Chapter 20
On the next day, Walter was sitting in the kitchen, enjoying his morning coffee and reading the newspaper. His gaze lifted when he heard a pair of cheerful footsteps pad down the stairs. Curious, Walter looked up and perked at the sight of Anna walking into the kitchen. She was still dressed in her pajamas and slippers, with her hair up in its usual bedhead.
"Good morning honey." Walter greeted.
"Hi Daddy!" Anna chirped, approaching her father and giving him a peck on the cheek.
Walter looked up and eyed the pink chocolate rose clutched in Anna's hand at the moment. "Do I…."
"Isn't it just beautiful? Ugh I really don't wanna destroy it but hey it's made of chocolate. I can't let it go to waste." Anna shrugged. She began to unwrap it cheerfully.
"That nice honey." Walter nodded, taking a sip of coffee.
Anna stood silent for a brief moment before she walked over to the counter and set down her rose. Turning back to her father, the sophomore sucked in a large breathe.
"So…Daddy…as you know this Friday's the Winter Ball." she began.
Walter eyed her in sudden suspicion and Anna took the moment to continue. "And I've decided to go to the mall this Wednesday to pick out my dress… and I was wondering if I can go with…"
"Does Elsa have a date?" Walter interrupted.
Anna bit her lips and blushed a little. "Well no…."
"Then let's change the subject." her father decided.
Desperate, Anna threw her hands up in the air. "Oh c'mon Daddy I really really really want to go to this. It's only for Friday. Unlike my sister who just wants to spend the rest of her miserable life in her cave, I actually wanna live like a normal teenager!"
"You know the rules, no going unless your sister goes." Walter reminded.
"I'm really starting to see no significance in these rules of yours." Anna grumbled, stuffing the rest of the chocolate rose into her mouth.
"Should I remind you what can possibly happen at these kinds of dances? What Hunky Hans can have planned when he sweeps you off the dance floor?" Walter asked with an arch of his brow.
Anna rolled her eyes and slumped against the island. "Daddy it's a high school dance! Not a college dorm party! We'll dance, have some punch and return home safe and sound! Can you just let go of your overprotectiveness and remind yourself that you were once a fun-fueled teenager?"
Water shuddered. "Don't remind me about that….look sweetie I got news for ya. I'm down. I've got the 411. And you are not going out and getting jiggy with some boy. I don't care how dope his ride is!"
Letting out a loud, disbelieved groan, Anna threw her hands up into the air. "Urgh I can't wait til I go to college!"
"Keep waiting." Walter chuckled as he watched Anna crumple the pink tinfoil and toss it into the garbage can.
Grumbling under her breathe, Anna stormed out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Once Anna left, Walter sat down and waited. Soon enough the door to Anna's bedroom slammed shut and he picked up his newspaper.
"My mama didn't raise no fool."
Elsa sighed and dropped her hand that held her brush. She was in the middle of brushing her hair when she heard Anna's door slam shut across the hall. She did not want to know what went on between her sister and father, yet she had a pretty good idea that it had to do with the cursed Winter Ball.
"Oh no." the senior mumbled. Standing up, Elsa made her way out of her bedroom and approached Anna's closed door.
"Anna?" Elsa spoke up.
"Go away!" Anna cursed on the other side.
Elsa smiled and pushed open the door. Sure enough, she saw her sister sitting at her own vanity desk, braiding her hair with a frown on her face.
When Anna did not turn around, Elsa slipped into the room. "Can we talk for a few minutes?"
Anna rolled her eyes. "Don't you have to get ready?"
"Please?"
Glancing at her reflection, Anna groaned and turned around, much to Elsa's relief. "What do you want Elsa?"
Elsa crossed her arms and let out a sigh. "Look I know you're upset about having to stay home because I'm not Susie High School."
"Whatever," Anna huffed.
She turned away from Elsa and back to the mirror. "I hate to break it to you sis but there's one thing you're so perfect at and that is shutting people out. Admit it you never seem to care about anyone but yourself."
"Believe me I actually do care. And I'm a firm believer in doing something for your own reasons, and not someone else's." Elsa explained, coming over to Anna's bed and sitting down.
An awkward silence filled the air for a brief moment before Anna turned to face her sister. "Can I just ask you something?"
Surprised, Elsa nodded and brought her knees to her chest. "Of course."
"What made you become so cold and distant? I know it had something to do with sophomore year and all…but I don't get it. You were so nice to everyone and everyone liked you back. What made you change?" Anna asked in sudden curiosity.
