"How are you feeling today, brother-in-law?"

I had spent the day before finally dressed, but still nestled in bed. I had always hated to be ill: you feel bad, helpless, and alone. It reminds you how weak you can be and that there is no one there who can make you feel better. But then, she came and stuck to my side; and she took care of me with devotion, and she smiled for me, and she made me laugh a thousand times, and she illuminated my existence with her grin, and she made me feel that I was no longer alone, and that, for the first time, I no longer wanted to be.

"Elsa… Good morning."

"Good morning."

"I feel… better, I think. And I'm not your brother-in-law, stop with the joke. If Anna hears you, it will make her feel uncomfortable."

Elsa smiled as she bit the inside of her cheek and slowly raised the shutters.

"Stay a couple more days. You still look weak."

"I don't want to keep bothering you."

"I'm getting tired of hearing nonsense. I like having you here, and Anna is crazy about you and you know it."

"Too much of a good thing."

"Something tells me that it won't be too much for her."

"Nope, because I'm not staying."

"Tell me that tomorrow."

"So I really am a hostage here?"

"Do you happen to know what Anna is painting?"

"What? Why?"

"Because she hasn't let me into her art studio for a few days."

"Oh… I dunno."

It wasn't entirely a lie. Maybe she had changed of project seeing that she couldn't have me posing…

"Nevermind. Are you going to get up today?"

"I think so."

"Don't push yourself, okay?"

"Thank you, Elsa."

"Ah! I've gotten a series of documentaries about volcanoes in the college library that you might like. If you want to see them, they are in the living room."

"Since when are you attracted by volcanoes?"

"I'm not attracted to them at all. I've gone for documentation and Anna has asked me to bring you something so that you do not get bored."

"Did she?"

"Uh-huh…"

"Why does she care so much about me?"

"She likes you."

"What do you mean by that?"

"What do you want me to mean by that?"

"Cut the crap, okay?"

"I'm sorry, Kristoff, but… I'm really wondering if you don't see what I see."

Elsa sat at the foot of the bed and put her hand on my leg.

"I don't know what you think you see, but I think you are imagining things."

"Are you going to tell me you don't like her?"

"I just met her."

"And yet, you like her. Can you say the otherwise?"

"What does that matter? These days will end and she will continue with her life as if I did not exist."

"That's just your assumption."

"It is the logical assumption."

"It may be, but you know? Anna is the least logical person I have ever met."

"Elsa, seriously, I appreciate your good intentions, but I'm not going to try anything with her, okay?"

"And I respect it, it's your decision after all, but… may I know why?"

I closed my eyes and sighed. Why that third grade early in the morning?

"What makes you think that I'm going to know how to love her? Or how to take care of her?"

"What?"

"Never in my life have I received love. How am I supposed to know how to give it?"

Elsa's expression went from a deep wrinkle of concern to a piteous smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about and I'm not going to ask you, but… I want you to know that you're wrong. Only in this house, there are already two people who love you. Each in our own way, but we both love you. I don't know how much love you've received before meeting us, but I can assure you that I love you and would stake my life on the fact that Anna does too."

I looked at Elsa with my head still down. Was she being serious?

"You may not know how to give love, but if you have it inside, it will come out one way or another. Trust yourself a little more."

"Elsa, I…"

Elsa got up, rubbed my head gently, and kissed my forehead.

"Just think about it, okay?"

I nodded vaguely and Elsa left the room leaving me with only my thoughts and a nervous trembling in my gut.

Elsa did love me? I knew she didn't dislike me, but I didn't think she was genuinely fond of me, and no doubt I loved her in some way too, but it was probably the first time I'd been so open to her. On the other hand, what did Anna feel about me? And me for her? I couldn't understand it; I had just met her, but I felt totally hooked on her. I wanted to spend as much time as possible in her company; I wanted to see her smile every day and laugh beside her like a fool. I wanted to hug her again, if possible without making her cry beforehand, I wanted to strangle the guy who hurt her, and, God, I wanted to kiss her. Was I finding in her an escape from a life of loneliness? Would it be true love? I didn't want to use her to heal my wounds. She didn't deserve it… I had to get away before I got more confused, believe what is not true, and end up hurting her too. I had to stop seeing her every day and let her energy feed my soul. I had to get out of there.

"Kristoff!" Anna's lively voice burst into my room as she jumped onto my bed.

"Hey… morning."

"You got such a good color today! Do you want to eat something soft and watch an exciting series of documentaries about volcanoes with me? We have like ten hours of fun waiting for us."

"If you are sleepy, you can go back to bed, you are on vacation. You don't have to force yourself to watch a boring volcano video with me."

"What are you saying? Volcanoes are probably the most exciting thing that stones can give."

"Maybe just after a meteorite."

"Yes, Armageddon may have a little more force… But volcanoes destroy more gracefully. Meteorites are violent, but volcanoes are passionate."

Yes, that was the way she was. Totally like an erupting volcano. She suddenly appears in full force and rebuilds your world completely. Passionate and hot. Leaving a permanent mark on your soul.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked intrigued while waiting for my answer straddling my shins.

"Uh… About… About a volcano. One that has erupted very recently."

"Oh, yeah! I've seen it on TV too!"

"On TV? What are you…? Oh… yeah, of course…"

'Better this way.'

"So, are you signing up for a day full of lava?"

"I'm in."

"Great! I'm getting it ready!"

Anna jumped out of bed and ran into the living room while I stared at the door she had just exited through.

I definitely had to leave that place; I had to get out of there.

"Kristoooooooff! You comiiiing?"

'Maybe tomorrow.'