NOTE: Hopefully, as time rolls on, I can be more consistent with my upload times. I'm having to handle a lot, going to drill and having to still play sports and do my online courses all at the same time. You've seen the opening to this chapter before, or at least if you've stuck around since chapter one, and I've decided to do it on chapter increments of ten. Why? I have no idea. Here's chapter ten. Thanks!


Chapter 10: A History of Bad Decisions

"Hate me today

Hate me tomorrow

Hate me so you can finally see what's good for you

Hate me in ways

Yeah, ways hard to swallow

Hate me so you can finally see what's good for you."

"Hate Me" - Blue October

Anna slid on a sweater over her head, pulling her arms through the correct holes as she felt the material of the garment brush over her head; feeling the faint shock and crackle of static electricity being induced by her hair. She finally was able to push her head through, and sighed with relief as she could finally breathe. Anna looked over into the full-body mirror that sat in the corner of her room, seeing that her hair had turned into a frizzy, mangled mess.

Jesus, I look like I just woke up.

Anna grabbed a brush that was by the end table of her bed, and went back over to the mirror, already brushing some of the tangles out of her messy red hair. As she finally reached the mirror, she continued to brush her snarled tresses, but also noticed that Elsa had done something to the mirror itself. There were photos of them that Anna hadn't seen before, many of them dating to just weeks ago. Anna stopped brushing, and came in closer for a better view, squinting to try and see what the pictures might have consisted of.

Anna sighed at what she saw.

Images of them both had been taken and taped onto the mirror in Anna's room, covering the sides with photos of events from Elsa's perspective. Anna stopped running the brush through her hair, and went in closer to the mirror to study the pictures. She pulled a picture off of a cluster that Anna hadn't seen before, and certainly didn't remember.

It was a picture of Elsa poking Anna in the face while the younger girl was drunk from their visit to the pub. Anna felt herself smile a little.

She must have taken this while I was shit faced.

Anna felt the smile fade from her lips. She looked up at all of the pictures on the mirror, and felt her mouth turn dry. She dropped the picture she held, and began to take off all of the photos from her mirror, one by one, until nothing was left on the mirror but the saddened expression of Anna herself. The pictures lay on the floor, strewn and scattered across the hardwood floor where Anna stood. She looked up from the mess of images, and saw that her appearance wasn't an expression of anger.

It was of pain. Sadness. Worry.

She felt her nose cringe and become runny as her eyes started to let their grip on tears become less and less effective.

I love you Elsa. Why can't you see that? I want you in my life and nothing else. You make me happy. Just please stick around when I tell you how I feel.

Anna collapsed her face into her hands, feeling tears fall into her palms.

Please…

Anna snapped back to reality as she jumped from three short, but hard, raps on her door.

"Anna," her mother shouted behind the door, "your friend is here!"

Anna looked back up into the mirror, drying her tears, seeing that her hair was still less than halfway brushed.

Oh fuck, is it already eight?!

Anna grabbed her brush, and began to brush ferociously at the mangled curls that were still plainly visible, and outrageously foolish looking.

"Okay mom! Just, uh, stall her or something!" Anna grimaced as she pulled a tangle with force, causing her head to jerk downwards as she did so.

"Uh, stall her?" Anna's mom had an inquiring tone at her daughter's request.

"I'm not ready yet!" Anna ran over to her end table where she kept hair care products, and began to spray her hair, teasing it all the while.

Maybe I should just shave my hair off, then I wouldn't have to worry about fixing it all the time.

Anna stopped spraying and looked at herself in the mirror, giving herself a disappointed look.

"Wow," Anna chuckled to herself, "I really am turning back into a dyke."


Anna's mom made her way to the door, looking through one of the glass panes that were installed to help see who was on the other side. There stood a shorter girl, clad in destroyed acid-washed skinny jeans, a faded green bomber jacket with patches up and down the sleeves and chest, and golden-brown hair in a messy bun atop her tanned skin.

"Hello there, Andayla," Anna's mom said in a broken, formal British tone as she opened the door for her visitor, a smile on her face, "how're you today, love?"

Andayla smiled, and curtseyed. "Still gonna give me a hard time about my accent?" Andayla rolled her eyes, smiling, enunciating her words deeply so her drawl would be easily noticeable. "I'm doing swell, how about you Idun?"

The mother laughed, returning the curtsey. "Just peachy." Idun motioned for Andayla to come in. "Make yourself at home."

Andayla walked in, laughing. "Don't I always?"


Anna looked at herself in the mirror one last time, smoothing out her sweater and making sure her skinny jeans complimented her butt to her liking. She nodded, and turned for the door. She heard a faint crumple and looked down at the mess of pictures on the ground as she stepped on one of the images, bending it in an obscure fashion, the crease ruining the picture entirely.

Anna looked back up to the door, and then looked back down to the print that she still had her foot on.

I'm sure Elsa doesn't want these up there anymore anyway.

Anna bent down and gathered up the snapshots, looking around for a place to put them. She eyed over the trashcan that sat underneath her end table, and looked back down at the captured memories, wondering if they should still mean anything to her.

Anna stepped out of her room, and made her way to the top of the stairs, where she saw her mother and Andayla sitting on the couch. Anna put her right hand close to her face, and spread her lips out with her index finger and thumb, emitting a whistle that received both the attention of Andayla and Idun.

"How do I look?" Anna called down to the two women downstairs, turning slowly with her hands on her hips.

Andayla let out a whistle, smiling as she looked up at her old friend. "Lookin' good, Anna," Andayla said, slowly standing up and brushing the creases out of her skirt as she rose, "good enough to eat."

Anna felt her cheeks flourish with heat, and Anna shot a piercing gaze at Andayla, causing her to smile even more.

