"I don't get you," Elsa said to me. I sighed heavily, though I felt my heart rate speed up. That was the first time she had talked to me in nearly two weeks.
"I know." I blinked in shock. My mouth had seemed to move on it's own, the words flowing out smoothly.
Elsa stared at me, her mouth opened slightly. She suddenly cleared her throat, rubbing her forehead. "So you speak."
I shrugged.
"Why only sometimes? I thought you were a mute."
"I only speak...to...you..." I whispered, regretting the words as soon as they left me. That was the reason I hardly ever spoke: The wrong words always came out.
"Why?"
I shrugged, trying to burrow into my locker, hiding my blushing face from Elsa's cold eyes.
She sighed heavily, leaning against the locker next to mine. "You're so weird, I mean...you act like you are absolutely in love with me for the longest time, and then you just..." Elsa gestured angrily with her hands.
I wasn't sure what to tell her. I just sighed, looking at my feet. I was wearing thick winter boots that day, with fur trimmings. Elsa was wearing leather ones.
A couple kids laughed as they were entering the school. Elsa immediately drew away, her pride separating her and I more than any physical barrier could.
She continued looking at me, with me returning the favor. She ignored her friends and I ignored everyone else. The warning bell rang, and people scattered to their classrooms.
When there was no one left in our hallway any longer, siding from each other, I said loudly and clearly, "Let me answer your question with a question: Why do you care?"
"I don't!" she instantly replied, her face contorting. However, I caught a glimpse of something, in those ice-crusted eyes of hers. It looked like denial.
But I couldn't allow myself to think—to hope—for that to be true.
So I turned and headed to class, the bell tolling loudly in my ears.