Warning: mentions of anxiety. It shouldn't be enough to be triggering, by my reckoning, but I know different people are more or less sensitive than others and however sensitive you are it is neither wrong or right, so please take care of yourselves my wonderful darlings.

Okay yes they're all Modern AUs at the minute; shoot me.

This one is very close to my heart at the minute; if you read between the lines it's the reason I haven't been updating right now. I hope you enjoy!

Day 9- Hit The Lights- Modern High School AU

"I don't want to do this."

Elsa planted both feet firmly on the ground and stared up at the house before her. Her form was stiff, and she squeezed Jack's hand so tight he thought it would break, but he didn't say anything, not wanting to make it worse.

"I know, but it'll be fine, I promise."

Biting her lip, Elsa turned to Jack with wide eyes. Anxiety churned in her stomach as if she were about to throw up, and irrationally she considered telling him she was going to be sick just to get out of it. Then she tightened her grip on Jack's hand, rooting herself, and forced the thought away.

"But-"

"Elsa. Remember why we're here?"

Elsa sighed. She did remember. The whole point of putting her in situations that made her anxious was to show her body that there was nothing to be afraid of. Her therapist had told her that it would take a while but eventually her brain would stop sensing danger where there was none and she would be able to relax.

Unfortunately, she still had to get through the extreme anxiety part before that happened.

"Yeah." She paused and swallowed, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. "Alright."

"We don't have to stay long." Jack promised as they walked into the party. "Once you've been in for ten minutes it's up to you when we leave. You never know, you might like it!"

Elsa remained unconvinced, but she followed the boy in anyway.

-line break-

Bad things happened at that party.

Well, no, they didn't. Not really. In fact, a lot of good things happened. Elsa made it fifteen minutes before she couldn't take it any longer, which to her was like playing a successful game of leapfrog with a mountain. That was good.

The only really bad thing that happened was that, in the course of trying to distract herself from her anxiety, Elsa realised something.

She liked how it felt holding Jack's hand.

That was bad, that was very very bad. She hated physical contact, and once she had realised she liked holding his hand she started to realise lots of other things; like how warm his hugs were, how soft his hair was when he fell asleep on her shoulder, how gentle he was with her even though he was entirely different with everyone else.

This was bad.

"You did great, Els." Jack encouraged her as they walked out of the house and down the street, slipping his arm over her shoulder to give her a one-armed hug. She didn't say anything. "You'll be feeling better in no time."

Picking up on her dejected mood, Jack stopped walking and grabbed her shoulders, turning her to face him. Elsa looked up unwillingly, but was greeted by a surprisingly gentle smile that she saw once in a blue moon.

"I mean it, Elsa." He said, seriously, looking her dead in the eye. Elsa swallowed a lump in her throat. "I'm proud of you."

Elsa's heart fluttered and she knew she was in deep and this was bad this was so very very bad.

"Uhm-" She started, but Jack was already twining their hands together and pulling her down the road, promising her pizza, ice cream and movies at his place; no expense spared and no charge for the lovely, brave lady ('You can pick the movie; we can even watch one of those cheesy romance ones if you want!')

Elsa watched his profile, his gleeful smile as he turned back to look at her occasionally, and for the first time in a long while the knot in her stomach lessened, just a little.

Maybe things wouldn't be so very bad after all.