I don't pick Anna Arendelle up the next day. I lock my keys in my locker. She doesn't go to Wendy's. She walks to the food court and gets Burger King.
The next day, it happens again. I don't show up.
But this time, she gets my keys.
When I go for my lunch break, my locker's lock has been picked. Inside, I find another note.
Kristoff,
You can't avoid me forever.
You know that.
~Anna Arendelle
I may not be able to forever, but I can try.
By the way, am I the only one who thinks that's a little creepy? You can't avoid me? I mean, come on!
Creepy. Period.
The third day, I catch her red-handed.
I took my lunch break the same time as Anna Arendelle. In retrospect, I don't know why I did, I just felt like I should.
Checking my watch, I alert my co worker of my ditching him, and head to my locker to get my keys.
They're gone.
Before I even know what I'm doing, I'm running to the parking lot. When I do realize what I'm doing, I run faster. My only thought is that I have to stop her before she drives away.
I make it to the parking lot. My truck is still there. I throw open the passenger's seat door, and she's sitting there, playing on her phone.
"About time." Anna Arendelle smiles, putting away her phone. "I was worried I would have to go without you again."
I slam the door in her face.
She rolls down the window and cheerfully says, "Well, you're here now, so you might as well get in." When I glare at her, she adds, "My treat."
I am not one to turn down free food.
"So…" I can't believe that I'm the one starting the conversation.
"So what?" Great. She's encouraging me to go on.
"I don't know." I mumble.
"Okay, I'll start." Anna Arendelle wipes her fingers on her pants and continues.
"My name's Anna Arendelle, but you already knew that. I really like the color red, but that's because of my hair. My sister likes blue, and I guess that's why I like it too. My favorite food is chocolate, and if Elsa let me I would eat it everyday for every meal. I don't have any pets, though Elsa has a white cat named Olaf. He's really sweet and fluffy. I don't really know what I want to do with my life, and my friends just call me Anna."
I have nothing to say to that.
"Your turn." Anna Arendelle says quietly.
I sigh. "My name's Kristoff Bjorgman, and barely anybody knows who I am. My favorite color's green, and the reason's personal. I'm one of those weird people who actually likes vegetables, especially carrots. I have a dog, Sven, he's my only real friend, and I don't know what I want to do with my life either." I've rarely ever talked this much to someone without them walking away or interrupting me. Unless it's Sven, but he doesn't really count.
I look up at Anna Arendelle, expecting her to be looking at me disappointedly for having such a crummy life.
But I can't read her look. We lock eyes for a moment, and then she quietly says, "I like green too."
I turn away from her. She's confusing me. What does she mean? Is she trying to make me feel better?
"I won't ask about why your favorite color's green, if it bothers you." She actually sounds sincere.
Then her phone beeps. Anna Arendelle takes it out of her pocket and reads the text. She curses under her breath. I don't comment.
"Well?" Now she sounds angry, but I still won't look at her.
"Okay. Who was it?" I say in a flat tone.
"One of the people I work with. See, Elsa's staying at a hotel tonight so she can study for her big test, which is really early in the morning. So, I needed someone to drive me home, and she volunteered, but now she just called to say that she can't anymore because she has to babysit her little brother. Of course I'm not angry with her, family comes first and all, but now I don't have a way to get home." She pauses, then adds, "I'm sorry I'm rambling. It's just something I do."
I know it's my fault for her talking about it, but I'm upset that now I'm expected to take her home. I had no intention of doing that. But now I'm supposed to.
"Fine. I'll take you."
"You will?" Anna Arendelle actually looks surprised. But then her look quickly changes to one of superiority. "I mean, sure. I knew you would." She smiles when she turns her head, thinking that I can't see her face anymore.
"Yeah, right Anna Arendelle." I respond, smiling and shaking my head.
"Actually," She interrupts, "It's just Anna."
