My hands out to all ya'll who can type while singing to a song. I swear I keep typing the lyrics. Lately I been losing sleep. Dreaming about the things we could be… Sorry song typing.

By the way, Rapunzel is going to be the POV for now. Until, maybe, depending on chapter flow, chapter twenty.

Chapter 16

Merida got into my room through my window and is now sitting on my bed, watching me make Oreo towers. I was still feeling pissed over Mother and weepy over Jack, so I was being evil to the Oreos. Each Oreo tower that turned into an Eiffel Tower would be knocked over, a thrown Oreo would hit each Lady Liberty Tower, and each Big Ben Tower became an atomic bomb testing sight.

When I had annihilated five Big Bens, Merida stepped in, "Listen, Punz, do you need me to go beat up that albino ass?"

I sighed and let my head hit the floor, "No, but you can kill me and end my suffering." Merida sighs and turns on my radio. Bleeding Out by Imagine Dragons is on. I sing along with it.

"When the hour is nigh, and the hopelessness is sinking in and the wolves all cry to fill the night with hollering. When your eyes are red and emptiness is all you know. With the darkness fed, I will be your scarecrow.

"You tell me to hold on, oh you tell me to hold on. But, innocence is gone and what is right is wrong. 'Cause I'm bleeding out, if the last thing that I do is bring you down. I'm bleeding out for you. So I bare my skin, and count my sins, and I close my eyes, and I take it in. 'Cause I'm bleeding out, I'm bleeding out for you, for you."

I close my eyes as the rest of the song went on, my pissyness and my weepiness numbing until I felt like I was just given a dose of numbing jelly every where.

The song ends and Merida stands up, "Well, Ah better get goin' befer mah Mum sees Ah'm gone."

I mumble, "Bye, Mer," And she slips out the window. I turn off the radio, shut off the lights, and crawl under my covers. The night is silent, but natural music drifts through the night.

Then I hear a small sound outside. I sit up and glance out the window to see a girl tripping over a Frost lawn knick-knack. I stare at her and see her glance up at the window and wave at a shadow in Jack's room.

I glare in that direction then let the curtain fall. So, Jack has definitely moved on! Yet, here I am, pining after his ass! What a bastard!

I stare at the ceiling, my chin getting wobbly and my nose pinching. I clench my eyes shut and let my mind drift in to unconsciousness.

When I wake up, my eyes feel crinkly and puffy. I probably look like hell. When I look in the mirror, I confirm what I already know. I turn my back to see my short braid has imprinted it. My braid… it still has flowers woven into it.

Mother knocks on the door, "Rapunzel? Can I come in?"

I lay back on my bed, letting the pillow crease into my face, "Sure, Mother." She creeps in and sits next to me on the bed.

"Come on dear, sit up so I can see your beautiful hair," I obey Mother and she unwinds the braid, dropping the flowers into a pile. When she finishes, she feels the need to shrivel my somewhat good mood, "There, now that didn't happen." She stands and makes her way to the door. "Dinner in ten, I'm making hazelnut soup!" I merely glance at her, she makes hazelnut soup way too much. "Rapunzel, come now, let me see your sweet smile." This order, I shrug off. I hear her sigh and leave the room. The crackling of a fire grows louder, she must have thrown the flowers in.

I slowly unclench my fingers and look at the small flag of Corona. Jack had gotten this for me at the Winter Solstice celebration. I groan and lay back, pushing the flag against my chest. I stare up at the ceiling.

Then I hear it, whistling. It's probably one of the neighbors. Then a snowball hits my window. I flip onto the bed covers and yank open the window.

Down below me, Jack is pacing beneath my window, whistling a tune. I smile but then smother it. I take a step back from the glass, but Jack has already seen me.

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, with hair so fine, come out your window, climb down the vine," Jack smiles mischievously. I glance behind me as if he's talking to some other Rapunzel. Then I get an idea.

"The feat you ask, dear sir, is not easy and I won't respond to that line, it's far too cheesy," I smirk.

"Ah, come on, think of it as an apology," Jack says. "Don't make me start serenading you." I glance behind me to the closed door, where pots and pans were banging. "Fine then," Jack yells, then begins to sing loudly and really off key. "Oh, Rapunzel!" His voice cracks. "How I-"

"Okay! Okay! Hold on and be quiet," I say before rushing into my room. I grab my sneakers and a pen and pad. I write a quick note to Mother and leave it on the pillow. I stand at my window and whisper, "The moment of truth."

I swing my leg over the side and grapple for a foothold. I squeal as I slip on the vine and hang there for a few seconds. I spit through gritted teeth, "I thought vines were supposed to be funny." Great, I can make puns in the face of danger!

Jack grabs my waist when I get into reach and helps me onto the ground. With my feet firmly on the ground, I feel like lying on the dirt and singing. I hold back the urge.

Jack glances awkwardly at the woods, "So, uh, can we go?"

I take a step back and say, "Sure." We walk into the woods, feet crunching over dead leaves and twigs. Every couple of feet, our shoulders bump together and we jump away. Finally, we stop at a frozen pond.