Elsa met her sister's wide eyes and she bit her lips. "You know about my thoughts on Hans right?"
Anna shrugged. "Yeah you both hate each other's guts. So?"
"He didn't tell you about the time he went out with me…did he?" Elsa asked.
"You and Hans? Together?" Anna snickered.
Elsa gave her a hard glance and Anna suddenly stiffened, knowing that whenever Elsa gave her that look, then she was dead-on serious.
"Seriously, I didn't think you two would be a thing. Was it during sophomore year? For how long?" the younger girl questioned.
"He had this charm that made me swoon right at his feet. One smile and a single compliment and I fell for him just like that." Elsa grimaced.
Anna bit her lips and looked down at her hands, while Elsa decided to continue.
"After that we started dating and it was nice. He took me out a couple of times and sad to say we did some major PDA. But then I guess he was getting bored so one night he took me to a party."
"And?" Anna pressed on.
"You want to know the full details of what happened? I have to warn you it was something you'd find on Gothel's computer."
Anna's eyes widened and her mouth flew open "You didn't…you know…" she made a circle with one hand and slipped a finger through the hole.
Elsa gave her an uncomfortable nod. "We did, but back then everyone thought it was 'cool' and made you a real teenager. Heck I was even given a condom the week before by some random girl at school."
Anna could only stare. "Good Lord."
Elsa then sighed. "After we did it…I felt ashamed, especially when other girls gave me the jealous look. When I told Hans this, he got mad and called me a not-so-nice name. And by then he was prying on another girl so he made me feel like a total slut."
"He didn't say anything to me." Anna shook her head and fell back into her chair. "And to think I could've been the next notch in his belt!"
"After that I told Hans that if he let the secret go, I'll have Pitch go after him and see how rusty little Hans really is. So now you know why I don't want to go with the flow with everyone and just be myself." Elsa concluded.
Anna frowned and turned back to her sister. "And you decide to tell me this now?"
"I wanted you to know so you'd be careful and see how 'charming' Hans Westergaard can really be. But you were so naïve Anna, just like I was." Elsa confessed.
"So you and Daddy think that keeping me locked up is the proper solution." Anna suddenly snapped, her anger returning.
She sprung up from her seat. "Do you really think I'm that messed up to repeat your stupid mistakes? Sure I was naïve about Hans, but I'm not like that with every boy and especially not with Kristoff!"
"I'm just trying to protect you." Elsa insisted.
"By not letting me experience things myself? How is that protecting me exactly?" her sister cried.
"Looks can be deceiving, I just told you how pure Hans really is. He can look like the perfect boy but you don't know his true colors until he shows them at the right moment." Elsa whispered.
Anna rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Whatever, just go crawl back inside you cave or get out of mine. I gotta get ready for school." and without a second thought the younger girl approached her door and held it open.
With a defeated sigh, Elsa stood up from her sister's bed and walked out. The moment she stepped out and turned, Anna shut the door behind her with nothing more to say.
Smiling, Astrid approached her locker and stopped in front of it. It was the middle of the school day and she was about to head out to lunch with Elsa.
"Hey Astrid, ready to go?" Elsa asked, coming up beside her friend.
Astrid turned and her smile faded at the sight of the weary look upon Elsa's face. "Sure, are you okay? You look beat." she said, twisting the lock.
Elsa sighed and rubbed a hand across her forehead. "Anna and I had an argument about the ball."
"I'm guessing she really wants to go?"
"What do you think?" Elsa mumbled.
She looked up at Astrid with a helpless glance. "I told her about sophomore year." she revealed in a soft voice.
Astrid's eyes widened and Elsa shook her head with nothing else to say.
"And how did she take that?" the blonde girl asked.
"Not so well."
Astrid shifted from one foot to the other. "What about Jack?"
Elsa frowned and looked at the girl. "What about him?"
"You know he might not be as bad as Hans."
Elsa bit her lips and played with the end of her braid. "I don't want to talk about him."
"What are you so afraid of? It's been two years Elsa." Astrid said calmly.
"What makes you think I'm afraid?" Elsa argued.
She then straightened and rubbed a hand across her face. "Look I just have to forget about him and not go to the dance. I think Anna can wait another year until I'm out of the house."
Astrid only shrugged and turned to her locker. "Hey I'm just trying to help, don't worry we'll find something to do on the night of the dance. It's not like I had any…what the…" the girl stopped and reached inside her locker.
"What?" Elsa questioned.
Astrid's eyes widened in surprise as she pulled out a dress from her locker. It was a short dress that reached down to her knees. The top bodice was made of sparkling red materiel and the skirt was simple and black.
