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Sins of the Past

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Chapter Six

The rest of the schoolday was relatively uneventful, and flew by rather fast.

The topic had transitioned into recent news and upcoming events, after the topic of Elsa tapered off. We walked in comfortable silence for the most part when that too was exhausted, afterwards.

It wasn't long until we arrived at this little noodle shop in the shopping district, two things of which immediately made it stand out as unique. The first thing I noticed about the place was the fact that I almost didn't, as the place was dwarfed in size by the surrounding big-name chain restaurants. I had almost walked right by the place without even realizing it was there.

The second thing I noticed came after Rapunzel had shoved me inside, which was the fact that the establishment was practically filled to capacity, despite its physical obscurity. I had been wondering earlier why the nearby fast food titans were essentially empty, and I was impressed to find this dinky little shop responsible.

I immediately understood after trying the chef's special, though. The noodles here were real good, and the broth to die for. Absolutely delicious.

Rapunzel resumed talking my ear off as I greedily slurped down my food.

"Hey, Anna?"

"Mmm?" I mumbled, mouth full of noodle.

"I forgot to mention earlier, but the student society here at AU hosts a welcoming party at the beginning of every fall semester. It's basically a drop-in all-day party held on campus for all ages, and it's great for both networking and just having an all-around good time. Wanna come with me?"

I swallowed another bite, and washed it down with some soup. "Yeah, sure. When is it?"

Words really can't express how good this stuff is. Worth every penny.

"It's tomorrow, actually."

I almost gagged.

"Tomorrow?!"

Rapunzel scratched the back of her head. "Yeeaah.. It's early this year for some reason. The event usually isn't held during the first week of classes. Can you still make it? I'm planning to head over during the night, since that's when the good stuff usually happens."

"I think I can manage. My classes should be over by then."

Rapunzel beamed. "Great! I'm planning on renting a locker for the night to stash my party clothes in until I need them. I'll give you the locker combo if you need it."

"Sounds good. Now pipe down and let me eat!"

Rapunzel and I parted ways after the noodle shop, since it was still morning (the noodles were a breakfast gift, after all) and she and I had differing classes that needed to be attended before the day was over.

I still had Economics and Calculus lectures, in particular. Rapunzel had looked at me as though I were a poor abused puppy when she learned I was taking a Calc course. It can't possibly be that bad, right?

..Well, considering how I ended up sleeping through both lectures, I'm probably going to be eating those words very soon.

Funnily enough, the time where I had experienced the most brain activity all day was when I mused about Elsa during on the bus ride home, thinking about my previous discussion with Rapunzel about the guy who claimed to have seen Elsa with his own two eyes.

The story might be a hoax for all I know, seeing how none of the other frat boys corroborated it, but the possibility certainly exists and I hadn't any reason to believe otherwise thus far. I chuckled to myself when I realized just how trivial it'd be to verify it, since I could walk up and ask Elsa herself about it.

So here I stand, in my living room, having just gotten off the bus and returned home. A quick check on my phone revealed that it was around 6PM, and I could hear the sounds of cooking coming from the kitchen—an indicator that Mom home from work early.

"Mom?" I called out, as I hung up my coat. "Is that you?"

"I'm not sure, can you come check?" she yelled back.

I made my way into the kitchen, curious to see how she had fared in the morning after Elsa left her body. I found her standing by the stove, with something delicious sizzling in the pan.

"Very funny Mom. How was your day today?"

She looked up from the pan, and I could see a bunch of chicken wings cooking away in their own juices. My mouth watered.

"Aren't I the one who's supposed to ask you that?" She laughed. "I took the day off. Had this terrible migraine when I woke this morning, so I slept in."

"Ah, I see.." I fiddled with one of my pigtails.

I couldn't help but feel responsible.

"Otherwise, my day's been rather uneventful." Mom continued. "Spent most of it cleaning up the house and moving in the last of our things, which reminds me! Were you cleaning the kitchen this morning? The place was spotless when I got down here."

!

I had forgotten that Elsa was cleaning up the place during our short time together.

