Chapter thirteen

Hero

"Ugh, boring day!" Anna moaned, walking through the crowded hallway towards the front of the school. "Boring week! Why can't the teachers do something fun for reviews instead of just doing the same lecture over again, just faster?"

"Well, come on," Rapunzel said, pushing her way through the crowds beside her. "They can't all do that class Jeopardy game."

"Yeah they could," Eugene said. "They absolutely could."

The three of them made it out the front door together, squinting against the bright afternoon sun. The school buses were arrayed ahead of them, steadily taking on the hordes of students.

"Ugh, so hot again," Punz said. "Elsa had better not keep you waiting here for long."

"She won't, don't worry," Anna said. "And if she does, I'll just make her buy me more ice cream."

Eugene laughed. "That's what I call a good solution," he said.

Anna scanned through the crowds, looking for any sign of her sister. Instead, she saw one of the three people she had hoped to not see.

"Oh boy," she said, nudging her friends. "Here comes trouble."

One of Hans's cronies was standing in the middle of the crowd, looking directly at her. He wore a sickly grin, and he nodded threateningly at her.

"Of course he's going to make a scene today," Anna said, looking around in the crowd for Hans. "The one day I can't just get on the bus and leave." She scanned the lot for her sister, but the familiar car was nowhere in sight.

Rapunzel touched her arm. "We can stick around until Elsa shows up, if you want."

Anna waved her hand. "Thanks, but no," she said. "I just don't want to deal with this, not right now. And I especially don't want to drag you two into it."

"Oh, we're in it," Eugene said. "We're with you on this."

"Thanks," Anna said warmly.

An idea came to her. "I know," she said. "I'll just text Elsa and tell her to meet me around the back of the school. He won't be able to get to me there without missing his bus." She looked at each of her friends in turn. "Eugene, I need you to run interference. Block him, don't let him text Hans about where I'm headed. Punz, look out for Elsa. If you see her, let her know where I've gone. I'll text her too, just in case." With her plan finalized, she turned around and went upstream through the crowd.

"Anna, wait!" Rapunzel called. But she was already gone, engulfed by the throngs of students eager to start their weekend.

The crowd slowly faded to a trickle as Anna reentered the building, then made her way to the back exit. She checked over her shoulder several times, making sure that none of Hans's friends were following. All the same, she felt a sense of unease as she texted Elsa about her change of plans. As the silence of the empty hallways replaced the clamor of the crowd, she thought about turning back around, but decided against it. Soon it'd be just as empty out front as it was back here, and she'd only end up inconveniencing her friends and Elsa more.

The rear exit of the school was a stark contrast to the front. Instead of a massive expanse of blacktop with lines of school buses, there was simply a modest parking lot, with a simple entrance and exit. Anna had always preferred this entrance to the front, even if it meant waiting a few extra minutes while whoever was picking her up made their way around there. She leaned against the wall, pulled out her phone, and waited for her sister to arrive.

"Fancy meeting you here."

Ice slipped down the back of Anna's spine. She whirled around and, sure enough, there he was, standing between her and the door back into the school. Her phone buzzed in her hand, no doubt with a warning just seconds too late.

"Go away, Hans," she said.

He shook his head. "You've been dodging me all week," he said. "But we're not finished talking."

He tried to touch her shoulder, but she shoved him away. Caught off guard, he stumbled backwards. Anger flashed in his eyes, but he managed to compose himself.

"There's nothing to talk about," Anna said, trying to sound braver than she felt. "We're done. Done. Now you'd better leave before…before my girlfriend shows up and kicks your ass!"

He laughed. "Still going on about that?" He started advancing on her again. "Look, I get it. You're mad at me, you want to lash out. But if we just talk this out, I'm sure we can move past that."

She tried to shove him away again, but he was prepared this time, and kept his balance. Anna pulled her hands back, yanking then away before he could grab them. She started backing away, making sure not to get cornered again, but he was faster than her, and soon he was reaching out again.

"Get the fuck away from her!"

Hans spun around. Elsa had just emerged from the school, murder in her eyes. Rapunzel was right behind her, looking relieved.

"Elsa!" Anna said, a wave of relief washing over her.

Hans looked surprised, but only for a moment. "Well, well, fake girlfriend isn't so fake after all," he said to Anna. Turning around, he addressed Elsa, palms open to her in an amicable gesture.

"Look, miss – Elsa, was it? I don't know what Anna's been telling you, but she and I are still together. We're going through a rough patch right now, but we're going to work things out. I'm sorry if she led you on, it's partially my fault as well for not reaching out to her sooner, but-"

"I know you."

Elsa's interruption was quiet and low. Like the first few rocks tumbling down a mountain.

