Sooooo where did I leave you guys off? Oh yeah, Hiccstrid and Jelsa are dissolving! D: What will happen now? Can they overcome this? And will it be as if nothing ever happened?! Read to find out I guess…
Chapter 17: Elsa
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"ONCE UPON A PROM"
Saturday 23rd of April, 2016 8:00 P.M.
Prom… I used to despise the idea of Homecoming, once I transferred to a hearing school. I know no one from my own year, so I would have nobody to be with. I would pretty much just sulk the entire evening, and if I absolutely have to sulk, I would much rather do it to a tear jerker on Netflix.
But once I met Jack… Things seemed to change. I became more open to the idea of going to parties and socialize more, for I'd have him with me through the night. The addition of Astrid and Hiccup only made the idea better. But after very recent events… I'm definitely not going to Prom. Period.
Everything turned out be exactly as I thought them to be. Jocks. Are. Jerks. No exceptions, no nothing. However Jack proved me wrong for a short time… it all comes down to the stereotypical fact, one only sees on movies.
My hands are deeply shoved into my pockets as I manage to guide through the mass of people going the opposite direction: the cafeteria. I don't really feel like doing lunch today, so I'll just head to the library, catching up on some homework I missed when I… cried over… him.
Stop, Elsa. Just stop. He's not worthy of your time, let alone your thoughts. Channel geometry….channel geometry…
The library's quiet as always, no pun intended. But literary no one is in the library for lunch. I sigh in relief at my luck, as and I find a lone table towards the literary section of the library. I pull out my books, notepad and pencil, trying to remember the recent geometric formulas we've learned.
About ten minutes into my study session, a disturbance catches my periphery and my blood freezes over. Not just any disturbance. A gangly, tall, auburn-haired, emerald-eyed douche passes the literary section, on the way to the computers. Huh, wouldn't a rich kid like him have his own computer? I'm sure with his brain he could build one. I growl lowly at him, tightening my hand into a fist.
But I swear to you, I'm going to find out. No best friend of mine will suffer like you. Trust me on that. I will seek out Hiccup when I know he's alone and talk some sense into him.
My books forgotten on the table, I storm up after him, hoping to catch him in the corner where no one will see us from any angle.
He's sitting by the computer all the way in the corner where one can't see the screen. He seems to be anxious. As if someone will catch him doing something he's not supposed to do.
Well that first part couldn't be more real.
"What the hell have you done to deserve Astrid? My Astrid?!" I slap him semi-hard on the shoulder, making him turn around with a shriek on his face. His green eyes are shaking slightly as he realizes who's in front of him.
"Elsa…? What are you doing he-here?" His hands barely signing his words as his heart rate slows down.
"Oh, so suddenly you can sign again? What a miracle!" I deadpan. "Sure would be nice if you could when Astrid practically begged you to answer her! What the hell happened?!" His eyes look down in apparent shame, but I know better. He's just like all the other jocks, pretending to care. Fool.
"I-I… I… I don…"
"Look at me and use you god damn hands!" I hiss, going against my every principle of not speaking on school grounds. But this is for Astrid. His eyes slowly creep their way into my icy ones as I've forcefully heaved him out of his desk chair by the collar.
"I just…" He looks around. If his glance tells me anything, he's making sure we're alone. Not that I care. I let go of his shirt, now crumbled against his coward torso, but my stern look still pins him down.
"Elsa, it's not like what you think it is…"
"Hell it's not! You ridiculed my best friend, your supposed girlfriend! You told Jack she's the one for you? Do you normally just abandon your one and only in the grasps of hundreds of students bullying her? She tried so hard to reach out to you, and what do you do? Just turn and leave, not bothering to help her. Some boyfriend. That is not how a relationship functions!"
"Look, I-I know that, alright? Just, give me a chance to explain, please...?" He looks around again. Wow, he must have a serious case of paranoia.
"Look, I was forced to do this, okay? B-L-A-C-K-M-A-I-L-E-D is a bit of a strong word, and one I don't know how to sign properly. But just know that…"
"That what? That Hans made you dump her to preserve your image?"
"Yes! Or, not just my image I guess… You see a team is only as strong as its weakest link, and so if I continued I'd make the entire team look bad. And Hans doesn't tolerate weakness on his team."
"What, so loving Astrid made you weak?"
"In Hans' eyes, yes. But Astrid… she's made me feel the strongest I've ever felt. But in fear of what will become of me and – Thor forbid it – Astrid, I've been playing his game this week. I thought I was gentle on her in the start. I politely rejected her idea on a date Saturday, and excused myself at lunch Monday. I'd never realize that Hans would force me to drop everything at once. But he did, and made sure I'd know the consequences of defying him."
My head spins slightly at all of the information pouring out of him, some by sign, some by mouth. It is confusing to both have to focus on hand and lips at the same time for longer periods of time. I run a hand along my scalp, praying to not get a head ache anytime soon.