"Uh, yeah. I woke up early this morning and didn't have much else to do."

"How did you manage to get the grease stains off this stove?"

Uh oh.

"I dunno. I guess I just scrubbed at it until it came off..?"

That response earned me a weird look.

"You just scrubbed it right off?" she repeated, in obvious disbelief.

"Y-yeah..?"

I mean, it's what Elsa did, right? She'd just casually wiped the surface clean as though it were dust!

I need an excuse to get outta here before she interrogates me further, and I blurted out the first one that came to mind.

"Hey, um. My school's holding a welcome party tomorrow night and I should probably go prepare an outfit. Do you have any jewelry or something I could borrow for the occasion?"

I turned and left for my room before she could answer.

The temperature dipped for a split second as I entered my bedroom.

"I assume that's a Hi." I gasped, after recovering from my initial shock. "Hello to you too, Elsa."

I walked over to my wardrobe, grabbing my laptop as I passed by, and flung open its doors to expose the mirrors built into its inside. I was immediately greeted by Elsa's reflection staring back at me, and I can say with utmost confidence that it's super unnerving to look into a mirror and not see yourself in it.

Elsa waved a hello.

"How've you been?" I greeted, automatically.

Elsa gave me this weird look in response.

"Oh, uh, right. I forgot." I chuckled. "Any ideas on how to talk to someone who's mute and incorporeal? I'm asking for a friend."

She raised her finger as though she were about to answer when I cut her off.

"—Any ideas that do not involve my mom?"

Her hand fell.

I laughed. "Guess we'd better come up with another method of communication, then. Unless you like playing charades?"

Elsa's lips curl into a smile as she holds up her hands and shakes them as if to say "Nuh uh! No way am I doing that."

I giggled at her childish display, then turned to sit cross legged on my bed.

"Hey, Elsa?" I began. "I've heard this rumour that claims that it's possible to actually see you. Like, as you are right now, without any of these mirror shenanigans. Do you know anything about that?"

She rubbed her chin, then shook her head no after some thought.

"Darn. Do you think it'd be possible, though?"

She shrugged.

"Mmm, changing the subject a bit. How does being a ghost —or whatever you really are— work? Can you interact with things in the world?"

I momentarily turn my attention away toward the laptop I'm lugging around to boot it up, glancing back up at the mirror after inputting my password to find Elsa floating behind me, one arm outstretched and reaching through my body.

My vision snaps down to my very intact and not impaled chest, though I shiver nonetheless. Guess that answers that.

I look back up at the mirror and see Elsa staring intently at my laptop. I can't quite see her facial expression, as her not staring directly into the mirror which makes for an awkward angle, but I can probably guess that this is something new to her.

I gesture to the laptop. "Do you you know what this is, Elsa?"

She shakes her head.

"Wow. Uh. You must be really old then—not that I'm making fun of your age or anything!"

If Elsa was offended then she doesn't show it.

"This is.. a very useful machine." I say quickly, before pulling out my phone. "You've surely seen those guys use these before, right Elsa?"

She eagerly nods.

"Then this laptop is basically a larger, bulkier, and far more powerful version of these little things."

Apparently this explains everything, judging by how Elsa clasps her hands together in delight.

Recognition sparks in her eyes as I navigate my web browser to YouTube, and we end up spending the rest of the night watching a wide variety of videos, from various challenges to dumb memes to silly cats, pausing only for when I had to eat dinner, which was a quiet affair as Mom chose to work the night shift today.

Contrary to her earlier words, or actions rather, Elsa apparently was willing to play a game of charades when I eventually asked if there was anything she wanted to see in particular. She wasn't very good at it, though, seeing how she eventually resorted to spelling out letters with her body after numerous failed attempts. How was I supposed to guess that "Triangle" + "Stirring Motion" + "Floating Around The Room With Both Hands In Front" = "Witch?!"

It was a very fun night, though, all things considered.

Midterm exams. Real tough stuff.

Tried writing in present tense for a bit, though I might have lapsed back into past tense at inappropriate times.