Olaf held the button for as long as he dared before hearing Elsa snap down the intercom.
"It's unlocked, just come up already!"
Elsa stood at the mirror by the front door, adjusting her updo. She twirled the strands around her face, arranging them neatly to the side. Olaf burst through the door.
"It's party time!" he sang loudly. "Or so I hear," he added, noticing Elsa's unimpressed face.
"Come on, Anna, you said you would be ready five minutes ago!"
"Almost done!"
Anna was having trouble deciding whether to just wear a plain moss-green casual dress or to put on that never-been-worn royal blue cocktail dress she'd bought when her first student loan paycheck had come in. This was, of course, the perfect time to try it out, but she didn't want to look overdressed.
"It's just a bar," Elsa called from the living room. "Not a ball!"
Her sister was right. She slipped on the green dress, smoothing down the hem that rested in the middle of her thighs. This dress had certainly gotten a few inches shorter since the last time she wore it. Then again, the last time she wore it was a couple of years ago at the only party she went to in her second year. That had been a mistake.
"Okay," she said under her breath, to herself. Then, louder, "Okay! I'm ready."
She stepped out of her room to see Elsa sitting on the sofa and Olaf sat beside her, fiddling with the back of her hair. Elsa immediately stood up, giving a big sigh and smiling broadly.
"You look great," she said to Anna.
"Thanks," Anna replied sheepishly.
"Shall we go then, ladies?"
"Yes! Yes, let's – oh..." Anna poked her head into her room quickly and snatched up her bag that was hanging on the bedpost. She peeked in to check she had everything: phone, keys, money, ID. "Okay. Let's go."
The three of them left the flat, Elsa turning off the lights and locking the door behind them. They walked down a few steps to wait for the lift, standing in companionable silence for a few moments before a ping and the rumbling of the sliding doors opening, welcoming them into the small metal box. Olaf led the way, settling himself into the corner. When the doors shut behind them, they listened to the clanking and the whining of the machinery taking them to the ground floor.
"I've never seen you wear a dress that short," Elsa murmured.
"I've only worn it once," Anna replied quietly, not wanting to dredge up the memories of her first years at university. She hadn't struggled to make friends, but it hadn't been easy having left home with those emotions that kept her awake at night listening to her flatmates yelling and drinking and smashing things in the kitchen and laughing about it. It was the thought of being second best to her closest friend that kept her there, away from living in the shadow of her sister in her parents' eyes.
The rest of the ride down to the ground floor was quiet, until the doors open to reveal the grimy stairwell. There was a woman, thin and tired-looking, waiting for the lift. She stepped past them and into the lift. Olaf pushed open the main door and the girls stepped outside into the September air.
"It's only a few streets away," Elsa said. "It'll take five minutes, don't worry."
"I love this weather," Olaf chimed, doing a twirl with his arms in the air.
"There is no weather, Olaf," Anna giggled.
"Sure there is! Feel that cool air, the occasional breeze. Autumn is in full swing, you can smell the damp of the first leaves…"
"Let's go, before he gets high off oxygen or something." Elsa looped her arm through his and the three of them strolled down the street.
The bar was a cosy establishment. Anna could smell the fresh varnish on the tables and the carpet was soft underfoot. There weren't so many people there yet – it was only eight. She eyed the selection of alcohol hanging from the wall behind the barman, plus the mini fridges of bottles by his legs. The arms for the beers stood upright, tall and shining new. It was fresh, but homely.
Anna scooted into the booth and Olaf got up to get the first round. The sisters had gone out together before for a social drink, but Olaf was usually the one to persuade them to have alcohol. This time they had just asked for cola, but were sure Olaf would add his own best-buddy spin.
"So, Monday, huh?" Elsa nudged Anna playfully.
"Yeah," she said. "Crazy. I mean, that I got a job at all. I can't wait, of course."
"Do you even know anything about the House?"
Anna felt her prize-winning socially-awkward smile spread across her face.
"Of course not," she giggled nibbling on the straw in her drink.
"I've heard Westergard stays out of the public eye as much as possible because he has some pretty dark secrets," Olaf breathed dramatically.