Hans blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"I've met your kind before. You're a spoiled brat. Someone who sees something they like and decides it's their goddamn birthright to have it. You don't even care that you broke her heart. All you care about is getting her back, like she's a trophy for you to win."

Hans frowned. "Now wait just a second," he began. "Maybe I care more than you-" Elsa cut him off with a glare.

"Well, guess what? Anna can do better than you, and she has. She chose me, and I chose her. You want her back? You can't have her. She's mine."

She advanced on Hans threateningly. He took a step back, almost involuntarily. Anna took the chance to run around him to Elsa's side, and she clutched her arm.

Hans seemed flustered. He clearly didn't want to back down, but it seemed he was sorely missing his two more muscular friends to back him up. It seemed his anger was going to win out over his cowardice, though.

"I am going to give you one chance," Elsa said. "Just one. Mostly because I'm sure you're too much of a dumb shit to take it. Walk away now, and never talk to my girlfriend ever again."

"Y-yeah?" Hans said, drawing himself up. "Or what?"

Elsa smiled cruelly. "Or else I'll destroy the one thing you actually care about."

Hans managed a laugh. "Ooh, big threat," he said, throwing up his arms in mock terror. "What, did you hear that in an anime or some-"

Elsa kicked.

Hans stopped mid-sentence. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out, and his eyes began to water. His knees buckled, and he crumpled, his hands going to his crotch.

As he went down, Elsa's knee came up. It collided squarely with his right cheekbone, altering his trajectory and sending him sideways. His head hit the grass hard.

Elsa stood over him. "Now, I don't ever want to hear that you hurt Anna ever again. Don't look at her, don't touch her, don't talk to her, don't have anything to do with her. Understand? Or I'll be back."

She turned to look at Anna, who was standing stock still, shaking. "Are you okay, Anna?" Elsa asked urgently. "Did he touch you? Did he-"

Anna ran to her and wrapped her arms around her, burying her head against Elsa's chest. Elsa hugged her back, as tightly as she could, and stroked her hair. "It's okay, it's okay," she said, whispering soothingly in her ear. "I'm here. He can't hurt you anymore. I'm here."

"I'm…I'm sorry," Anna sobbed against Elsa's chest. Elsa felt her shirt dampening.

"Sorry?" Elsa said, confused.

"I should have just waited for you out front. It was stupid to come back here. It's my fault he-"

Elsa squeezed her tighter, giving her the signal to stop. "None of this is your fault," she said, whispering into Anna's ear. "He's the only stupid one here."

She gestured to Hans, still lying on the ground. He had started crying, too, an inelegant blubbering as he curled himself into the fetal position.

Elsa regarded him with distaste. "Come on," she said, addressing Anna and Rapunzel. "Let's get the hell out of here."

Anna dried her eyes, sniffled, and nodded. The three girls began to walk away.

"Wait!" Hans cried out.

They all whirled around to face him, Elsa stretching out a protective arm in front of Anna.

"W…wait," he repeated weakly. He sniveled, making no attempt to stand and keeping perfectly still. "Anna," he managed, looking at her. "Are you h-happy with her?"

Anna nodded immediately.

Hans sniffed again. "F-fine," he said, sounding less spiteful and more defeated. "I just w-wish you c-could've been happy with m-me."

Elsa put her fists on her hips, unmoved by his pathetic attempt at an apology.

Hans turned to her next. "Elsa," he said, staring fearfully up at her. "Y-you won't…break her h-heart?"

Elsa was surprised by the question, but she shook her head quickly. "No," she said. "Never."

Again Hans sniffed, a strand of mucus dribbling from his nose. "G-good," he said. "If you do, I'll…I'll…I'll k-k-kick your f-fucking teeth in."

He curled up quickly, expecting a swift reprisal, but Elsa just stared at him, dumbfounded.

Rapunzel stepped forward. "You'll…How fucking dare you!" she said, glowering.

Elsa stopped her. "It's okay," she said. "He's done."

Indeed, he was. Curled into a ball, trying to wipe away his tears and snot while still bawling, Hans was the image of a broken man.

Elsa looked down at Anna. "I don't know about you," she said, "but I could really go for some ice cream right now."

Anna looked at her through teary eyes and nodded, managing a smile.

Elsa extended a hand to Rapunzel. "How about you, Punzie?" she asked. "You up for some?"

She shook her head. "Thanks but no thanks, Elsa," she said. "I think you two could use some time alone together."

Elsa nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Punzie," she said, tousling the younger girl's hair before wrapping that arm back around her sister. "You'd better scamper for the bus, then."

"Ah, shit, you're right," Rapunzel said. "Anna, are you good?"

Anna looked at her, then looked back up at Elsa, in whose arms she was happily nested. She smiled.

"Yeah," she said. "I'm good."