I express sincerely as she pulls away.
Elsa smiles at me sweetly.
"I'm luckier."
The following Wednesday, I'm in school, grumpily stuffing things into my locker, muttering my annoyance to nobody in particular.
"Hey, feistypants," I hear a familiar masculine voice greet me. "What's gotten your panties in a twist?"
I glare at him, causing him to lift his hands in front of him defensively. I huff in irritation. "That jerk, Hans Westergard, tried hitting on me. And when I refused to go out with him, he called me the 'd-word', and shoved me to the ground." I groan as I shut my locker. "Jackass."
All of a sudden, I hear him start to stomp away from me. But I'm able to grasp his arm before he got too far.
"Hey, where are you going?" I ask almost accusingly.
"I'm gonna give Sideburns a piece of my fucking mind," he grumbles, not even sparing a glance at me
"Woah, woah. Relax," I try to calm him down. "You don't have to do that, Kris."
"But he-"
"Nuh uh!" I cut him off, raising my pointer finger in front of me. He looks at me with a surprised look on his face. I sigh as my hand fell limp at my side. "Come on, I'm a big girl. I can handle myself," I shrug.
His eyes soften. "Fine. But the next time he lays a finger on you, I'm gonna mess him up."
I playfully roll my eyes and shake my head. "I bet you will."
And then, I catch a hint of platinum blonde approaching our direction. My heart skips a beat and felt a stupid grin forming on my face. That is, until, I noticed who she was chatting with.
Of course. As if I didn't need anything else to make me feel worse today.
Wait a minute.
Am I...jealous?
Nope! I am certainly not jealous. I'm not supposed to be.
She and the brunette continue talking for a few more moments, before Belle bids her goodbye and enters one of the classrooms. I saw my best friend flash a sweet smile at Kristoff and I as she approaches.
"Hi, guys," she says, and I greet her back.
"Was that Belle you were just talking to?" The burly blond next to me asks casually.
"Yes, she's my partner for a French assignment," she replies nonchalantly.
I'm not jealous.
I purse my lips. "So, how's that coming along?"
"She's a great partner and she isn't a freeloader, so that makes things a lot easier for me," she explains with a small laugh. "I like working with her."
Lucky girl.
"What was that?" She asks, her eyebrows scrunched in confusion.
Fuck. I can't believe I just I said that out loud.
"Uh, I mean 'you'! Luck you, because you'll actually get stuff done and have a higher chance of earning a good grade because you don't have to deal with some dumb freeloader, and you have someone who's actually competent to be your partner! So, yeah, 'you'. Lucky you." As I end my awkward spiel, I mentally slap myself. Klutz.
She's your best friend, you big goof. Get it together.
I'm such a loser.
"Okay?" She chuckles awkwardly as she raises an eyebrow.
Kristoff snorts. "Come on, let's go to class."
We then begin to saunter on our way to English class.
"Ooh! Isn't it Flynn, Cassandra and Raps' presentation today?" I squeal.
"Uh huh. I wonder how that's gonna go," Kristoff replies.
"Chaotic," Elsa quips, earning laughs from the both of us.
What makes it even funnier is that it perfectly describes my feelings right now.
Stupid hormones.
A/N:
Poor Anna. Can't catch a break, can she? Also, the song that she was listening to at the beginning is "Look After You" by The Fray. Beautiful song.
Next chapter should be up around next week.
Stay tuned.
Yeet.