First Sight.
Anna struggled to open her chocolate wrapper, as Kristoff sang his "careful" advice. The Innovator provided nothing but a comfortable seat. And Marshal's driving skills were top-notch, really. However, Kristoff's speech about having buddies made Anna uncomfortable. A little chocolate break might help her with that. Except she had to carefully open it, or else the entire bar would be crushed under that force. This little break for a distraction wasn't so bad after all.
He asked at last, "Will you?"
"Just a little bit," she told herself with her tongue sticking out in intense concentration. She could see Kristoff's impatient expression, waiting for an answer. Finally, the wrapper opened slowly, allowing Anna's lips to curve into a victorious grin. With the wrapper now open, she looked at Kristoff with the same grin plastered on her face.
"No way," she munched on the chocolate.
Kristoff sighed. Anna could imagine how annoyed he was by her unsatisfactory answer. She could see Marshall smiling amusedly at her. Right, about having friends, Anna was determined to have none this time in her summer class. Nope, she didn't want to be betrayed again. What she had gone through in school was enough. Yet, this guy wanted her to be close with someone because being silent wasn't her character.
I love crazy!
The chocolate created rainbows on and around her tongue. It was just the size of her index finger and had two distinctive snowflake designs embedded on each side, elegantly. The wrapper was the most difficult to open, but once broken, the chocolate would melt in anyone's mouth within seconds. Her parents, who owned the company that produced these chocolates, had put all their effort into creating new flavor combinations. But this particular chocolate bar, which she was enjoying, was something special to her. Not just her, but to everyone in her hometown as well.
"So you're not going to have any friends?" Kristoff asked one last time.
Anna agreed.
She said, "I hate friends, Kris. All they do is cheat you out of something."
Will you marry me?
Her parents apparently had a secret ingredient to make that certain chocolate. A secret that her parents still kept away from her. Speaking of secrets, she hated them. The experience she had with her so-called friends wasn't good. It was traumatic, to be exact. But when she met Kristoff, it was all okay. Just okay, not good. But okay was fine for her.
"So, I am not a friend of yours?"
Anna was too busy lost in her thoughts to notice the slight flash of panic on Kristoff's face. If she had seen that panic, however, she would not have known what it was from.
Anna smiled. "You are someone different than a friend, Kris."
"Oh yeah? What am I to you?" He folded his hands across his chest with a smile. Unfortunately, he was inches away from her. She couldn't hear his heartbeat quicken.
She said, "A family."
Kristoff blinked for a moment and then giggled. Still, she could not figure out the reason behind his sudden laughter.
It is currently summer in Germany. The heat isn't too bad for her. The high humidity makes it bearable anyway. Since it is a summer vacation for her, and there is no one at home to help her spend quality time, which rarely happens because her parents are too busy running their own construction company (a long story, not important either). Therefore, she has decided to learn how to play the piano this summer.
Her parents were very much surprised that someone who couldn't even stand still for more than two seconds could sit in front of a piano for thirty days to learn it. They eventually accepted it, but only after taking all necessary precautions since she came from a wealthy family and had to greet potential kidnappers on a regular basis.
The last bit of chocolate melted, and Anna sighed. Her mother had told her that those people in her past couldn't decide what the people in the future would be to her. Anna accepted her mother's words, but doing so was hard. Except for the few people she allowed herself to befriend, like the friendship she shared with Kai, Gerda, Kristoff, and Marshal. To her, everyone meant a different story, but at the end of the day, they were her family. Sure, Kai and Gerda were her parents' personal assistants, and Marshal her bodyguard; Kristoff… well, he was just her friend. But that didn't stop her from seeing them as her family. After all, she had grown up alone with her parents—no siblings. So, it wasn't bad to see them as a family, right?
Thank you, Arendelle!
Anna's first meeting with Kristoff was due to this chocolate. Over the course of five years, their friendship grew stronger than ever before. She was extremely grateful to have someone like him by her side. Now, she smiled as she saw him smile. He had been adamant about staying with her while she was away from Tromsø, her home, to Düsseldorf, just so that she wouldn't have to be alone. Both missed their home in Norway, but it was a bit too dangerous to stay there now, at least for a few months anyway. The same reason–to avoid the kidnappers wasn't heartwarming.
