Cold Secrets
-M. Lauren
Chapter Eleven
"So, you kissed and then what?"
Elsa playfully leaned into Anna's hip. "Stop it! I've already told you everything you need to know! Don't make me repeat it."
Anna giggled. Her hands tightened on the stroller. "I just love seeing you get all flustered and red faced! This is so unlike you, Elsa! Ah! I am loving it."
She groaned. Elsa dropped the box of cereal into her cart with an audible thud. "You're terrible, you know that?"
"Please, I'm your sister. Therefore, I am biologically programmed to harass you about your love life." Anna watched Elsa roll her eyes. "Come on! You know I'm only teasing…"
"Could have fooled me," Elsa sassed, as her phone vibrated within her pocket.
She pulled off to the side of the aisle and looked down. Her heart began to race. Her cheeks turned pink, and her eyes went wide.
"It's her!" she looked to Anna for help.
"She's texting you?" she asked.
Elsa shook her head and turned the phone towards Anna. "Calling! What do I do?"
"What do you mean, 'What do you do?' You answer it! Come on, don't be weird!" She drew in tight at Elsa's side; too close- for her sister's comfort.
Elsa hesitated for only a brief moment more before deciding to answer.
"Um, hello?" She tried to push Anna away by turning her shoulder.
"Hey, Snowflake. How are you doing?"
"Snowflake?" Anna giggled.
Elsa shot her a glare. She continued pushing the cart down the aisle, leaving Anna to eagerly follow behind her.
"I'm good- grocery shopping. How are you?"
"I'm doing well…" Honeymaren responded evenly. "But listen, if you're busy I'll make this quick."
"Alright, go ahead. I'm all ears… " Elsa felt the heat in her face increase at the sound of her voice alone.
"So, I was looking at my schedule for this week, and it's packed… like jam packed…"
"No worries!" Elsa shrugged. "We can try for the following."
"-but wait… I'm not finished." Honeymaren waited to see if she would protest. When Elsa didn't, she continued. "Anyway, like I was saying… it's a busy week. However, Ryder and I have this Halloween party at his school on Saturday, and I was wondering if you might want to go with us? I figured we could go back to my place after, eat his candy, watch classic horror movies…"
She could hear Honeymaren's voice lifting the longer she continued speaking. Elsa still, was forced to sigh.
"Well, this is difficult…" she began, cringing at her own words. "-because I'm already going to the event at the school…"
"Because of Millie, right… I did wonder."
"Yes, Millie…" she hummed, and Anna was suddenly at her side again; showing off her wide blue eyes.
"Well, if I may make a suggestion," Honeymaren sang. "If your sister's alright with it- perhaps you go with them, and then leave with us?"
Blushing, Elsa turned to Anna, but only briefly. Her gaze quickly sought the ceiling in avoidance. "I will have to ask her…"
Anna made a face, but Elsa ignored it. She feigned shopping for random things in the pet food aisle… for the pet she didn't have, of course.
"Of course, and don't stress. Get back to me when you can."
Elsa nodded to herself. "I can do that… I'll talk to you tomorrow at work."
"Great!" Elsa could almost hear how Honeymaren smiled. "Well, I'll let you get back to grocery shopping. Goodbye, Snowflake." she teased.
"Bye, Maren…"
Quickly stashing her phone, Elsa attempted to pick up speed. Anna wasn't having it, though. She was right there at Elsa's side, eyeing her like crazy.
"Well?" she demanded.
"Well what?" Elsa asked, doing her best to avoid Anna's gaze.
Thinking quickly, she steered the stroller in front of Elsa's cart. Elsa glared, seeing her predicament. Anna had effectively pinned her to the aisle; knowing very well that she didn't have the heart to push the stroller out of her way.
"What did she say?" her hands fought to her hips.
Elsa sighed. "She invited me over again, but it's not going to work out this time, okay? It's no big deal!"
She tried to back away, but Anna caught the cart with her hand. "-and why won't it work out?"
"Because…" Elsa huffed. Her eyes diverted. "-because she invited me to the Halloween party, but I already committed to going with you!"
Anna's expression grew bored. She flashed Elsa a slow blink. "I'm sorry, but are you seriously trying to use me as your scapegoat?" she deadpanned.
"It's not a scapegoat!" Elsa defended. "I didn't lie! We already have plans…"
"And since when is your sister so unreasonable that she wouldn't want you to take off early to spend time with your new, sexy, single-mom girlfriend?"
