Frozen Hearts

By- An Unknown Foreign Beauty

Chapter 5- Closed doors

Elsa watched as her luggage were being packed and loaded in the car. Mr. Kingsley stood beside his daughter taking care of all the necessary arrangements for her safe journey to Europe. His lips were pursed, his hands were clasped tightly together behind his back, and Elsa didn't actually know what was going on inside her father's head. When the last of her luggage was loaded, Mr. Kingsley turned and looked at his daughter, "Do you need anything else?"

Elsa gazed at her luggage. All of her things were packed, maybe even a few more. "No, Papa." She nodded, "I think, it is more than enough."

"Well." The sigh that escaped from her father's lips didn't escape Elsa's eyes. She looked away, and rubbed her eyes in her sleeve. "Maybe it is time to leave." He said.

"Yes," Elsa agreed as the driver opened the door for her. She was about to step into the car when she heard her mother's voice. She stopped and turned , only to find Mrs. Kingsley running towards her with a battered teddy in her arms.

"You've forgotten your teddy, darling." She said.

"Thanks, mama." Elsa took the teddy from her and looked away. Unwilling tears began to gather at the corner of her eyes. When she looked back, she found Mrs. Kingsley was watching her with the same tearful eyes. Elsa moved close to her and patted her hands gently. "Don't worry, mama. I'll be alright."

"Do you really have to go?" Her voice was thick from the cry she was trying to resist.

"But mama, I can't drop this opportunity." Elsa replied, keeping her voice casual, "Mama, it is one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world."

Mr. Kingsley had arranged a scholarship for her in the School of Arts and Business in Norway. It was one of the most prestigious scholarships in that field. The session would begin in a month, and she had to report soon.

"If it is your choice, I will not stop you Elsa." Mrs. Kingsley smiled, kneeling, and kissing her forehead gently. "But you can always find a way back home."

"No, mama." Elsa shook her head vigorously, "I have to go."

"Don't stop her, Idun." Mr. Kingsley said firmly to his wife, "She must be well educated. One day she will lead my Arendelle Company."

"But, Adgar…" Mrs. Kingsley protested, "There are many other schools in USA. She could study here. Why sending her away?"

"This is my decision." Her father declared firmly, "End of the topic."

It was a never ending argument between her parents. Elsa agreed with her father. She needed to be well educated if she wanted to keep up her papa's legacy. But was it the real reason at all? God knew how much she wanted to stay here- with her parents, with Anna. How much she wanted to see Anna smiling and knocking her door every morning? But she couldn't. It had been six months since Anna's accident, but she couldn't stop the old thoughts from returning; she couldn't prevent the old fear from consuming her mind. She was having those dreams again. She was standing in the same churchyard, surrounded by hundreds of headstones, each one bearing the name of her mother, and her grandparents…and….and….Anna.

It started from the night of Anna's accident when she ran away from the hospital. She let out a scream and fell in the backseat, startling the driver who gave her a concerned look. She swallowed hard, and closed her eyes, asked him to take her home.

She was having the same nightmare since then. And every night it was becoming worse. If she stayed here for any longer, Elsa feared that she would become insane. Though she never told anyone about her nightmares, but Mr. Kingsley sensed that there was something wrong with his daughter. He consulted with her therapist, and he told him what to do to prevent the relapse. And it was the best way to keep her away from the cause which was responsible for her relapse.

But was she truly relapsing?

Doctors assured them that Anna was lucky enough to survive without any complication after such a big trauma. Although she had no memory of the accident, because her brain had erased the memories of that traumatic event, but anything that reminded her of the accident might hinder her recovery. Elsa knew the truth well, she was present when the doctors briefed her parents.

And it was only way to keep her safe was to stay away from her.

"But can you wait for a moment?" Mrs. Kingsley asked hopefully. "Anna will be back in a minute."