"It's beautiful!" Astrid breathed, stroking the sparkling bodice.
Stunned, the girl smiled and turned back to her locker, where she then noticed something even more strange than the dress. Hanging upside down from one of her locker hooks, was a furry growling bear's mask. Astrid did not know what to say as she withdrew the bear's mask and held it in her hands.
"Okay now that's a little odd. What happened to the simple rose bouquet?" Elsa asked.
Astrid turned to her in disbelief. "See this is why you gotta start watching Vikings! Do you know what this is?" she held the bear mask up to her friend.
"A Halloween mask?" Elsa guessed with a smile.
"When Ragnar approached Lagertha's house to ask her to tie the knot he was attacked by a bear and her own dog." Astrid explained.
"And let me guess, the dashing Ragnar sliced the bear's head off?" Elsa giggled.
"You got it," a voice spoke up.
Astrid and Elsa both turned around to see Hiccup approach them, his hand running through his scruffy hair.
Astrid straightened, still holding the bear mask. "Are you here to propose?" she teased.
Hiccup chuckled in slight nervousness. "Not exactly."
When Astrid turned the bear head upside down, she suddenly jumped when a small rectangular object slipped out and fell at her feet. Astrid held Hiccup's gaze as she bent over and retrieved the neatly wrapped object. Hiccup swallowed hard and Astrid tried hard not to laugh at the look on his face as she began to tear at the wrapping paper. A few seconds later the last of the paper fell and Astrid's mouth flew open at the sight of the small black box in her hand.
"Oh my gosh you are proposing aren't you?" Astrid stammered.
Taking the box, Astrid opened it and she gasped. "No way!"
Sitting on the velvety pillow was a shiny raven's charm necklace that Astrid remembered Hiccup wearing on the night of his party. This could not be his.
"This is…oh my God!" A bright smile lit Astrid's face as turned and looked up at Elsa.
Hiccup grinned and held up his hands. "So…I know this not…the clichéd bouquet of roses like Kris pulled off." he began.
Astrid rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, the dress pressed to her chest.
"But Astrid what I want to ask is will you go to the Winter Ball with me? My fair shield maiden?" the boy asked.
Astrid and Elsa both glanced at him for a long silent moment before Astrid blushed and looked down at the bear head in her hands. "I…"
"If you don't want to then I…" Hiccup began.
"Hey slow down Hiccup! I didn't say anything!" Astrid interrupted with a playful roll of her eyes.
Hiccup's head lifted up and he was struck surprised when Astrid's own cheeks began to grow red. "W-what?"
"Do you need to clean those big ears of yours? Of course I'll go with you!" Before Hiccup could register her answer, Astrid threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight.
"Oh my gosh! Are you….wow!" Hiccup laughed as Astrid pushed him against the locker and grabbed his face into her hands.
In seconds her lips were on his and Hiccup looked like Thumper when he met his soul mate. Elsa was sure she saw his hair stand up and his cheeks flush the brightest shade of red there was. A few seconds later Astrid opened her eyes. Suddenly snapping back to reality, the girl pushed back and blushed, while Hiccup looked flustered.
"Um…okay that was…. super awkward…wow." Astrid murmured, while Elsa laughed and Hiccup nodded in agreement.
"T-totally." Hiccup said, brushing down his clothes.
"Really…we should probably head on down to lunch…" Astrid suggested.
Hiccup nodded quickly. "That's a great idea."
"Great, c'mon in." and without another word Astrid turned and began to hurry away, a large smile taking over her face as she held the dress and necklace close to her.
Hiccup exhaled and followed after her, brushing past a stunned Elsa.
Once the pair was gone, Elsa shook her head in playful disbelief and crossed her arms over her chest. "He should've just stuck to the roses."
After school, Kristoff was sitting in his bedroom and doing his homework when he heard the doorbell ring downstairs. With a rub of his forehead, he pushed back from his desk and turned to the large dog that laid asleep on his bed.
"Sven! Sven c'mon let's go see who's at the door!"
At the sound of his master's voice, Sven lifted his head and gave a happy bark before jumping off Kristoff's bed and bolting out the door. Kristoff smiled and followed him out. When the blonde opened the front door, his eyes grew wide with surprise at the sight of Jack standing at his doorstep, covered with the falling snow. Sven began barking happily and bouncing around Kristoff, who held him back.
"Jack! What are you doing here?"
"How about instead of a-a-asking you just let the poor g-guy in?" Jack shivered, his teeth chattering against the cold.