Oh, just Anna is fine.
Kristoff said, "You know, usually people who don't want friends end up making the best of friends."
Anna waved a dismissive hand. "Meh! Just let me be."
Marshall called out as he parked the car. "Ma'am? We're here."
She was too focused on looking at the house to scold him for calling her 'ma'am' this time. Her eyes then fell on the medium-sized house that came into view. It was beautiful! The flowers and colors gave her all the vibes she had hoped for.
She exclaimed, "Finally!" as she got out of the car; Marshall opened the door for her, and Kristoff followed behind.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
While Anna enjoyed her moment jumping around the front yard, Kristoff took his moment to talk with Marshal. He only had two minutes before he would have to bring Anna to the hospital. Because that girl loved to explore new areas with a newly found enthusiasm she discovered in an unknown part of her brain.
"Marshal?"
The brunette turned to Kristoff as if he had been caught red-handed.
"Whoa dude, chill!"
"I'm sorry I just... never mind, I should be going now."
"Wait! No!" Kristoff caught the older man's arms before he could place his hands on the steering wheel.
"Huh?"
"I want you to be here." Kristoff said in a low tone, a bit embarrassed to be exact.
"What? Miss. Arendelle has you. I cannot be here." Marshal was twenty three but was not wise enough to get Kristoff's introverted plea.
Kristoff shook his head, unimpressed. "First of all, it's Anna, not Ms. Arendelle, and second, I want you to stay here with me, not Anna."
He reasoned, "It's not a music institution; it's just a house."
"That's exactly why I need you here."
It took nine seconds for him to understand why. His eyes widened slightly and his mouth formed an 'oh.' "Alright, let me park this car first."
"Thanks buddy," he breathed out a sigh, only to be alarmed by a loud cry.
"Kris, you need to come here ASAP! I've fallen into this pit."
He shook his head, this time with all his affection. "Hang on, feisty pants," He smiled a bit, "I'm coming!"
It took him five minutes to find the strawberry blonde. The hole seemed too narrow (he still couldn't understand how her leg could fit in there), and apparently she had to jump with all her might to get her leg in there. Well, because she was so feisty and he was used to it, he knew she would be fine.
"Does the air seem a bit... thinner here?" she asked, heaving.
He raised a brow. "You sound like you've climbed the NorthMountain while I was the one who pulled you out of there."
"I used all my strength to get out of there," Kristoff said, catching Anna before she could hit the floor again. Anna clung to him as she trembled in pain. Kristoff immediately felt concerned.
"Hey, be careful." He snaked his arms around her waist. "Let me hold you."
Just like how Anna made his heart flutter today, she did it again by scrunching her face in annoyance. He was definitely in love with this girl. He had been trying so hard to not let himself fall too deeply for her. But he failed every time he saw her laughter, her witty jokes, and her unending conversations. This was why it hurt him when she said she wouldn't talk to anyone else in their class anymore. It just wasn't like her to be quiet. And he didn't want her to change. He wanted her to be Anna herself.
Anna shook her head. "Kristopher, I don't need your support."
Sigh. There she goes again, irritating him with her name. He hated this part.
Well, Annabelle, it is my duty to look after you. I promised your parents.
"Hmf. Marshal does it better." She huffed. Apparently, she hated that name too.
And just like that, Marshal's voice of concern was heard. "Miss Anna, are you okay??"
"I'm okay Marshal, just a small injury."
He was not satisfied with that answer. "Maybe we should go to the hospital to check?"
"No, please!" she said. "I'm fine. See?" She lifted her leg without any effort. "I'll be fine."
"If you say so." Kristoff knew why Marshal back pedaled. That girl always made sure she was right about something.
"Oh my goodness! Are you okay?"
The trio turned toward the frightened cry. They saw a boy, not taller than Anna, who might have been his age, with a wayfaring frame above his nose, making his way towards them. His hair was neatly combed and his face was clean, as if it had been recently scrubbed.
Anna said, "I'm okay."
"Your leg isn't broken," he said as he knelt down on the grass to get a closer look. It looked like he was too afraid to touch her leg. "Should I bring a first aid kit? Is it swollen?"