Elsa gazed at her watch, and threw her father a troubled look. It was almost 3:30 pm. Only two hours left for the flight, plus there were other formalities to do at the immigration. That would be a matter of almost an hour. Anna was supposed to be here at 3:00 pm, but she hadn't returned from the school yet. God knew where she had been. She was becoming more and more outgoing day by day. She hardly stayed at home. Elsa almost forgot when they had an actual conversation since the accident. She guessed the last one they had was a long time ago, the night she went to visit Anna in the hospital. She didn't know even if it was counted as a conversation, because she was overridden with guilt, and Anna was delirious by drugs.

"Elsa…" That night she was startled by Anna's whisper. Anna tried to sit up, but this simple movement made her wince in pain. Elsa almost panicked to see her little sister's agony.

"Are you pain, Anna?" Elsa quickly swallowed the growing panic inside her, and took her hand.

"No." She smiled innocently, offering her hand to hold. "I am not, as long as you hold my hand."

Guilt overtook Elsa's whole being as she tried to fight the cry rising in her throat. Anna had not much energy in her reserve to speak and this small activity drained almost all energy from her. So, she took the visitor's chair and held her hand in silence. Just then her nightmares returned. The pale lifeless face of her mother flashed in her mind. No she couldn't stay there, not anymore.

She let go Anna's hand, and ran. She never visited Anna in the hospital again.

"Ah, Idun." Mr. Kingsley chided his wife, "We are going to be late for the flight. And if your daughter has any commonsense…"

Elsa noticed that her father occasionally referred Anna as mama's daughter when he got angry. He got angry easily these days, especially since the day Elsa asked for a separate bedroom. She never missed his angry glares at his wife time to time when it involved either Elsa or Anna, especially Anna. She knew her father suspected his wife for her relapse. Possibly he thought that his wife was having negative influence on her.

"Adgar!" Mrs. Kingsley visibly cringed under his glare, "You know she has just gone back to school after the accident. She has a lot of things to catch up. Maybe she is busy…" She was making a weak attempt to defend her daughter's irresponsible behavior.

"But she is informed about the time of our departure." Mr. Kingsley sounded really annoyed now. It hurt Elsa to see her parents fighting like this. She couldn't but feel guilty for ruining their relationship. She tried hard to mend it. She was tried hard to prevent her relapse before coming to this point. But she couldn't.

She didn't want to burden her father with more worries; he had already too many things in his plate. So, she clutched her teddy close to her chest, and chewed the inner side of her lips, trying to find a way to control the situation. She moved close to her father, and took his hand, "Papa, we can wait for a while. We still have two more hours left."

She glanced at her mother and smiled sweetly, "Mama, don't worry. Anna will arrive in time."

"Nonsense." Mr. Kingsley muttered under his breath, but agreed with her. Elsa didn't know if her words convinced her father or he just gave up to her stubbornness, but she was relieved to see the anger gone from his eyes.

Fifteen minutes passed, but there was no sign of Anna yet. Mr. Kingsley kept checking his watch impatiently, while Mrs. Kingsley was trying to apologize for Anna's irresponsibility. Elsa wondered if Anna really wanted to see her off after her constant cold attitude towards her since her return home from the hospital. She greeted her coldly when she arrived home from the hospital. Elsa talked a very little with Anna- a few times when they met at the dining hall. Anna tried to talk with Elsa several times, but she it never progressed too far because of Elsa's constant silence and Anna's overwhelming tiredness. She simply walked in her room and shut the door in her face. From that day onward she never opened the door in her presence.

Not when Anna knocked her door after waking up from a terrible nightmare. "Elsa, please…" Anna's voice sounded almost like a cry from the other side of the door, "I'm afraid."

Elsa knew she was. But her own fears were more powerful than Anna's. She remained silent, waited for Anna to go away. In the morning, she often found her asleep in the darkened corridor. She looked so thin and vulnerable with all the white bandages around her tiny head. She didn't wake her up or called her in. Instead she closed the door again and remained awake for the rest of the night.

