YAY CHAPTER 3! I've gotten so many nice reviews and messages and I just want to thank all of you so much! You're too sweet. :D Ok we finally see Rapunzel! Yay! Please read, review, rate, and enjoy! Also I apologize if Merida's accent isn't consistent. I forget. :/
The car ride was dead silent. Merida sat in the front with Hiccup. Though neither of them spoke, the tension between them was so strong it was like a magnetic field. Jack sat fidgeting in the back seat. He hadn't protested to going to see her. He had planned on it. He knew it had to be done. But now that he was actually on his way, his stomach felt like a mosh pit. Five years Jack had been running away from what he'd done. Regret and shame filled his heart every time he thought about what had happened between them. Now he was on his way to face her, and he was sure he was going to pass out.
Jack was completely in the dark. He had no clue what Rapunzel had been doing for the past five years. What if she was a totally different person? What if she was the same person he'd left behind, and she was in no mood to see him? He understood why she would hate him; he just prayed that she didn't. Beneath all his uneasiness, Jack really wanted to see her again. For years he'd only had pictures and memories from which he could see her face. But he knew in person, Rapunzel practically glows.
Unable to stand the silence anymore, Jack blurted out the first question that came to his mind.
"So where are we going?" he asked very maturely.
Merida and Hiccup blinked a few times, like they'd just been awoken from a trance.
"We're heading to the Corona dance studio, in Mid-Town." Hiccup said.
"Corona?" Jack said baffled, "As in one of the top dance companies in the country?"
"Aye," Merida said crossing her arms, "They've had more recitals and made more cash than any other company in New York."
"Why are we-"Jack began, but stopped himself.
That's when it hit him. Rapunzel had dreamed for years about becoming a professional dancer. She was so graceful and beautiful the way she moved. Jack always knew she had the talent. Had she really gone for it? She'd talked about it but he couldn't believe she had really gone against her mother and done it. Jack smiled wider than he had in awhile. A burning feeling started rising in his chest.
"I knew she could do it!" he exclaimed proudly, "I knew she could!"
The others grinned. But after a moment, they grimaced again. Jack furrowed his brows. Why did they keep doing that? He slumped back in his seat. He could take a guess. They knew the second she saw him, she'd either run away with tears in her eyes or completely unload on him. Neither were great options. Jack sighed. This was not going to be over easy.
If Jack didn't already know, he could tell how important the company was just by the way their building looked. Outside the main entrance was a huge fountain. A gold colored ballerina stood in the center holding a gigantic sun above her head. The arms of the sun swirled outward and shot water though their tips. The building itself was enormous. Unlike most of the other ones, however it was traditional brick instead of metal and cement. Huge wooden double doors with bronze handles marked the entrance atop the shining white steps. Above the door frame was a large silver plaque saying 'Corona Academy of Dance and Company of Performing Arts'. The whole scene was breath taking, and Jack couldn't help but feel lifted.
"Way to go, Punzie." he whispered softly.
The three of them started up the company steps. Hiccup and Merida walked quickly and kept their heads down. Jack, however, was looking at every single thing that went by. His eyes darted around the huge pristine lobby like a little kid at the aquarium. Students off all different ages were running about, laughing and showing off different skills. Costumes were being carried here and there along with props and other stage pieces. In all the excitement, Jack nearly lost his friends twice. Somehow, they all managed to make it to the elevator. Jack expected a quiet ride to the 6th floor, but that didn't happen.
"Okay, Frosty," Merida spat rather harshly, "Ye mind your manners, ya hear? She's been through a lot and after what ye did to her-"
"Merida!" Hiccup interjected, "It's not our place."
"Oh seriously, Haddock? We're her best friends. Of course it's our place. I'm just trying to make sure she doesn't get hurt again."
"Mer, you know as well as we all do that that's pretty much impossible. This is gonna be ugly. Beating up Jack isn't going to do anything, though. That's for certain."
They continued to carry on their argument as if Jack wasn't even there. He thought about coming between them, but then thought against it. Merida was right. He couldn't hurt Rapunzel again. He'd never really meant to, but everything got so messed up. Hiccup had a point as well. This was going to be ugly no matter how he approached it. He figured it was like a bandage. Just pull it off as fast as possible and deal with the pain later. The elevator dinged open.