Anna was touched by the concern in the boy's voice. She shook her head. "Oh no! Don't worry, I'm used to it. It's just a small injury. And I can surely walk."
"Thank God," he said, standing up with a smile. That smile lingered for a moment before anyone spoke. An awkward silence followed. The boy seemed to sense this. Internally, Kristoff was screaming for someone to break it.
"Alright, let's start this over."
Phew!
"Hi everyone," he said, grinning. "I'm Oliver Martin, but my sister, Pabbie, my aunt, and my friends call me Olaf." He paused, scrunching his face. "Wait, I don't have any friends, so my sister, Pabbie and my aunt call me that."
Too much exposition. Might share the same ancestor as Anna. Kristoff thought.
"Hello," Anna waved. "I'm Anna."
"Kristoff"
"Marshal."
Ignoring the boys' names, his eyes widened the moment he heard Anna's. "Anna? Anna Arendelle? You came here for piano lessons?" He asked her enthusiastically.
"Yeah!" said Anna, surprised. "You recognized my name!"
"Of course I can! I'm your chocolate's number one fan!" The boy jumped up with his grin widening.
Anna grinned back "It's not mine, but I'm happy that you love it!"
"And my sister too! I wish I could introduce her, but she went to the grocery store. Pabbie wanted a dragon fruit again." His pouty face showed his disappointment.
Marshal asked, "Your sister? You mean the one who left with the blue vespa?"
"Yes, that was her. So you've seen her."
"So that's where you were looking at!" Kristoff commented.
"Not in a bad way, Kristoff! Don't imagine things in your head, please."
"I wasn't going to."
Anna and Kristoff had been trying to get this guy a girlfriend somehow, hoping it would help him loosen up a bit. He was too stiff, along with his tough exterior; this guy was a hard one to crack. If he managed to find time to stare at a certain girl for a certain amount of time, he needed to discuss this with Anna later.
"Can I call you Olaf too?" Anna's voice brought him back from his train of thought. Had he missed any conversations in the meantime?
He smiled and then opened his mouth, his eyes filled with surprise and awe. "Wait," he said, "does that mean we're friends now?"
"Yes! I would love to have a friend like you," said Anna as she jumped along with the jolly boy.
"Friends you say?" Kristo joked.
"Haha, I'm so happy now. So, what are we waiting for?" He grabbed Anna's hand and started to hop towards the door. "Come on! Let's go learn the piano!"
"I'm coming!" she exclaimed as she hopped along behind him, completely ignoring Kristoff and giving a reassurance to the marshal that her leg was not seriously injured.
"Hey! Shouldn't we come in too?" Kristoff yelled.
"Later, Kris!" Anna yelled back with a laugh.
Kristoff smiled down at her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Her hands dangled from the end of her jean threads. Yeah, Anna Arendelle found it difficult to make eye contact with anyone around her. She could understand German, but she never could speak it. Anyway, only a few around her spoke in German, and the rest spoke English, so there wasn't much of a language barrier. Her only aim now was not to be naive enough to trust anyone so soon and befriend them...except for Olaf, only because he was an exceptional case, and she didn't want any more betrayals. Everyone around her looked more like criminals than just regular people, so the job was easier.
Phew.
With nothing to say, she allowed her eyes to roam the large music room. There were eight pianos, two in each row, and each piano had two seats. No one sat beside her—understandable, but if someone were to sit beside her, they better be someone less charming than Hans. Wait…Eww! Did she just call Hans charming? Okay, Anna, focus on the room, not him, not his brothers, or any of his girlfriends. Alright, moving on to the room…eight elegant pianos, a large flower arrangement in the corner (which was also elegant), polished chairs and tables. Hmm, not bad for just sixteen students. Everything was perfect, the pianos, walls, accessories, even the door—oh wait, the door was opening.
That might be the last student, the one who would sit beside her. It took only a moment for the door to open, and when it did, Anna's world paused.
Literally.
