Okay, I keep forgetting to do this, because I'm a cottonheaded ninnymuggins, but thank you so so much to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, or followed this story. Seriously. You're all super cool. (I'd write you all down here, but I don't want to risk forgetting someone, so just know that I love you. Got it?) Also, this story will get happier AND more interesting, I promise. Somehow, every time I write a chapter, it ends on a serious note...go figure. I'm working on it, yo.

"How do you think you're adjusting to your new life? Did the transition go smoothly?" my mom's voice asks worriedly from the telephone.

I smile slightly. She's always worried about something. "Okay I guess…the Robinsons are really nice, they treat me like royalty."

My mother gives a small laugh. "You're like the daughter they never had. Of course they're going to treat you like a princess. Don't let it get to your head though, all right? And don't milk it. Be polite, say please and thank you, be respectful –"

"I know, mom," I say in an exasperated voice.

"Anyway, how's school going? Are you making new friends? It seems like you've been gone forever, I can't believe it's only been a few weeks!"

I pause for a second. Am I making friends? How am I supposed to make friends if I can't get close to anyone? "School is…fine. I'm doing well in most of my classes, and there are some kids that I hang out with during the day, so that's nice."

"Most of your classes?" she repeats suspiciously.

I wince. I was hoping she hadn't caught onto that. "Well, biology is giving me a hard time. I've never been good at science, you know that! And our teacher isn't very good at, well, teaching. He has the most boring lecture voice I've ever heard. I might as well be listening to crickets chirping for as much as I get out of it."

My mother doesn't interrupt me; she knows that talking to her each week is the only time I can be myself – sarcastic and outspoken – instead of pretending to be shy, unassuming Clara. If only my hair would grow back and I could take these contacts out during the phone calls, too, everything would be back to normal, almost.

"Well, you're just going to have to find someone to help you then. Have you asked your teacher for help?"

"Yeah, that was a terrible idea. Tooth and I – "

"Wait, Tooth? Is that a person or…an object?"

I laugh. "Tooth is a person. Her real name is Ophelia, but she hates it, so she goes by a different name, like I do. Do you think I could've pulled off a name like Tooth, instead of Clara?" I stop speaking for a moment and think. "I guess since Tooth is already taken, I'd have to think of something else. Throat? Calf? Ooh wait! I got it! Cranium. No one would ever forget my name."

The other end of the phone is silent, save for my mom's attempts to stifle her laughter. "Cranium? Cr-cranium….Robinson…"

"Okay, maybe not Cranium. But I could pull it off, if I wanted to."

"Sure you could, honey."

"So how's Anna doing? And Jack and Sophie? And everyone else?"

Now it's my mom's turn to be quiet. "Mom?" I prompt.

"Anna's doing fine. She makes it a point to ask about you every day. I've considered letting her call you, but I'm worried that she'll go and tell your friends about what you say, which isn't good. Sophie's doing well, she doesn't have any permanent injuries from the fall, which I told Mrs. Overland would be the case, but she didn't believe me," she says in a frustrated tone.

I roll my eyes. "I never would have guessed."

"Your other friends are doing well," she continues. "Rapunzel and Merida are still coming by every day to ask about you. Last I heard, Flynn and Hiccup are working on some kind of device that will help them find you…something about satellites and the Internet…but we both know that most of Hiccup's inventions don't work, so I don't see any harm in letting them continue in their efforts, do you?"

I wish they would find me. I don't say that out loud, because it would make my mom panic, but I do desperately wish that this was the time Hiccup succeeded and they could come to Arendelle and visit me, or take me back with them to Burgess. That would be even better.

But wait…she didn't mention Jack. "You didn't say anything about Jack, though, mom. How is he doing? Is he out of the hospital?"

She hesitates before answering. Uh-oh. That's never a good sign. I mentally prepare myself for the worst. "He was released last Saturday. He's mostly all right, but the cold took its toll on his legs. He can still walk, but he's using a cane now, and he has to go to physical therapy in order to gain back complete use of his legs."

I'm speechless. Jack Overland, using a cane? Jack, my best friend, who saved my sister's life?

"Elsa?"

I can't find the words to speak.

"Elsa?"

Still nothing.

"Clara?"

The use of my new name startles me enough to remove the blank feeling that had taken over my mind. "But he'll be okay in the end, right?"

She just sighs. "We do hope so."

It's my fault. It's my fault.

"Honey, he'll be okay, okay?"

I don't respond. He won't be okay. He's crippled.

"He asked about you the other day."

"About me?"

"Yes. Wanted to know where you'd gone and why you didn't come visit him while he was in the hospital."

I wince. "I tried, did you tell him that? I tried, but his mom –"

"I told him, sweetie. He looked angry, but he left after that."

"Angry at me? Or at his mom?"

"I don't know."

"Hmmmm. Mom? Will I ever get to see him again?" My voice sounds small and pathetic, like I really am Clara, and it makes me even more upset. Am I turning into my alternate identity?

"Well, at this point, Mrs. Overland hasn't filed any report against you. I'm starting to think that that was just a threat she made to send you away, and it worked, didn't it? So as long as you're not in Burgess, she'll most likely leave it alone. I can't guarantee anything, sweetie, but I do think that given enough time, she'll understand that it wasn't your fault, what happened to Sophie and Jack. Besides, it's not like they're the only two that got injured. Mrs. Overland seems to be forgetting – conveniently – that Anna was a victim, too, and that she'll probably have to have surgery for her hearing eventually."

Although my mom's words aren't exactly full of confidence, I still take comfort in them. There's still a chance…still a chance.

"So back to these school friends of yours, what are they like? And who are they?"

"Well, I already told you about Tooth, she's just warm and bubbly and really nice. Sandy is really quiet, but he's usually up for anything that the others want to do, and he's very genuine, I think. North is intimidating sometimes, and it's hard for me to keep up the Clara disguise when he's around, because he's really funny. Bunny is…a little hard to get to know. He kinda reminds me of Jack in some ways, but Jack is way more outgoing. Bunny's pretty chill."

"Sheesh. All your friends have crazy names. Maybe you should go with Cranium. Then you'd fit in even more! Do you see them outside of school, too?"

"No," I admit. "I'm afraid about blowing my cover, so I keep making excuses to hang out with them on the weekends and stuff."

"That's probably for the best, I suppose. I'm sorry, Elsa, that you have to walk such a fine line here."

"It's okay, mom. This was as much my decision as it was yours, and besides, I'm taking dad's advice, and I'm letting it go." I'm through complaining about my circumstances.

"Good girl," she says, and I can hear the smile in her voice.

I'm just about to respond when I hear a noise from the other end of the line. A loud knocking on the door. "Hang on, Elsa," my mom says. I can hear her put down the receiver and open the door.

"Oh. Hello, Jack."

"Hi Mrs. Winters. I was wondering if you could tell me any more about where Elsa's gone?"

"I can't, my dear."

"But…" I strain to hear, but the voices begin to fade, like they're moving further away from the phone. Jack wants to talk to me. Jack misses me. The knowledge is a relief, and that relief is quickly replaced with longing. I want to see my friend again. I want to watch his blue eyes crinkle when he laughs and hear him yell my name as we race down the street on our bikes. I miss him.

"Elsa?" Jack's voice blares from the telephone, loud and clear. "Elsa? Are you there? I –"

I put down the receiver. That was a very Clara thing to do, I think to myself as I walk slowly back to my room.