"So you mean to tell me that Hans blackmailed you to leave Astrid? To just… stop to think of her existence?" How unfathomable.
"Yeah, pretty much. 'Disposable garbage' was the exact words he used about her. I swear on my mother's grave that I was seething in rage as much as you are right now." I step back, taking a deep breath, unclenching fists I didn't know I had.
"Elsa, you have to believe me. I'm not only doing this for myself. I'm so scared for what they'll do to her, if I disobey. Please, just listen…" His glance gets more and more pleading the more he signs, and sincerity bleeds through the slight tears in his tear ducts.
"You have to believe that I love her with all of my heart." I still look skeptically at him. He always has been good at showing emotions… but are they genuine?
"There's a 'lie' in believe…"
"I-I know that you won't believe me at this rate. Not after what horrible things I've done towards Astrid. I guess you just have to take my word for it…" His focus disappears for a second. I take that second to take in everything he's told me in the last five minutes. He's kept on blabbering about his undying love and devotion towards Astrid, but action speaks…
"…louder than words…" I whisper, and his eyes focus on me again.
"Yes… Yes! That's exactly what I was thinking! I'll prove to her that I love her! Elsa, just give me until tomorrow. I'll figure something out that'll show her my love for her. Please, make sure she'll come to the game. And find seats as close to the rink as possible. I want to be able to sign with her." My eyebrows knit tightly, my face scrunching together.
"I don't really know…"
"Come on… please? I know Astrid loves me deep inside. She needs to know the feelings really are mutual. Don't you want to give her, her best chance?"
I pout in disbelief, squinting my ice blue gaze at him.
"Who says you are her best chance?" He fumbles a bit with his hands, as per usual when he is genuinely nervous.
"Well… I do. I really believe… Thor it sounds so sappy even for me, but… I believe we are meant to be." And with that he falls heavily back into the desk chair he originally sat in. He looks exhausted. Like all air was just punched out of him, while taking a frying pan to the head. Where did this come from all of a sudden?
"Man… you look awful… you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah. I'll just need a minute."
"How come? You seemed fine just a second ago."
"Well… sure, it's no big deal to realize the one you'd practically die for hates your guts and wants nothing to do with you. Of course that is understandable under such circumstances as these, but what really knocked me out was the fact I truly believe her to be mine, and I to be hers. And the fact that now, she'll probably never want me to be hers or her to be mine… I have to talk to her tomorrow. Please, Elsa." He clasps his hands together in pray his eyes expressing everything he's ever felt towards Astrid. And there I see something… something dark.
Sorrow. Regret. Sadness.
He… really regrets doing this… serves him god damn right after treating my Astrid like he did. I sigh heavily once, contemplating my options. Take Astrid to the games, letting Hiccup make amends out in the open. It would be public humiliation for him and him alone, if he did this. Maybe... Oh to heck with this.
"Fine!" I sigh once more, and he jumps out of the chair, eyes big and shoulders tense.
"Really? You'll come tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"Oh gods, thank you, Elsa! You don't have the slightest idea of how happy this makes me!" He hugs me tight, but I don't reciprocate right away.
"Just so we're clear. I bring Astrid, and you publically humiliate yourself. If Astrid doesn't respond like you hope she does, you'll stop trying? 'Cause she's insanely mad at you."
"Can't say I blame her. But… yes. No matter how much I love her, if she really don't want me, even after tomorrow, I'll leave her be."
"Good. Then I'm sure that Chick from a few days ago would swoon all over you again."
"Chick… what are you… Oh. H-E-A-T-H-E-R? She… wait… Astrid saw that? Oh gods… it's-It's nothing I swear! She attacked me! She came onto me. I wanted nothing to do with her, I swear."
The same sincerity from before is once again present on his features, after seeing it once, it is hard to resist a second time.
"Fine, I guess… If you say it's nothing… then it was nothing, to me at least. But you have to explain yourself real good to Astrid tomorrow. It's gonna be hard winning her back."
"Oh, believe me I know. But I have to try." A sudden determination washes over his eyes and brows, and I find myself believing him.
"Good. I'll make sure she's there, close enough for you to communicate with her." And with that, I salute him, and walk away from him, leaving him to his business. My wrist buzzes, telling me to get to class. So much for catching up on geometry…
Astrid
The school's parking lot is practically empty this Friday afternoon. Everyone has gone home for the weekend, probably gearing up for a party at some stuck up cheerleader's place before the big game tomorrow.
All but one car is gone, and said car belongs to a certain white-haired boy, whom I'm going to give a piece of my mind. I can see him sitting in the car on his cellphone, most likely texting Hiccup that he's on his way. But he wouldn't be. Heck, he wouldn't, shouldn't, even be able to move his arms once I'm done with him.