Her brows pulled low. "She's not my girlfriend." Elsa grumbled.
"Not yet, anyway…"
She watched Elsa roll her eyes.
"Come on! You know you want to say yes. Don't you dare use me as your excuse! I'll have no problem walking up to Honeymaren on Saturday and telling her you have absolutely no plans after."
Elsa held her glare. "Fine!" she scoffed. "-but I'm not sharing anymore details with you, then."
"Your threats don't hurt me, Elsa. You know you're going to tell me regardless…" Anna smiled as she pulled the stroller away from Elsa's cart. "Oh, and speaking of neglected details… Snowflake? Really?"
Elsa quickly hurried from the aisle.
"Wait! Don't be like that! I think it's adorable!" Anna shouted after her.
"Coffee?"
Elsa's phone buzzed against her desk. She pulled her eyes away from the computer screen and looked down. With context like that, naturally it was Honeymaren. Yet despite knowing it, seeing her name flash across the screen still drew a smile to Elsa's lips. The reaction caused her to feel a little silly, but she ignored it.
"Am I coming to you, or are you coming to me?" she replied. Elsa replaced the phone against her desk.
"Already on my way to your office. Don't leave…"
Her heart lurched. Elsa's eyes widened. All at once, she was trying to use her computer screen as a mirror, fingers scratching through her blonde hairs. Checking herself over, Elsa made certain her skirt was smooth and laying flat, and she cleaned the smudged makeup from beneath her eyes. She couldn't recall a time where she'd ever put this much energy into her appearance.
It was kind of… fun.
Elsa was reeling in a deep breath when the knock at the door surfaced. A wave of heat washed over her, causing Elsa to turn slowly in her seat.
Honeymaren was already entering her office. She had her back to Elsa as she closed the door behind her.
"You know, I am starting to get a little concerned for what happens after pumpkin spice season ends…"
Elsa accepted the coffee that was humorously thrusted into her hands. "I drink regular coffee too, you know…"
She took a slow sip as Honeymaren dragged a waiting-chair closer to her desk. Today, she was wearing a long green skirt and a black top. It was different for Honeymaren, but still considerably attractive. It had Elsa trying to rein back in her stare. The challenge proved difficult, and so she looked down at her hands instead.
"I don't have long…" Honeymaren tried to steal Elsa's attention. "Unfortunately, someone's office is on the opposite side of campus as the library."
"Hence the reason I hide from my students' outside of office hours there! In fact, I'm fairly certain more than half of my classes don't even know we have a library…" Elsa smirked.
"-and all this time, I thought it was the free coffee that kept you coming back." Honeymaren's large brown eyes circled playfully towards the ceiling.
"Well, now that I found a service that delivers, who knows… I might not need to leave my office at all."
Her jaw dropped to reply, but the words stalled out. This new and rare side of Elsa's personality; it was going to get Honeymaren into trouble.
"I could start charging you," she dared. Elsa's brow arched, and Honeymaren forced herself to look away. "Anyway… like I said, I don't have long, but I did want to check in and see if you had any updates on Saturday?"
"I do…" Elsa's head tilted to the side.
Honeymaren lowered her eyes. "-and?" she sang.
"-and… I'll be there."
"Great!"
Elsa could feel the beginnings of a blush heating against her cheeks. She wondered if Honeymaren would always have this affect on her, or if she'd eventually grow used to it.
"Two seconds ago you were blatantly flirting with me, and now… look at you!" Honeymaren shook her head. "-all flustered because I asked you out… and again, might I add."
"I'm not flustered." Elsa leveled. She took a long sip from her coffee.
"-and on that note, I've got to get back…" With a sigh, she stood from her seat. Honeymaren then surprised Elsa by lowering her head down an inch from hers. "See you later, Snowflake."
Her mouth pressed quickly to Elsa's. Honeymaren's hand sealed to the back of her head. Feeling daring, her tongue swept out across Elsa's bottom lip, and she quickly pulled away.
Elsa watched her heading slowly towards the door. Honeymaren stalled for a moment before turning back.
"Hmm…" she contemplated. "As it turns out, I might enjoy pumpkin spice afterall…"
With a shrug, Honeymaren left the room, leaving Elsa's jaw slack and her eyes stunned wide.
Cheers,
-M.