"Oh, shut up," Elsa laughed.
"No, really! Why do you think you never see him in the papers?"
"He's not a celebrity, Olaf," Anna said, rolling her eyes. "He's not going to be in the papers. He just owns a successful publishing house."
"Think what you want," he replied. "I know what I know."
The trio laughed at Olaf twitching his eyebrows and tapping his nose.
"Well, we have our fingers crossed for you anyway," he finished. "Congrats."
"Thanks, Olaf," Anna said, smiling sweetly. He raised his drink, and Anna and Elsa raised theirs in response.
"So where is your friend?" Elsa said, smirking.
Anna rolled her eyes.
"I don't know," she mumbled. "He seemed interested at first and asked where we were going and then he just stopped replying. He's probably busy."
"Hm," Elsa responded.
"Who is this?" Olaf said, straw between his teeth.
"Just this guy –"
"That she pretty much scalded with coffee, Olaf – a simple hello would have sufficed!" Elsa burst out laughing and Anna cast her a sideways glance of annoyance.
"It was an accident," she told Olaf pointedly. "I didn't mean to spill the coffee, obviously, but I didn't even get any on him. She –" she explained, gesturing her shoulder over in Elsa's direction "– thought it was hilarious! It was so awkward, and my socks were just soaked and it was just –"
Anna stopped short when Elsa suddenly raised her hand and waved. She followed Elsa's gaze to the door, where the broad-shouldered blonde stood, taking up most of the doorway. He looked around before spotting them.
She tried to stop her eyes from wandering, but his grey cotton shirt accentuated the bulk of his shoulders and chest, the sleeves coming down to the middle of his forearms. He wore baggy jeans and those same work boots he'd been wearing yesterday. Peeling her eyes away from his stomach, firm beneath his hugging shirt, she shot him a wide grin.
"Hey!" She called, hanging onto the word a little too long than was necessary. "Hey, hi."
"Hi," he replied, sitting down at the little round chair opposite her.
"I'm Olaf! You must be Anna's friend," Olaf said, his eyes glowing with enthusiasm behind his glasses. "I'll get you a drink, don't worry. Make yourself comfortable!"
"Yeah, hi," Kristoff said, shaking Olaf's outstretched hand. "Kris. Kristoff. Thanks." He nodded in Elsa's direction.
"Hi," Elsa politely greeted in return.
A split-second passed, heavy with expectation as they all looked to Anna. She was twisting her fingers in her lap, unsure of what to say. Then she looked up and took a deep breath.
"So!" she began. "No drink spilling scheduled for tonight." She chuckled awkwardly, and so did he. "I mean, not intentionally. Hopefully."
"Great," he said. Then, "So, a job, eh?"
"Yeah!" Anna said, trying not to sound too relieved that he'd instigated casual conversation. She was also trying hard not to catch her lip with her teeth every time she caught his blue eyes beneath that unruly mop of blonde. "Yeah, I start at the House on Monday. The Publishing House, that is. Westergard."
Kristoff sucked in air through his teeth.
"Fancy place," he mocked. "You sure you'll fit in there?"
Instantly he regretted those words. He was not one to put down pretty girls. And Anna was definitely a pretty girl. A very pretty girl, he admitted to himself, though he wouldn't let anyone know it. Her face fell a little bit, and Kristoff instantly felt a pang of guilt and shame. Then she covered her down-turned lips with a great smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. He licked his lips anxiously, glancing down at his hand resting on the table.
"Yeah, I'm not one for heels," she chuckled. "I think it's mostly a desk job, though, so it'll probably be fine."
Kristoff chuckled back, somewhat reserved. Anna had heard what he said, but for some reasons his words had cut a bit deeper than she wanted them to. Kristoff was just a stranger – she basically only knew his name. Why should it matter what he thought? Maybe because you hoped… no. Anna shook the thoughts from her head.
Olaf came back at that moment, setting down a pint of beer in front of Anna's new friend. Then he hotched over back into his seat beside Elsa.
"Well, congratulations. I hope they treat you well." The stranger opposite Anna raised his glass and tilted it in her direction, throwing her a half-smile, before knocking back his glass.