And there she saw a thin and petite girl, with an almost panicked face, when she stepped inside. The room was a bit crowded in front of the door. Aside from that panicked face, her super thin figure or the unnatural blondness of her hair, something, some aura from that girl caught Anna's attention. With that aura hitting her like gamma radiation, she experienced something inside. That girl. She thought to herself. Had she seen her before? Her eyes or her frame, that look or that button nose. Yes she had seen them before. She was sure she had. But where? On Instagram? Facebook? Maybe in the grocery store? Whoever that was, made Anna's heart overwhelmed with a heavy feeling. That heavy feeling she felt whenever she missed someone so much. But why? Why should this girl make her stare so intensely that her face would scrunch up?
Preoccupied with the emotions inside, Anna failed to notice the platinum-blonde woman getting closer to her; she wore an uncertain expression. She offered Anna a small, tight smile. Again, Anna's heart raced, overwhelmed by the sight of that smile—it reminded her of something so close and warm. It was familiar, yet wistful. She was sure she had seen this girl before. The girl's then curved lips moved as if she were speaking. Wait...she was asking Anna something.
She heard herself say, "Pardon?"
"M-may I take my seat next to you? Please?"
She stuttered as if Anna had scared her. Anna's eyebrows knitted together in worry; did she scare her by staring at her like that? It was her turn to panic now; why would she want to harm someone who had done nothing but help her?
"No!.. I mean yes, yes please take your seat." She slid onto the bench where she had been sitting. Yes, Anna was being careful not to put too much weight on her right leg. No one wanted to see her cause a scene, did they? She had done enough by scaring that poor girl.
She sat down slowly, as if she were afraid the bench might break underneath her weight. Was that a sigh she heard from her? Had she held it too long, waiting for Anna to say yes? She was tempted, really tempted to turn and look at her. But instead, she turned her eyes just a little bit, enough to see the girl clutching her pants tightly. Oh no! Had she really been staring at her like she was about to murder her? Anna groaned internally. Now she had to find some way to make her understand that hadn't been her intention.
"Hey, Elsa," someone called out from behind her. She assumed that the voice belonged to the blonde girl and turned to face her.
He asked her something to which Anna pretended not to hear. Her hands reached down on the floor in search of her water bottle so she could act like she wasn't paying attention to the conversation happening behind her. Wait, what? Why couldn't she find her bottle? She left it in the car again. Ugh! Nothing was going right; she needed to fix this. With no teacher in sight and the conversation behind her coming to a close, she turned her head three-quarters towards her and said,
"So uh.. Your name's Elsa?"
Thee girl turned ever so slowly, adding to her impatience. She waited for a 'Yes' or an introduction such as 'My name is Elsa,' but instead, all she received was a quick nod and a quiet mumble. And what's more, Elsa didn't even ask what her name was! Now Anna really needed to speak with Elsa. Was she looking that scary? Maybe Kristoff was right about her staring being too intense at times.
Come on, Anna! Think! You can always find something to say to anyone. Think of something to start a conversation with her. Hey, Elsa! Cool pants...Wait, no, not her pants. That's not what I meant. Anna, think harder. There has to be something else. Maybe ask how she's been or just get straight to the point. Yes, let's go straight to the point.
Open-mouthed to confess the truth, she whirled her head toward Elsa, who soon stared back at her, startled.
"Hi… I wanted you to know that—"
"Alright dears!"
Wait what?
"Our classes are beginning, starting now," said her teacher, Bulda. Yes, Olaf had told her that the teacher was his aunt.
Where did that woman come from? And why now??
Exasperated, Anna lowered her head. Great, now the class was starting; she couldn't talk to her. Why did the teacher have to interrupt their conversation in the middle of her speech?
"... Let's start from the first person."
At first, she thought it was just her imagination, but it turned into reality when she saw and felt all eyes on her. Why? She blinked in confusion.
Starting from the first person.
Why?
It was her first day.
Starting from the first..
Oh!
Then it hit her.
Oohh an introduction!
She did just that. Gingerly standing up, she introduced herself. Of course, not in great detail since her father had advised against it. She could hear Olaf's laughter downstairs, along with Kristoff's. With Bulda, her teacher, she had learned to be confident. Bulda had put an arm around her shoulders as she told her short story. Aside from her brain registering that Elsa was staring at her too, Anna felt okay with this environment for now. Even if it wasn't today, someday soon she would clarify all things to Elsa and her true intentions. For now, she was ready to learn her piano with her new benchmate.