Anna arrived exactly fifteen more minutes later. But she was not alone. Hans accompanied her. A sharp pang of jealousy stabbed Elsa's mind. Yes, there was nothing between Anna and Hans. He only treated her as a good friend, and he admitted that to her many times. He begged her to make things up with Anna. But Elsa continued shutting her out, She treated her like dirt. She shouted at Anna whenever she came to dine with her. She threw away Anna's food, and stormed out of the canteen, leaving Anna sitting in her chair, alone. While she ate her lunch, Elsa stayed in the shadows, clutching her books close to her chest, trying to hold her shattered self. For the last six months she continued her acts in this way and Anna kept asking and asking for the reason. But she never gave any of them the answer.

Being a common friend with both sisters, Hans tried to solve the matter between them. But Elsa simply refused to talk with him.

And finally they were falling apart.

Anna was accepting their distance slowly, because she was avoiding her recently. But could Elsa do the same? There were still times when Elsa sat in the silence, thinking of their good old times. Elsa knew Anna did the same too, because she sometimes caught her staring at their photographs on the wall of their former bedroom.

Mrs. Kingsley sighed at their strange behavior, and she tried to talk with their girls. But she failed. Both of them were so stubborn, and became more and more stubborn day by day. Mrs. Kingsley cried, she didn't know the real reason. Mr. Kingsley sighed, because he couldn't bear to see his daughter relapsing like this.

And finally he came up with this solution- sending Elsa away. It would be good for both girls.

"You are late darling." Mr. Kingsley chided his daughter mildly as she joined rest of the family, "You know we are going to see off Elsa this evening."

"Sorry I'm late." Anna apologized sheepishly, and gazed at Hans, "Actually I was waiting for him. He wanted to see off Elsa too."

"That is very nice of you, dear." Mrs. Kingsley welcomed him.

"Yes," Hans curtsied gently. "I didn't know about Elsa's departure. I heard from Anna and decided to see her off." He eyed Elsa, "So where are you going?"

"To Norway." Elsa tried to smile, but failed miserably. An odd type of pain stabbed her heart. She didn't know what it was. "That's great." Hans stepped closer, took her hand and gazed into her eyes. There was something in his touch, that sent an unknown feeling through her body. She looked at their entwined hands for a moment, then gazed back into his eyes.

"I hope so." She pulled away her hand from his.

Fortunately Anna hadn't get any of these. "Are you packed already?" She was excited about her journey.

"And ready to go." Elsa replied with a wry smile, "We were waiting for you."

"Oh, yes, of course." Anna smiled broadly, and all of them climbed into the car. She didn't look sad, instead she was in her usual high spirit. She made an excellent recovery from the accident. In the last six months she had regained her previous weight. Her cheeks became fuller, her skin became brighter.

With their parents and Hans in the front seat, Elsa and Anna took the backseat. It had been many months since they shared a ride like this. But this time they sat almost a foot apart, hardly talking with each other. Anna was playing games on the mobile, and Elsa turned her head to look out of the window. The city of Florida was beautiful in the late winter, covered with white snow. The trees were bare, so was the sky. But the winter was always followed by a colorful spring. Elsa knew she would miss this city dearly, just like she would miss her parents and Anna.

"Elsa," It was Anna who broke the silence between them. Elsa startled, and turned her gaze away from the window.

"Yes, Anna."

"Are you okay with if I ask Hans out on the Valentine 's Day?" Anna lowered her voice and whispered, so that she wouldn't be heard by the boy in the front seat.

So she was asking for her permission to date Hans? Did it bother her anymore? Hans was the only person who kept Anna's company when she shut her out. He kept the poor girl from drowning into depression .For the last six months she often found them together in the canteen during the break. He helped her to do her math homeworks. He also accompanied her to the dance classes. Slowly she watched Hans taking her place in Anna's life.