I glance at the grinning boy, "Um, now what?"

Jack grins and holds up a pair of shoes, "Ice skating!" I recognize the shoes as ice skates.

I back up with my hands up, "Oh no, I am not skating. What if the ice cracks?

Jack holds out a hand, "Trust me, it won't." I hesitated then relented and took his outstretched hand. Even though I didn't have my skates on, Jack pulled me around with my U.G.G.s. We went along the west side of the frozen beach and before I knew it, Jack spun me around and I landed in his arms. I scrambled out of his arms and only succeeded with landing on my butt.

"Listen, Jack…" I back away from him. "What we had… it was cute… but… it's over. This whole romance thing… it didn't work, okay?" I move away from him, his hurt eyes digging into me. "Why did I even come here? It was stupid to even come."

"Rapunzel…" His voice sounds mangled, even though he tries to hide it.

"I bought into your tricks like an idiot…" I begin to walk to the edge of the ice and step of the slippery mass.

I start to walk up the hill when I hear, "I'm not going to let you leave." I turn to where Jack stands, right at the edge of the ice. "Not again." He walks to where I am. Jack takes my hands in his. "I made that mistake once before, I won't let it happen again."

I feel irritation rise up in me, "Like last night? When your new girlfriend left your house at one A.M.?"

Jack looks confused and then laughs. I feel an urge to knee him right in the family jewels. "Girlfriend? Hah!" Jack laughs. "Mavis isn't my girlfriend; she's dating that college guy."

"But, why would Mavis be at your house?" I asked. "At one A.M.?" I pull my hand away and cross my arms over my chest.

Jack shrugs and looks at the ground, "She's a close friend to you and I wanted to ask how to get you back." I stare at the crestfallen guy in front of me, still staring at the ground. Jack begins to speak again, "Mavis told me to be completely honest with you, so here it is." Jack looks up and I look away to the pond. "Eris spiked my drink. I'm guessing vodka but I'm not too sure. When the alcohol was out of my system, I regretted all of it." He takes a step closer. "I'm sorry. I'll understand if you never want to ever speak to me again. Okay? Just, please, tell me before you leave."

I take a timid step forward, "You will be honest with everything that you do?"

"Everything," Jack says, hope dawning in his eyes.

I take a breath before saying, "I forgive you."

Jack smiles before walking beside me, back to Burgess. It begins to snow as we walk.

Suddenly a thought occurs to me, "It's Christmas Eve… isn't it?"

Jack smiles and takes my cold hand, "Yup."

"Did you actually go shopping for anyone?"

"Yeah, but just Manny, though," Jack states. "We're not that big into Christmas."

"Oh." We plod along in the sticking snow. Tiny snowflakes float down and rest on my face for a few seconds before melting away. For Christmas, Mother and I almost never decorate. We might put in a small Christmas tree and a wreath on the front door, but normally, we just don't decorate at all.

This year, I don't think we're even going to try to celebrate. I didn't go shopping for her and she didn't go for me. Not to mention the fact that Jack and I took a road trip in the middle of it all.

Finally, we make it to Disneyworks drive and we stop in the middle of our street, between both houses. I turn to my house, which looks so dark and lonely next to all the festive, light-strung houses next to it. Mother isn't in there or I would see her bedroom light on.

I feel a tug on my arm and turn to see Jack, "Do… do you want to come to my house for Christmas Eve?" Jack asks.

"Manny won't mind?" I ask.

"Nah, we're having some friends over anyway and Manny hasn't really met you as my girlfriend, so why not?" Jack says.

I glance over at my house, so lonely and cold and then look over at the Frost house. There are too many lights on the bushes and not enough on the posts, but it looks warm, happy, and open to anyone. With a smile, I nod at Jack and we step onto the sidewalk away from my home.

He opens the front door and warmth comes filtering out. I can hear deep, throaty laughter and unrecognizable voices speaking to one another. Then, a brown haired, bearded man walks around the corner and I recognize him as Manny. I hadn't seen him since May.

"Rapunzel? How is your Mother?" Manny asks, holding out a hand to shake.

I grip it and say, "She's fine, even though I don't know where she is."

"Ah, well, if I know Gothel, she'll turn up on her own accord."

Jack smiles at Manny and pulls me inside to the party. The warmth inside the house laces through the air, with a smell of peppermint and cookies tailing it. In front of us, Manny walks to the rest of the guests. I'm really nervous about meeting Manny for real, not just idle chatter on a sidewalk corner!

Before we turn into the living room, I breath in and let my worries go, Manny will like me, I'm sure.

I… didn't really know how to end it so I just stopped it there. Sorry about the long wait, Christmas is a hectic season of cheer. That is if the definition of cheer is: being punched in the face by a stranger while shopping for a certain sibling! Grrr… well at least the mall security kicked the chick out. *Smirks sits back in seat while rubbing bruised cheek*. Well anyways, I hope santa was awesome and that you were good this year! Again, sorry for the wait.