A few long strides across the lot, and I'm swiftly seated in Jack's passenger seat. I grab his cellphone before he has a chance to hit send, and I read the message.
Hiccs, I've got to do something. She's miserable, and I don't know why. What have I done wrong? Has Astrid told you anything?
"A-Astrid…! What are you doing in my car?" Jack's eyes emit a wave of emotions all at once. Shock at my sudden appearance, relief at it was me, even more shock at it being me, and a little bit of horror. Probably by seeing my face.
"What. Have. You. Done. To. Elsa? To even deserve her in the first place?" My vocal cords vibrate along with my moving digits, making my voice heard in the car. Luckily it's soundproof enough to hide away this conversation. Jack takes a second to response, only making me more furious. If he's spinning some sort of lie I will personally disable him.
"I-I have done nothing, I swear! Please, I don't know what I've done!"
"Oh, I'll tell you what you've done. You've talked bad about Elsa, your girlfriend mind you, behind her back. Real bad things from what Elsa told me. And then you go on as if what you said never happened? Like you just cover up what you really feel about her, just for the fun of it? She is not a plaything for jerks like you to use at your disposal! She has feelings, even more than you could ever hope to imagine, and you've hurt every single one of them! You know why? Because you lied to her. You've lied about every single thing you've said to her!" My face is slowly turning red, and Jack squirms uncomfortable in his seat. Serves him damn right. He takes a few deep breaths before his hands are steady enough to answer.
"Look, Astrid, I've done nothing wrong! I defended her when Hans was talking shit about her. Okay? He was ridiculing her. Calling her terrible stuff, and putting her next to nothing! And I got so sick of hearing it. I got so sick of hearing it, I just blurted out and confronted him."
"Yes, I've heard that part…"
"You have? Then why are you mad?"
"Why am I… why am I mad?" I deadpan. How can he even...? I don't even have the words right now.
"Well let's freshen it up, shall we? You hate her? She's the worst that could ever happen to you because she's deaf and practically nobody? That you think lowly of her? That you're secretly relieved that you can't take her to any of the popular parties, afraid of embarrassing yourself and your reputation? You know what? You're a downright moron!"
"But I don't! And I'm not! That is the exact thing I… wait…" Jack's entire being freezes in his seat, suddenly realizing something. Probably his own stupid mistake by calling Elsa such things.
"It was… it's all big misunderstanding! I was furious with Hans. And he wanted me to sign everything that I said, so I complied. But as I got angrier, my hands started to blur together and I…"
"Let me guess. You forgot the 'not'-sign, didn't you?" I interrupt sarcastically, clearly not believing his little tale.
"Exactly! That is exactly what happened. Elsa must have seen our conversation, and could only read the signs, not my lips. She thinks I… She thinks all the things I said are… Man, I messed up."
"You messed up real bad, pretty boy. And now she's as good as gone. Don't even start to think she'll want you back after that." Jack snaps his entire front torso towards me, holding his hands slightly in front of me
"Please, Astrid. Let me have one chance to make it up to her. Give me one chance to explain myself to her. I don't wanna… and can't live with myself knowing that she thinks I was a dick to her, when really I wasn't. Can't you see how it's unfair to the both of us? I love her, Astrid."
His eyes are watery, bottom lip trembling slightly. Seeing him this vulnerable, this almost broken is rather unsettling. Can he really be speaking the truth though? What if this is all just a big setup? Hans can be such a deceiving… no negative words can cover my thoughts on him right now.
"Please, Astrid, one chance is all I ask for. Make her come to the game tomorrow. There I'll talk to her. Prove to her that whatever she saw back then wasn't true. She deserves the truth. She deserves to know what really happened, so she might become truly happy once again."
"And you really believe that you'll make her truly happy? You say you were defending her back then. You 'forgot' the sign for 'not'. One of the simplest signs, one of the first ones we taught you, slipped your fingers in such a critical time? What if it ever happens again, hmm? What will you do, if you make another slip up like that?" His shoulders fall down heavily, his head slightly tilted, gaze down.
"I… I haven't really thought about that… I guess… I guess I'll try whatever I can not to make it happen again. I'll get more used to ASL, I'll do everything I can to become as close to perfectly fluent as I can to make sure that something like what happened never happens again. I don't ever want to see her as broken as she's been this week. It hurts me way down deep, and I can't imagine the pain that she's been going through. Please Astrid, you must believe me when I tell you that I'll do whatever it takes to make her happy again, and do everything in my power to prevent this from ever happening again." A single, lone tear runs down his cheek, falling off of his sharp jaw, hitting his left palm as he signs the last word. I sigh deeply, taking my time to reflect on what he just said.
If he really means it…
"Okay. Then what do we do?" A slow, relieved smile paints his lips, his tears disappearing rapidly.
