Ari was feeling a bit creeped out now. After feeling that awful feeling of helplessness and unpleasant buzzing she began to hear a voice. Male from what she could tell and possibly close to her age.
"Dude, where the hell are you?" She huffed rubbing her chest.
There was overjoyed laughing.
"You can hear me!" He exclaimed.
"Stating the obvious are we? But seriously, where the fuck are you?" She stated with serious sass.
He chuckled.
"I'm in front of you." He said.
There was a long moment of silence.
"Are you joshing me?" She droned.
"What? Joshing? Oh! No, I'm not tricking you." The voice chuckled.
She yawned and crossed her arms.
"Then why can't I see you?" She said unconvinced.
"Because you don't believe in me." He stated as if it where obvious.
There it was again, the word believe. What the hell do they mean by believe?
"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" She questioned.
He sighed.
"In order for humans to see beings like me, they must believe in us. Generally only children can see beings like myself, well only a few believe in me but that's beside the point." He Drawled.
"Anyways, I'm Jack Frost, and in order for you to see me you have to believe in my existence." He explained.
She thought this over, trying to decide whether or not this boy was full of shit and tricking her,nor if he really was telling the truth. After seeing The Grim Reaper it wasn't exactly crazy.
"Prove to me I'm not being tricked 'Jack Frost.' Because right now I'm leaning more towards you're full of crap." She snorted as she heard a scoff.
"Remember when you almost busted your ass about 15 times when you were on your way to the hospital? That was me. When you almost fell earlier, who do you think saved you from breaking your ass? Me, that's who." He stated with a bit of sass in his tone.
Slowly she turned over his words within her brain, thinking it over and trying to find the error in what he said to prove him wrong. She realize there wasn't any thing to prove he was tricking her, and the closer she got to believing this supposed Jack Frost, the more she began to see a blurry figure in front of her. Her eyes widened as she began to make out a boy about her age standing in front of her. He had white messy hair, beautiful bright blue eyes, pale skin. He wore a dark blue hoodie with frost on the shoulders and sleeves, leather brown pants that were binded at his calves, and he wore no shoes.
Over all he was fucking gorgeous.
He was staring at her expectantly as he clutched onto a frost covered wooden staff. She reached out and poked his face, his skin was cool, but not freezing. His eyes widened as the brightest and happiest smile she's ever seen in her life formed on his face.
He's so precious!
"You touch me! Does that mean you can see me?!" He gushed excitedly.
She gave him a grin and nodded. He began to laugh in happiness and before she could react he gathered her up in a bone crushing hug, lifting her off the ground as he twirled her around laughing.
Damn, apparently he's strong too. She isn't exactly light, in fact far from it.
She grunt as he put her on the ground with a sheepish look while scratching his head.
"Sorry, I got carried away." He murmured.
She shrugged.
"It's fine." She drawled.
It's not everyday she gets a hug from a really attractive guy.
"So why the excitement?" She questioned curiously
"Until just recently no human has been able to see me. As of right now only 6 kids, Cupcake included, can see me. That's not counting you." He was looking at her with the happiest smile on his face as he spoke.
She thought that over. Until just recently? So did that mean that he hasn't been able to talk to anyone?
"How long have you not been believed in?" She questioned.
"Three hundred years." He answered.
Her eyes widened.
"Did you have anyone to talk to?" She questioned,
He shook his head, a distant look in his eyes.
"No, not really. Other spirits always saw me as a troublemaker and turned their nose up at me when I tried to start a friendly conversation. But just last year I was made into a guardian by the mood, so now I have Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth fairy, and the sandman to talk to along with the kids. You're the first person I've ever spoke to that is close to my maturity level and physical age." He rambled before pausing when he notice her confused look.
"Sit down and I'll tell you the full story." He finally said, eagerness in his tone.
She nodded and sat in the snow, he sat in front of her and told her his story from the beginning. She listened to his every word, drinking in the information he gave her. Feeling amazement and excitement as she learned about things she originally never thought existed. She felt like a child again, her old beliefs coming back to her, beliefs she had turned away from when she began to hit her early preteens.
Jack had a voice that drew her in, even after an hour of him speaking she still wasn't bored, and the cold snow that was melting into her pants was being ignored in favor of listening. Her ass was numb, but she couldn't find it in herself to make Jack stop for a short bit so she could move.
He told her about the man in the moon, his adventure with North, Bunny, Tooth, Sandy, and the kids. He told her about his past as a human before he became the winter spirit, he shard pretty much everything with her. Spilling himself to her even though they hardly knew each other. She understood why he was though, all of that loneliness he's faced, being ignored, the desire and need to talk, she was amazed he hadn't gone insane. After all that kind of isolation fucks with the brain.
"Wow, that is…..fucking sweet" Was all she could think to say when he finished.
He laughed at her amazed expression and tone.
"So what about the Angel of Death?" She questioned.