Kristoff quickly nodded and let Jack through the door.
"So did you ask Anna to the dance?" Jack asked as he shook the snow off his clothes and began to slip off his winter coat.
"Yeah I did, with some help of course from Ragnar Lothbrok." Kristoff shook his head with a smile.
Jack looked up and gave him a playful smirk. "See I told you that she could see the light within!"
"I'll make you some hot chocolate." Kristoff rolled his eyes and led his friend into the warm kitchen. As Jack sat down at the island, Kristoff began to shuffle around to make the hot beverage.
"And what about you? How did Elsa take the question?" Kristoff asked. When he did not get a direct response, he turned to Jack.
"Yeah about that…" Jack began.
"It didn't go too well did it?" Kristoff guessed.
"I screwed up and got her suspicious. Hans just had to step in and mess everything up." Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair. "What should I do Kristoff? I don't think I can belt out another song to ask for her forgiveness."
Kristoff nodded in agreement. "No I think that'd officially be the last straw for her."
The two boys fell into a thoughtful silence for a while before Kristoff cleared his throat and handed Jack a mug of hot chocolate. "Do you like her?"
Jack gave him a helpless glance. "Yes."
It was true. He did like Elsa, he liked her a lot, and now all Jack felt was guilt every time he thought about her and how he practically schemed with Hans to get her to go out with him just so Hans can get his fill with her sister. Sure there was something icy and obnoxious about her, but other than that Elsa was a nice warm girl underneath all that ice that she wore. He didn't want to be another boy who took advantage of her, yet the more Jack thought about Hans, the more he realized that he was being just that.
"Then just go up to her and apologize for getting her mad, and then she'll somehow tell herself that it's okay to go out and have a little fun with everyone else." Kristoff explained.
Jack chuckled. "It's not so easy with Elsa."
Putting his drink down, Jack's eyes then landed on a gray scuffed suit that laid on the living room sofa. "What is that?" he questioned.
Kristoff hesitated and ran a hand through his hair as Jack stood up and walked over to the suit. "Yeah it's…."
Jack let out a moan and turned to him. "Please don't tell me this is your tux for the dance."
He did not want to admit aloud but it was no doubt the ugliest suit Jack ever seen. The gray color was not exactly Fifty Shades Christian sexy and the sleeves and collar were worn out. In addition to the tuxedo's faded, old appearance, there was also a weird musky, old grandfather scent that clung to the fabric.
"Yeah it is, but I'm all out of money for a brand new one. It was this one, or a size too small at the rental store." Kristoff sighed, coming up beside Jack and looking at the suit.
"All I'm going to say that it's the ugliest thing I ever seen." Jack announced with a shake of his head. "Poor Anna."
"Thanks, I needed that." Kristoff mumbled. He turned and Jack reached into his jean pocket.
A few moments later his friend pulled out his wallet and began shuffling through it.
"Here." Jack held out a single hundred dollar bill.
Kristoff took the offered bill with a risen brow. "What are you…"
"Now you understand what girls waste their money on. Just take the damned money and get your coat. We're going to the mall and you're gonna pick out a nice tux that won't make you look like Grandpa Joe." Jack said as he slipped on his coat.
"Whatever you say." Kristoff said as he grabbed his own coat.
"Trust me Kris, you'll thank me on Friday night." Jack smiled and reached for his phone.
Kristoff could only stare in surprise as they both walked out into the cold evening.
"Hey Hiccup I'm at Kristoff's place. Get over here. We're going shopping!" Jack announced.
Argh curse you Mr. Aster! Elsa groaned and threw her pencil onto her desk. She leaned into her chair and rubbed her eyes.
This stupid sonnet was really starting to push her off the cliff. How on earth was she supposed to write this when her brain felt like it was in the middle of a tornado with everything that was happening?
Just think of something Elsa. How hard can writing a sonnet be? Okay so maybe it's a little hard…. argh!
Suddenly wondering what Anna was doing, Elsa thought about standing up and wandering to her sister's room when the guilt once again kicked in, making Elsa close her eyes and massage her head. Ever since their talk this morning, Anna refused to speak to her sister, which only made Elsa feel worse. All Elsa wanted to do was protect Anna from boys like Hans. She did not suspect her sister to be angry with her. With a small sigh, Elsa picked up her pencil again. She slid into her desk and began to write.
Thump!
"Huh?" Elsa frowned, shifting in her chair.
