"What if I stop by just a while to make sure none of them have relapsed?"

'What a stupidity, Kristoff. They've both gotten over it and, even if they weren't, they don't need you at all; they know how to get by on their own. Why don't you admit that you're just looking for excuses to see Anna?'

I could admit it, but there was nothing I could do about it. I didn't have an express invitation until New Year's Eve and, to be honest, I wasn't sure if I should accept it. Wouldn't they rather make their plans on their own? What would Anna's gift be? Would she have a gift or was it the way she found to muddle through at Christmas? As attentive as she was, surely she would make sure to get one, and I didn't want her to be forced or in a hurry… Probably, the right thing to do was to tell them that I was not going.

I wandered the Christmas streets of the city aimlessly as if waiting for something magical to happen and give me the inspiration and determination I needed to decide what to do. I wanted to get close to Anna, seriously, but getting into her private life like that still seemed like an invasion on my part. However… what other opportunity could I find to see her? I hadn't set foot in that house in four years with Elsa. How was I going to show up there again shortly after I left without a really compelling excuse?

"A sight for sore eyes!"

That sneering voice that came from inside a craft supply store made my hair stand on end.

"What a coincidence, I'm thinking of ripping mine off."

Couldn't be. That second voice made me shudder too, but in a totally different way.

'Anna?'

I turned and saw her there, with contempt painted all over her face, her back straight, and her forehead held high, her gaze challenging a snooty redhead with the most ridiculous sideburns I'd ever seen.

"So you still hold a grudge against me?"

"It's more a matter of revulsion."

"Come on, Anna, we're all grown up… I'm sure we can pick things up where we left them."

Anna clenched her fists almost as much as I did.

It was him, right? That Hans. The guy that I wouldn't mind using as a non-slip chain on my car wheels.

"You mean the moment you called me pathetic, ridiculous, and manipulative?"

"I'm sorry, Anna. I acted like a stupid child, but… I want to do things right this time. You will never be alone again."

I thought I had gotten over the virus, but my stomach clenched at the prospect of Anna accepting his offer.

"Do you realize that you are telling me all that with the 'F' in a drawing test peeking out of that brown folder?"

"That is nothing more than an unfortunate coincidence," Hans said with an utter natural smile as he hurried to hide that paper in the most hidden corner of his folder.

"Do you really think I'm dumb enough to fall twice?!"

"Come on, you don't have to be like that. We both got what we wanted: you stopped being the pathetic depressed girl and I got the perfect grade on my project."

"SHE got the perfect grade on your project."

It wasn't my battle, but I wasn't willing to stare at how that bastard kept trying to hurt her.

"Kristoff?!"

"And, who are you?"

"The one who's going to take her out of here before either she or I end up satiating our criminal desires."

"Have you got a boyfriend? You have to be even better in bed than drawing to get someone to endure you for more than a couple of days…"

'I'm gonna crush him.'

My mind was suddenly clouded and my feet approached him decisively. I don't know how that would have turned out if it hadn't been for Anna's reassuring hand on my chest.

"Calm down, Kristoff. It's not worth it. He has enough pain having to live with such a swine every second of his life."

I looked down at Anna, saw her calm gaze and smile, and the air filled my lungs again. Then, broadening her smile, she offered me her arm.

"Let's go?"

"Didn't you have to buy anything?"

"I'm done here."

Without any extra word, I, carefully but firmly, entwined her arm with mine and we walked out of there under the incredulous gaze of the guy with the sideburns.

"You okay?" I asked a few feet from the exit feeling her shoulders relax.

"Yeah, you? With your size, you should be in control of your temper."

"I'm sorry… It's been the first time in my entire life that I've lost my nerves… I've never felt so much anger all at once. I didn't mean to…"

"Thank you for caring about me."

I held her gaze for a second and felt my cheeks heat up.

"Eh… were you heading home? Do you want me to take you?"

"No… I was going home, but I came with Elsa's car."

"Oh… okay."

"What about you? Did you have plans?"

"No. I was just getting some fresh air."

"Yeah… It's been a long time without leaving the house, right?"

That wasn't the reason why I needed to cool my head.

"Well, then… you want me to walk you to the car?"

"I would love it."

I nodded and Anna guided me to the car, which, unfortunately, was only a couple of streets away.

"See you on New Year's Eve?" she asked before getting in the car.

"Uh…"

"I have to give you your present."

"I… I don't know, Anna… Surely you and Elsa are better without…"

"We are better with you. We have never laughed so much on Christmas like in this one. And that being all half sick… Come, please. If you want, that is. You don't have to force yourself, it's just… well… if that's okay with you…"

Her rambling always managed to get a smile out of me.

"I'll go. Thanks for the invitation."

"Really?!"

The thrill in her gaze and the almost imperceptible jumps that she gave on the site made me think that she was going to hug me again, but it was not the case. Instead, she returned to her lip-biting fixation, tucked a lock behind her ear, and, with an adventurous smile, gave me another of her kisses on the cheek.

"See you in two days, then."

"Yeah, see ya."

Anna got into the car and drove away in the most dangerous way possible. She was crazy. She was brave and reckless, erratic, unpredictable, cheerful, optimistic, confident, warm, sweet, full of life and light, sincere and strong, and she always gave her all; and me, a mountain next to her, a rock in the middle of the sea watching how everything moves around me without letting it affect me more than by sheer wear and tear, completely in love with her. Maybe it was time to let me turn to sand and let myself be carried away.