The sleek black car pulled up to the entrance of the grand hotel. Elsa could feel her palms sweating as she stepped out of the car. She took a deep breath and watched while her parents tipped the driver.
It was the day of the annual 'Arendelle Gives Back' party. The event was a chance for big businesses to get together to enjoy a light meal and drinks while donating to charity. It was one of the biggest social events of the year and the Blanchard's never missed it. Walt claimed it was the perfect opportunity to further promote the business, build connections and donate to a good cause. Elsa, on the other-hand saw the event as nothing more than a chance for over inflated egos to get together and try to outdo each other, all under the guise of giving
Elsa felt Anna come to a stand beside her and nervously shot her a smile. Slowly, she raised her head and affixed the usual smile she reserved for these events. She knew the drill. She was to follow her parents down the carpet and smile nilce, giving the impression that she was happy to be there. As the future CEO she was to always remain standing at her father's side, but never between her parents unless he beckoned her to do so. She was a businesswoman first and a daughter second. Every action of hers, from the way she held her glass to how long she laughed at a joke all reflected on the business and her father.
Slowly, she walked with her family down the stairs that led to the grand ballroom. Together they looked like the picture of perfection with the cracks that lay inside hidden from view. She had just stepped onto the floor when she felt her elbow being grabbed. Tilting her head, she gave her father a blank smile as he linked his arm through hers and nodded. She knew his pattern. They had arrived and now it was time for him to parade her around the room to 'socialise.'
They had been navigating the room for a good forty-five minutes. Elsa's heels were starting to hurt her, but she could never mention it. She had lost count of how many times her hand had been kissed and how many fake compliments she had been paid before the speaker turned the subject back to themselves. Without fail, the conversations were always the same: a fake attempt at a hearty greeting, a polite enquiry about the family with the expected boasting, a small mention about business success over the last year and finally, a bit of petty gossip. It only served to highlight how fake people could be. She would watch with shame as her father would ridicule someone with one person before moving on to speak to the subject of his previous ridicule with insincere kindness and fake compliments. They would then part ways, call each other 'friend' and make a promise to catch up all the while knowing that they would not see one another again until another event.
"Miss Elsa," a posh voice called, snapping her out of trance.
Blinking, she redirected her gaze and affixed her smile to turn to face the speaker. She had drifted off halfway through the latest conversation her father had shared with Hugo Valance, the owner of the Celestial Coffee chain. Of all the businessmen who frequented these events, Hugo Valance would have to be one she really disliked. His arrogance over his popular coffee chain was through the roof as was his bragging about his son.
"Miss Elsa," he continued. "I was just telling your father about my son, Carlton. He is 24, captain of his football team, very social and drives a Mercedes. I really think I should put you in contact with him. I think you would make a great couple," he boasted.
She felt herself cringing slightly at the suggestion. She had heard of the young man in question. His 'social' behaviour was well known, as was his preference for a few illegal substances that were popular on the party scene in which he frequented. Needless to say, he was not someone she would willingly spend time with. "Thank you," she began. "However, I must decline your kind offer. I'm afraid that I am far too focused on my studies and career to consider dating at this point in time."
She felt her father pat her on the back and smiled. On the surface it looked like a simple, loving gesture, but she knew it was his way of letting her know that he approved of her answer. If he disapproved of her response then she would have felt her arm being gripped while he faked a cough in order to interrupt her.
"Excuse me, I must steal my sister away for a short time," Anna broke in, giving the small man a polite smile before leading Elsa away.
Turning, Elsa bowed slightly as the rotund man gave her one last smile before waving her off. She heard her father clear his throat as he moved to steer the conversation back to him.
"Thank you," Elsa whispered as she followed Anna to a corner.
"Not a problem. You looked bored out of your brain and I really do need to tell you something," she admitted.
Elsa giggled "Yeah I was. He was trying to set me up with his son again," she said, rolling her eyes.
"In that case consider me your guardian angel," Anna replied with a mock curtsey.