"Just make Elsa come to the game tomorrow. I'll have everything sorted out by then. Make sure you're getting seats on the half away from the spectators' entrance. That's our half of the rink. Oh, and close to the ice as well. Would like to be able to sign with her properly." His smile broadens as he continues, and it turns more and more determined. Surely a plan is forming inside his head.
"Fine. Tomorrow it is then." I reciprocate his smile vaguely as I exit the car, heading home.
"No, no wait!" I turn around in the open car door as Jack taps my hip. "Can't I give you a lift home? Or where ever you need to be? Save you some time." I roll my eyes slightly, looking at my phone.
"I guess… sure. Drop me off a few blocks from Elsa's."
Elsa
A blink over my door, indicating someone being at the front door, interrupts my study session. What is it with geometry and incoming interruptions? I leave my pencil behind at my mess of a desk, and head downstairs before anyone from the living room can take the door. As I open, I see a flash of blonde hair, before I feel two strong arms wrapped around me. I stumble back slightly, adjusting to the added weight. Once released, I see her face, and a look I quite can't decipher painted in her eyes.
"Hi, Astrid. What's up? Any reason for you stumbling in like that?"
"Nah, just thought you might like something sweet, for once this week." Her smile broadens, and we venture up to my room. Once upon our usual spots on my bed, Astrid seems somehow nervous.
"Do you have anything to say? Spill your heart, please." I lay gentle hands on her thighs opposite mine, before she takes a deep breath.
"I need to talk to you about… him." I retreat my hands in shock, leaning slightly back. A certain event from today's lunch pops up in my head.
"I also have to talk to you about… the other him." A long silence blossoms between us, both trying to find the words, each of us with a different story.
"Jack…"
"Hiccup…"
"wants you to come to the game tomorrow…"
"He asked you that?"
"Wait, wait, wait… the back half of the stadium…"
"Closest to the rink…?"
A new silence roars in my room, both of us speechless of the other's tale. Cerulean meets sapphire in a confusing blur of blue hues as we both try to figure out what this means.
"Wait so, you talked to Hiccup today, and he wants me to come to the game? Why?" I lean back against my dozen of pillows, pulling my legs up to my chest.
"Well, he told me, on the verge of tears, that he wanted to prove his love to you. He told me that he was blackmailed by Hans to forget you and everything you've been through, or else… I never really caught the consequence, don't think he gave me one, but he was afraid of what would become of him and… and you."
"Me? Why all of a sudden would he care about me?" She huffs, crossing her arms in pure defiance and disbelief.
"That's what I told him myself. It was only a long explanation later that I agreed to take you. I thought he would publically humiliate himself, and only himself, if you either didn't reciprocate the feelings, or didn't respond all together." She smirks at me at that, loosening her grip on her arms.
"Hmm. Pretty smart of you. I'll definitely consider that."
"Now, a real question is… why would he want me to be at the game?" The topic now flipped to the other boy, Astrid leans in closer to me, never breaking eye contact.
"Well, he told me that it was all just a big misunderstanding. Believe me, I was hard to convince, but he was actually shedding tears in the end. He was actually trembling in his signing, and sincere in his facial expressions." I pout, looking away for a few seconds.
"Hmm. Don't let that fool you."
"Oh, believe you me, I didn't by the start of it. He claimed that in his rage, he stumbled in signing and 'forgot' the sign for 'not'." My focus snaps back at her blue eyes, skepticism seething out of my own.
"HA! He would never forget such a basic sign! It's too easy to skip, even when in rage."
"That's what I said to him, but he whole heartedly told me that it was a mistake and he would do what he could to make you see that." I scoff loudly, for a hearing person anyway, hunching over my shoulders.
"Oh, I've seen plenty already. Don't think I need him to sign much more in front of me. What if he 'missed out' on more signs?"
"That's exactly what I told him!"
Once again a silence comes over my bed, but a well-placed one. My right wrist is starting to hurt a tiny bit after so much frantic signing for a longer period of time.
"So…" Astrid starts up again. "You're coming tomorrow?"
"Yeah… Wanna be my date?" Astrid's head snaps back over in a laugh, her hands placed lightly on her stomach.
"Heck yeah. Me and my girl to the last game of the year? What could possibly go wrong?"
What could go wrong indeed? *MWUAAHAHAHA* *fades into evil giggles in the dark of the night…*
Anywho, I really hope you like this chapie as a prelude to the big game coming up! I'm really sorry you guys have almost waited an entire month for this update, but I've been so caught up in vacay with my old folks and reading other fanfictions. I've had an entire week where I didn't even open my laptop! But I'm trying hard to come out with chapters as often as possible. I have two weeks left before I return to my senior year of High School, where I hope to have a more regular week, where I can schedule updates better.
If you liked it, please let me know in the reviews!
'Till next time!