He tilted his head.
"Does he exist? No one knows, no one, not even the guardians. Why?" He questioned.
She was about to answer till movement caught her eye. She looked over only to see Death holding a finger to his mouth. Jack looked in the direction she was looking at.
"What's the matter?" He questioned, and it was then she realized, Jack couldn't see Death.
She shook her head.
"Just a squirrel. Anyways I was just wondering, I've always had a…..fascination with Death." She said as she force herself to look away from the imposing figure of Death.
How come only she could see him?
He nodded a grin never leaving his face.
"So…You ride motorcycle?" He grinned.
Instantly she perked up, a grin coming to her face.
"Yep." She popped the P.
She watched as he gave her a curious look, his blue eyes slightly entrancing.
"What made you want to ride motorcycle?" He questioned.
She shrugged.
"My mom and dad ride, I always rode with them, so when I got old enough I wanted my license and my own bike. And after getting a job I bought myself a bike just off the show room floor." She couldn't help but brag a bit, she loved her bike.
"What kind of bike?" He asked.
"A hard candy cancun blue sportster 1200 Harley Davidson." She spoke from memory and heart.
He whistled.
"A Harley huh? I don't know much about bikes, but I know Harley's are pretty popular here in the states." He grinned.
"You'll have to show me sometime." He smiled as he stood up, offering her a hand.
She took it and he pulled her to her feet.
She rubbed her bum.
"My ass is numb." She muttered causing him to laugh.
"Sorry about that, I didn't think it would take that long." He said apologetically.
"That's okay, I liked listening. Plus it sounds like you need someone to talk to." She grinned
He leaned on his staff as he snorted.
"You have no idea. Don't get me wrong I love the heck out of the kids, but they're kids, they won't understand. And the other guardians treat me like a child, always ordering me around and waving me off." He grumbled.
She patted his back.
"Well, I'm always willing to lend an ear. So if something is bothering you I don't mind listening." She gently mused.
He looked surprised and brightened up.
"Really?"
She nodded.
"Really."
At that moment her phone began to ring, she gave him an apologetic look.
"I guess this is when we part ways, see you around?" She questioned.
He gave her a thumbs up. She felt excited at meeting up with him again. Not only has she met Death, she's met Jack Frost, and no other teenager could say they have.
"Duh." He grinned causing her to grin as well.
She waved to him.
"See you later then." She reluctantly said as she began to walk away.
"See you firecracker!" He called causing her to huff at the name, getting a laugh from him.
She'd have to ring a certain girl's neck for telling the winter spirit about her nickname.
Jack's heads were in the clouds, he was beyond ecstatic. She believed in him! She could SEE and SPEAK to him! She even touched him! His skin was buzzing pleasantly as he thought of the hug. It felt beyond wonderful to hug her, it felt even better to have her listen to him and understand where he was coming from.
He let wind carry him into the air.
"This is the happiest I've ever been." He sighed happily.
He couldn't wait to see her again and talk to her more. She seemed to be a ball of sass and sarcasm, it would be funny if he could get her riled up enough to show more of it.
He had to tell North!
"Wind, take me to the Northpole!" He shouted gleefully, not even noticing the shadowy figure following Ari.
North was busy at work, Christmas was 20 days away, and he still had to make enough toys for 2 million children. He had no time to play around.
"North! Guess what?!" Jack exploded from nowhere.
The Russian man looked up.
"Ahh! Jack! Good to see you boy! What can I do for you?" He merrily barked.
"I have another believer!" He stated excitedly.
The man gave a nod, already getting distracted.
"That is good, is there anything else?" He questioned.
Jack felt a bit discouraged at the man's lack of full attention.
"She's my age, well she's a teenager." He grinned, shaking of his discouragement.
"That's nice." He mused, not even hearing what he said.
Jack frowned.
"I froze the ocean." He deadpanned.
"That's great Jack, good to hear." North said while giving orders to the Yetis.
Jack gave him a blank look.
"I experienced the power of weed and my now found love for it, I even shared my experience with Jamie." Jack said with a simmering tone.
"Uh-huh. That's nice." He mumbled.
Jack slumped and clutched his staff tightly.
"I'm leaving." He growled and stormed off, not waiting for a reply.
"I'm listening." The man said not even noticing his absence.
Phil spoke to him while making gestures.
"Wait, what do you mean he's gone? He's right he-" North fell silent when he seen the vacant spot where Jack was once standing.
"Huh." He said in puzzlement.
Jack had tried to speak with Tooth, and of course busy. He didn't even try Bunny, and Sandy was falling asleep as he spoke. Finally he just gave up and went home, feeling a bit upset.
"I guess my novelty as the new guardian wore off, so now their too busy to even spare me a few minutes." He spat out as he found a place to hang out for the time being, at least until he could speak to Ari again.
He was suddenly hit with a wave of loneliness and anxiousness. He really couldn't wait to see her now.