"We good to go, or am I just gonna stare at you all day?" Andayla motioned towards the door.

Anna grabbed the bag that sat beside her feet, and made her way down the staircase to where her mother was standing with outstretched arms, looking up at her. Anna reached the bottom and hugged her mother, pulling her in close as Idun kissed her head.

"Be safe," Idun looked at her daughter with her blue-gray gaze, "okay?"

Anna smiled and let go of her mother walking towards the door. "Okay."

Anna walked out of the door, closing the door with her butt since her hands were occupied with her purse in her left hand, and a black trash bag in her right.

"Thanks, girl," Anna said to Andayla, halfway joking, "you know mom didn't know anything about us."

Andayla laughed, opening up the car door for Anna. "Yeah, but you know all about it," Andayla let a smirk fall across her lips, and saw Anna squirm a little where she stood, "and that's what makes it all worthwhile to say."

Anna felt her cheeks blush again, but this time it wasn't from awkwardness as it had been on the staircase, but something more meaningful. it was triggered by memories.

"Whatever," Anna said, trying to hide a smile that was creeping onto her lips, "just get me to the party, I'm dying of thirst and I gotta pee."

Andayla laughed, and watched Anna walk from the front of her house. "Don't worry," Andayla responded, "there'll be plenty to drink! And I'm pretty sure they have a bathroom…"

Andayla looked up to see Anna standing by the trashcan, dumping the trash bag into the can, closing the lid and, after staring for a few seconds, let out a deep sigh and made her way back to the car.

"What was that all about?" Andayla asked as Anna pushed herself into the car.

"Just getting rid of a few things that were taking up space." Anna sighed, and smiled at her friend.

"Now drive, ya bloody brit," Anna said, imitating Andayla's voice, "I gotta piss like a watah-logged mule!"

Andayla smiled and shook her head. "I missed you Anna," she said, chuckling, "but I haven't missed your shite sense of humor."


Elsa pulled into the driveway leading to the garage, and sighed, knowing she was going to have to face her sister when she walked into her house. She looked down at her radio, seeing that it was 9:32 at night.

I feel like I was hard on her. I wanted to help, but I think I hurt her worse than she was already feeling.

Elsa reached up and pushed the garage opening button on her house remote, located on her dashboard.

I want to help her, but if she's going to get even more upset at me, then I'm not going to.

Elsa pulled into the garage, coming to a stop after making sure the back end of her Altima was out of the door's range, and pushed the close garage door button on the remote.

I just hope she isn't too pissed. I'll explain that to her. I'll explain everything to her. Elsa sighed and let her head back onto the headrest of her seat. Well, I… I just can't explain everything to her yet.

Elsa opened the door of her car and stepped out, grabbing her bag from the passenger side seat as she got up.

"Not yet."

Elsa put her bag down by the washing machine, and stepped up the small set of steps that lead out of the garage and into the kitchen of her home. She opened the door and stepped inside, halfway hoping to avoid an encounter with her sister. As she looked around, she saw her mother eating at the kitchen table. Elsa smiled, and made her way over to her mom, pulling a chair out and exchanged smiles as she sat down.

"Mm," Idun struggled to speak as her mouth was full, "I shtole an MRE from your shecret stash."

Idun covered her mouth with a napkin, and swallowed. "Sorry."

Elsa smiled as she watched her mom try and be polite as she ate, even though no one else was around.

"It's fine, mom," Elsa said, looking down at the opened MRE package. "Dad isn't home yet?"

Idun shook her head, and gave a slight grin to her daughter. "Nope, it's just you and me tonight."

Wait, what?

Elsa shook her head. "Woah, wait a sec, what do you mean it's just me and you?" Elsa's question was as worried as it was puzzled. "Where's Anna?"

Idun smiled, getting up from the table. "She's with her friend Andayla for the night. You remember Andayla don't you?"

Oh no. No. Not her. Not this shit again.

"Uh, yeah I remember that name," Elsa said, rising from the kitchen table, her face becoming increasingly reddened. "Did they say where they were going?"

Idun walked over to the trashcan, dumping the remains of the MRE she had been eating. "I think Andayla was taking her to a birthday party down at Eugene's house. So since it's just you and me tonight, do you wanna watch-"

Idun's sentence was cut short as she turned around and had lost sight of her daughter. "A movie," she finished, a deep sigh being released right after.


Elsa drove furiously out of her driveway, still in her ACUs; rage danced throughout her head. She backed into the road, not worrying about closing the garage door behind her.

That little fucker! She seriously decides to run off with that no good piece of shit after promising me she'll never do it again?!

Elsa slammed her foot on the brake and gripped her hands on the steering wheel so tight her knuckles turned white, almost running into a person backing out of their driveway.

"Learn to drive, dickhole!" Elsa weaved around the vehicle, returning to her original speed.

I swear to God, if I catch her doing that shit again, I'll kick her fucking ass so hard that her old proctologist feels it.

Elsa suddenly was blinded by a set of headlights that came up from over the small hill of her road, causing her to squint to be able to see the road. All at once, the vehicle whose headlights were blinding Elsa was less than a couple feet from her, honking loudly. Elsa realized that she had unknowingly drifted into the other lane, unable to see. She swerved back over quickly, causing her whole body to jerk with it. The vehicle, a large black van with extremely tinted windows, sped by her, superseding the speed limit of the road by a good amount.

"You stupid motherfucker!" Elsa screamed at the top of her lungs. "Turn off your brights next time!"

Elsa stared at the road, unable to think straight with all the thoughts in her head.

I don't know if I'm angry or if I'm scared. I thought I had helped Anna all those years ago.

Elsa sighed.

Some help I turned out to be… But one thing is for sure.

I'm going to get my sister back.