Elsa smirked. She always felt grateful for Anna's presence at events. Her sister managed to make them a tiny bit more bearable. "You said you had something to tell me," she prodded.
"Oh right," Anna replied, pulling out her phone. "So, I got a text from Punzie. She said that Flynn saw Hans earlier this morning and it looked like Hans had been in a fight. He had a few bruises and a split lip."
Elsa paused while she contemplated how to respond to the information. She hadn't told anyone else about the interaction she'd had with Hans on the Thursday night, least of all Anna. Although, she was aware that Anna knew of her altercation with Hans from the cafeteria. To her knowledge, the only people who knew of the latest incident were Jack and Jamie. She recalled that the exchange between Hans and Jack had been heated and reasoned that with his 'stellar' personality, it was entirely possible that he offended people on a frequent basis.
She gulped. She could feel her sister's eyes on her, waiting for her response. Nervously, she looked around and spotted a waitress carrying a tray coming their way. Raising her hand, she signalled the waitress over and took one of the glasses of wine on offer. Turning back to Anna, she gracefully excused herself, citing that she had to return to their father's side. To her relief, Anna agreed and bid her farewell.
She moved through the crowd with grace and took her position beside her father once again. He had moved on in the time that she had spent with Anna and had struck up a conversation with John Marten, the CEO of a successful bakery chain. Blushing, she bowed her head as she caught wind of the topic of their discussion.
"Yes, Elsa is a delight. She consistently achieves top grades and is a great employee. I know that she will make a wonderful CEO when the time comes for her to takeover," Walt boasted.
Beaming, she turned to face her father. "I fear you speak too highly of me at times, Dad," she said politely before taking a sip from her wine.
"Such manners and grace. Elsa, I feel like I should be hiring you to teach my own children about manners," John smiled, extending his hand to Elsa to shake.
Blushing, she took the man's hand and shook it. "I'm afraid, Mr Marten, that my behaviour can not be credited to me. It is all my parent's teaching," she responded.
"That may be so, but when I look at these events I am always surprised to find the vast range of behaviour that some seem to find acceptable," he began. "Take the young lad over there, the one wearing sunglasses indoors and a sullen expression. If you ask me, that sort of behaviour is disgraceful."
Elsa followed the direction of the CEO's eyes and gasped as her eyes landed on Jack. She noted the way he was slumped over to his side while he stood beside his uncle. Her eyes travelled up to his face and she saw that he was indeed wearing sunglasses while indoors. However, most surprising was that his normally cocky smile had been replaced with a frown.
"Guardians," Walt growled and tightened his grip on her. "I should have known. The entire family is corrupt. I had the misfortune of having a run in with the boy during the week."
Elsa stood numbly and listened as her father and John continued to discuss the Guardian's company and the family. She heard the disbelieving scoffs and the scorn in their tone as her father relayed the events of Jack's visit to their store as well as the altercation that she'd had with Jack in the library.
"I don't believe it!" John gasped, nodding his head in the direction of Jack and his uncle. "The boy has dared come here looking like that!"
Turning her head, she fixed her eyes on Jack once again and noted, with horror, that his sunglasses had been removed to reveal fresh bruising surrounding his left eye.
"Absolutely ludicrous. You would think that they'd leave him at home. The nerve of them, allowing him to come to a function such as this with a black eye," scoffed Walt. "To think that they consider that boy to be worthy of taking over their business."
Gulping, she excused herself and made her way to the bathroom. She turned and shot a look at Jack, catching his gaze before she exited the ballroom. She walked down the hall and pushed herself into the ladies room. To her relief, the room was empty. Taking a deep breath, she stared into the mirror. Her mind was racing with the news that Hans had been beaten up and then seeing Jack with obvious bruising. She knew that the two young men had exchanged heated threats on Thursday night and knew that with the rate the gossip had spread, that Jack would likely be aware of the situation that had gone down between Hans, her sister and herself. She couldn't help wonder if the bruises that each boy wore had been put there by the other. Shaking her head, she pushed the thought from her head. Jack played hockey. It was possible he had hurt himself during a recent match.