Was it her imagination, or was she hearing something outside her door? Curious, Elsa stood up and walked across her room. She listened once again but all she heard was Anna's door closing across the hall.
It was probably nothing…but maybe… As soon as she opened it and peeked out, Elsa saw it – the silvery bag from Macy's sitting on the floor right at her door. Surprised, Elsa looked up and noticed that Anna's door was closed and not a single sound came from behind it.
Picking up the bag, Elsa slipped back into her room and closed the door behind her. She walked over to her bed and sat down, her hand reaching into the bag and pulling out a neatly folded dress.
"Oh Anna." Elsa could not help but smile a little as she set the dress down on her lap. She let her fingers stroke the fine materiel before she turned back to the bag and noticed a small note sticking out, her sister's handwriting scribbled on it.
I thought it'd look nice on you. I couldn't put it back. – Anna
After reading the note, Elsa sighed and fell back onto her bed, holding the dress to her chest. She blinked up at the dark blue ceiling and the silver snowflakes that hung from the silvery strings. As the snow fell in light flurries outside her window, Elsa closed her eyes and remembered the nice feeling of Jack's arms around her waist. A small smile formed on her face as Elsa at the memory of his warm lips kissing her back at the park.
Elsa opened her eyes and blinked up at the snowflakes again.
Jack seemed to be the first boy that Elsa did not hold a complete grudge against. Sure, he had his flaws, but there was something more to Jack then others presumed, more than what Elsa thought. He seemed just as misunderstood as Elsa herself yet he still managed to crack a joke and make Elsa smile and melt the ice that froze her heart. And now Elsa could not deny the butterflies that appeared in her belly whenever she thought about Jack's small playful smirk, or how her own lips curved into a smile whenever he grinned at her.
Maybe I was a little hard on him. Heck Anna wasn't kidding when she meant that I shut everyone out…maybe I should go to the ball. What could go wrong? Elsa thought to herself as she sat up.
Elsa did know one thing, and that was that Anna would be beyond happy to go, along with Kristoff, Astrid, and Hiccup. They were all going and somehow Elsa did not want to be the one to damper their moods by refusing to attend. Ever since her breakup with Hans, Elsa refused to attend and even acknowledge the school dances. There was something about dressing up and feeling beautiful that made Elsa remember her disastrous relationship with Hans, and how he only wanted her for one thing and one thing only.
Thoughtful, Elsa took the dress into her hands and stood up. She approached her life-size mirror and let the dress fall over her body.
"Elsa?"
Elsa's gaze left the dress and she turned to see her door creak open. Her eyes widened as Anna stepped in, her arms crossed over her chest.
"Hey." Anna's eyes fell on the dress in Elsa's arms. "I see you got the dress."
Elsa bit her lips and looked down at the gift. She let her fingertips stroke the glittery materiel. "It's beautiful."
"I'm glad to like it." Anna gave her sister a small grimace before she turned and began to walk out of the bedroom. "I'm making some hot chocolate, if you want some it's downstairs."
"Anna wait!" Elsa spoke up, moving after her.
Anna turned around, her hand already on the doorknob. Elsa smiled and set the dress down on the edge of the bed with delicate care. She then walked over to her sister and pulled her into a tight hug. Anna stiffened at the gesture yet she did not pull away.
"Thank you Anna, no one's went through the trouble to get me such a gift before." Elsa whispered.
She pulled back and let out a guilty sigh. "And I'm sorry for upsetting you this morning. I should've just told you about Hans right away, instead of waiting for him to hurt you."
"It's okay Elsa, you know I can never stay mad at you forever." Anna said and returned her sister's embrace.
"You're going to the ball this Friday, you and Kristoff deserve to have a good time." Elsa whispered and pulled away to look at the younger girl.
Anna's lips curved into a large smile. "Are you serious?"
"Yes."
Before Elsa could do anything else, a thin pair of arms suddenly threw themselves around her and Elsa let out a small oomph as Anna squealed and squeezed the life out of her in a tight hug.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I love you so much you don't even know how!" Anna cried in joy.
"Anna….please let me go!" Elsa wheezed.
Anna quickly released her and pulled back, her smile stretching from ear to ear. "You're not teasing me are you?"
"Not this time, now c'mon, let's go get some hot chocolate!" Elsa decided, wrapping an arm around her sister.
Anna giggled and picked up a strand of Elsa's hair. "But you know we're going to have to do something about this hair, and we gotta make sure to get you the right shoes and take lots of selfies before and after! Oh and I gotta call Kristoff and we gotta discuss our color scheme…" she chattered as the two sisters made their way out.