Still she couldn't but feel a bit jealous . But she also aware about Anna's persistent crush on the older boy. And the way Hans was helping her in her absence, the poor girl could be easily deluded.

"Isn't he dating Sofia?" She eyed Hans in the front seat engaged in an animated conversation with her parents, and asked.

"They broke up soon after the riding competition." Anna replied happily, "Sofia was jealous. She blames him for letting us to ride with him."

"Oh!" Elsa sighed. It didn't bother her anymore. Nothing. She was leaving her past forever.

"If he is interested, you can try to approach him." She said at last.

"Thank you, Elsa." A wide grin crossed Anna's face, "I'm going to give him the biggest surprise of his life." She added gleefully.

Elsa expected a hug from her sister, but she didn't. Instead she turned her attention to the video game she was playing.

The airport was only half an hour drive from home. So they weren't too late for the flight. While Mr. Kingsley ordered his servants to unload the luggage, Mrs. Kingsley hugged her daughter. Her tears were soaking the sleeve of her shirt.

"Be safe." She kissed her cheeks.

"Take care." Mr. Kingsley hugged his daughter tight. Elsa could feel him shaking in her embrace. Although sending her away was his idea, but, she also knew that letting her go was hardest thing he had ever done in his life. So she hugged him back.

"I will, papa." She whispered.

Anna didn't hug her sister. She didn't cry. She didn't even say goodbye. She simply turned her back to her. It might be rude, but Elsa knew she was trying hard to resist the cry she was hiding. Then she turned to meet Hans. He was standing at a distance from her family. She smiled looking at him, "Goodbye then."

"Elsa…" He gripped her hand, and said "We need to talk."

Elsa was surprised, but followed him silently until they reached the secluded corner of the waiting room. Finally they stopped, and Hans released her hand.

"What…" Elsa became perfectly still as he stepped closer, and kissed her full on lips. Elsa felt her limbs weakening against her will as his lips desperately kissed hers. Elsa wanted to kiss him back, to hug him tight, but she kept her lips closed. Sliding her hands over his chest, she gently pushed him back. "No…"

"Elsa…" Hans looked hurt by her rejection. "Don't you like me, Elsa?"

How much Elsa wanted to say that she liked him, loved him from the moment she laid her eyes on him. She loved his handsome features, his wit, his intelligence and his kindness to Anna. But how could she forget the way Anna looked at him with stars in her eyes, her cheerful face when she told her about the plan to ask him out. How could she break Anna's dream? She had already taken away so much from her life- her sister. She couldn't take her first love away from her.

"No." She shook her head vigorously.

"But Elsa." Hans looked so heartbroken, "I broke up with Sofia because of you. I looked after Anna to get close to you. I never loved any girls I dated. I only dated them to gain courage to talk to you…I had a crush on you since the day I met you in the fifth grade." He gripped her wrists, and pulled her close to him. Elsa wanted to twist free but his fingers around her wrists were like iron manacles. He raised his green eyes to look into her blue ones. His voice sounded so pained when he spoke, "I know you always felt same about me. I know."

"No, you don't know. I waited a long time for you. But you're always so busy with dating girls one after another." Elsa cried, taking a step away from him, "I got over you."

"Oh." His hands slipped from her wrists,. "Do you have to go, Elsa?" He looked so sad.

Elsa blinked back her tears, "Yes." Then she clutched the handle of her trolley tightly and ran.

After finishing all the formalities at the immigration, Elsa was finally allowed to board the plane. The plane took off exactly three minutes later. She turned her gaze towards the window. It was getting dark outside, and there wasn't a light on anywhere Elsa could see. The only luminosity was the moon, and even that was barely noticeable, almost fully concealed by the dark clouds that blanketed the sky.

She slowly turned her eyes away from the window; her eyes were mirroring the sky outside.

Would she ever come back here? Or was it the final goodbye?

She didn't know.

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