Taking a deep breath, she let herself out of the bathroom.
"Hey," the sound of an increasingly familiar male voice greeted her as she left the room.
Glancing up, she found Jack leaning casually against the wall while he fiddled with the buttons on his suit jacket. Her eyes glanced over his bruised eye before reaching down and falling on his grazed knuckles.
"Did you..did you follow me?" she asked, cocking an eye at him.
"What? No" he grinned. "I just needed to go to the bathroom as well. I figured that I may take the time to catch my breath before going back in and having to pretend that I'm not bored senseless.
She stifled a laugh before flicking her eyes down to look at her feet. "Jack, I'm..I'm sorry for Thursday night," she whispered. "I shouldn't have snapped at you. It wasn't your fault and if you hadn't been there...I...I don't know what could have happened."
She felt his hand reach out as he tilted her chin to face him. "It's okay. I'm over it. You had a scare and were in shock," he reasoned. "I just wanted to make sure you were safe."
Blushing, she dropped his gaze. "I...err...I have to go," she stammered.
Turning, she made her way down the hallway. She heard Jack shuffling behind her as he followed her. Rounding the corner, she could hear the sound of a heated argument coming from outside the ballroom. Lifting her head, she felt her eyes widening as she caught sight of her father and Nicholas North locked in a heated conversation while their wives stood to their side.
"All I am saying is that you need to tell your poor excuse of a nephew to stop bothering my daughter," hissed Walt. "I will not have my daughters being harassed and if it continues then I will encourage her to take further action."
Gulping, she rushed to her mother's side. She wrapped an arm around her mother as her father continued to glower at his business rival.
"You need to stop insulting my nephew. He is a fine young man and I am very proud of him. He has honour, values and a good, kind heart," the large man responded.
"If he's a 'good man' then why is he sporting a black eye at an event such as this? Really, North, you could at least pretend to have some sort of class." sneered Walt as he trailled his eyes over Jack.
"Walt please, lets just go back inside. This behaviour does not look good for anyone, least of all not in the lobby of a hotel such as this," Lillian begged as she reached to place an arm on her angered husband's elbow.
She watched in horror as her father and Jack's uncle continued to exchange heated words. Neither man appeared willing to back down. Biting her lip, she snuck a glance at Jack as he stood between his uncle and aunt. She watched as he met her gaze before breaking it and running a hand through his tousled hair.
"Dad, please. Lets just go back inside," she begged, placing her hand on his elbow.
"Elsa, please. This is a matter of principle. This boy has been nothing but trouble for you and for our business during the week," Walt responded, shrugging her hand off. "I think I am well within my right to suggest his 'guardian' be a better influence on his nephew. After all, maybe if he had been more responsible, than the boy wouldn't be standing here with bruises looking like a common thug."
"That's enough." North boomed. "My nephew is many things, but he is not a 'thug'. I don't know the circumstances of the fight, but he has assured me that he had a good reason."
"Oh? Is that so," Walt taunted and turned to face Jack. "Well, in that case. I'm all ears, do tell me, boy. What could possibly be a good reason for getting involved in a fight?"
She watched as Jack stepped forward and focused his eyes on her father. "For your information, I was defending someone who I happen to care about," he replied, flicking his eyes to catch her gaze.
She gasped. Taking a step back she turned to face Jack. 'Hans?' she mouthed. She watched as he nodded in confirmation. She could feel her heart pounding as the news sunk in. Jack had fought with Hans.
A/N- So, we finally had Elsa apologise for snapping at Jack. Poor girl was in shock, she's been through a lot over the last few days, and the attack from Hans was the last thing. Still, am so proud of her for apologising to Jack for snapping at him- poor guy did help her out ;).
Thank you all for your reviews. So many lovely reviews. I love to read what you have to say. Really puts a smile on my face. I hope to have another chapter up for you by the end of the weekend.
Keep Calm and Ship Jelsa :)