The three friends stepped out. This floor was much different than the livelihood of the lobby. People weren't shuffling to and fro, dancers weren't laughing and talking. Just sounds of feet hitting the floor and a crazy yet soothing mix of different practice songs. Hiccup turned to Merida.
"Which did she say she was in today?" he asked.
The red head flipped open her phone and started scrolling through messages.
"Studio F." she said.
He nodded and turned right down the hallway. The others followed. The rooms they passed all had their doors closed, so Jack couldn't see what was going on inside. From the music drifting into the hall, it sounded like everyone was rehearsing for some big Christmas performance. He so badly wanted to sneak a peak, but he had to focus on why he was here. Hiccup stopped at the second door from the end. Studio F was painted in big black letters on the door. Bellow it was a chalkboard attached to the wood. Carol of the Bells was written at the top with a bunch of names beneath it. Jack furrowed his brows when he didn't see hers.
"Come on." Merida said reaching for the door handle.
As quietly as possible, she turned the knob and opened the door. She motioned for them to follow but pressed her figure to her lips. Jack followed with tightness in his chest. Five years of regret were flooding his system. He worried for a moment if he was going to pass out. He might have if Hiccup hadn't been nudging him forward.
The room was very open with a high ceiling and long windows. The entire front wall was covered in mirrors and a ballet bar stretching across it. The three planted themselves on the wooden benches along the back. Jack flipped his hood up and tried to disappear in his jacket. Only a few feet in front of him was the group of dancers. They all seemed too focused on their number to notice the three come in. That's where she was, Rapunzel. She looked the like she did five years ago but so different at the same time. He felt a ping in his chest when he saw that she'd dyed her hair. Instead of a brilliant river of gold, it was dark brown, pulled back in a tight bun.
As the song continued, Jack got more and more anxious. The other dancers froze in some weird position except for Rapunzel. She glided to the front of the group. Her routine looked flawless. With every note, her limbs swayed and twirled in a hypnotizing motion. Finally, she turned. Their gazes met and Jack could have sworn time stopped. Merida suddenly grabbed his arm and squeezed it, to reassure him and herself. Rapunzel's eyes widened and then it all went south. Losing her place, her ankle came down at the most awkward angle. The three friends winced in unison as she hit the ground with a loud thud.
The dancers stirred from their spots and one ran to the set of speakers, turning the music off. An awful silence swept over the room. Rapunzel picked herself up off the floor, blushing at the many looks of concerns from her colleagues. She glanced back at the bench but quickly turned away.
"Are you okay?" someone asked.
"I-"Rapunzel said to the floor, "yes I-"
Despite her efforts, her eyes reconnected with Jack's.
"I just feel a little light headed." she said honestly.
"Hey everyone," one of the dancers said, "why don't we take lunch? We can pick it back up later."
She gave Rapunzel a pat on the arm as everyone grabbed their bags and shuffled out of the room. As soon as the last person left, Merida launched herself off the bench. The brunette gave her a death stare rivaling all others. It was one of the only times Jack had actually seen Merida afraid.
"Rae," she began, "before ya say anything, ya got to hear him-"
"I can't believe you!" she interrupted, "What, did you bring him here? Is this some kind of sick prank? How can you just ambush me like this?"
She turned to Hiccup.
"And you," she cried, "how could you be a part of this?"
"I wasn't!" he threw his hands up in defense, "Well, not like this. I wanted to wait-"
"And you!" she said turning to Jack.
His heart skipped a beat and not at all in a good way. He felt like he was being stabbed in the chest.
"How can you-" tears weld up in her eyes.
If she had more to say, her voice wouldn't allow it. With a frustrated sigh, she spun around and raced out of the room.
What did Jack do that was so awful? Can you guess? MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Thanks so much for reading. Hope you liked it. Chapter 4 will be up some time this week, and there's lots of Hiccstrid coming with it! Till then, I love you more than Dauntless cake! Bye!