Frozen Hearts

By- An Unknown Foreign Beauty

Chapter 8- Conceal. Don't feel.

Elsa was so bewildered for a moment that she forgot to greet Hans. When she remembered, she felt the same sharp stab of longing and frustration that she'd experienced the first time she had set eyes on him and every time since. She opened her mouth to form some word, but she had no idea what to say.

Hans gazed at Elsa, but he didn't greet her either. Seriously he never thought about meeting her again. Both of them were aware of the curtsies well, but strangely neither of them proceeded. Both of them were so bewildered by the whole incident that none of them was sure who must begin the introductory process. So they continued gazing at each other, without saying any word.

"What's wrong with you two?" Anna was too worried about Elsa's reaction to her fiancé, and when she remarked on it, the silent exchange of gazes between them came to a halt and both of them shifted their gaze to her in unison. Anna felt the silent tension hanging between them.

"It look like that you've met for the first time." She asked jokingly, trying to lighten the situation.

"I'm afraid your sister has forgotten me." It was Hans who recovered first, and broke the awkward silence between them, "You should reintroduce us, Anna." He remarked jokingly, eyeing Elsa, trying to lighten the growing tension between them.

"No…no…" Feeling a bit ashamed, Elsa lowered her gaze from Hans, "Sorry…I was just wondering…" she tried to smile, holding out one hand to him, "Hello Hans…"

"Aha, you remember!" Hans laughed, but it sounded so false even in his own ears, "I thought you have forgotten me."

"No, I didn't." Elsa said, feeling harassed by all this scrutiny, gaining a bit of courage. The blush in her cheeks had not faded yet. "How can I forget the charmer of girls at school?"

"Oh," Hans looked a bit defeated by Elsa's comment. "Then you certainly remember me, Elsa." He added, gazing deep into Elsa's eyes.

Elsa quickly turned her gaze away from him. How could she forget him? Her first crush. How could she forget the kiss they shared in the airport? Her refusal, his broken heart. It was still so raw, so fresh…Elsa wondered if Hans felt the same.

She always longed to see him again, but not like this. Not as her sister's fiancé.

Anna was immensely enjoying the odd interaction between her sister and her fiancé. She was so worried about Elsa's reaction towards Hans, that she missed the whole point. But watching them talking to each other, certainly lifted her tension a bit.

"See, my sister has an excellent memory Hans." Anna gave Hans a proud look, and then took Elsa's hand. Elsa accepted her hand almost immediately. Inside she was shaking like a fallen leaf, and Anna's arms around her were really helpful to keep her rooted to the ground in this situation.

"Of course, you win, Anna." Hans let out a fake sigh, "I surrender."

Elsa felt a sharp pang of jealousy seeing the playful interaction between the lovebirds. Hans was a perfect match for Anna, both playful and outgoing in nature. He could make her sister happy. Then why she was feeling in this way? She could have him. When he asked her out, she refused him, threw him away. She was so blinded by her own guilt, that she couldn't see the consequence of her own action. She saw him taking her place in Anna's life. She let it happen herself. No, she couldn't feel in that way. She lost the chance by her own fault. Then she had caused enough hurt to her little sister by shutting her out. No she had no right to feel in this way anymore. She was here to make Anna happy, and she promised herself that she would not do anything to ruin her happiness.

She had to shut out the fourteen years old girl inside her.

"What we must do with him now, Elsa?" Elsa came back to the reality with Anna's voice. She was glaring playfully at a defeated Hans, "What punishment should I give him for underestimating you?"

Hans rolled his eyes in fake frustration, and sighed.

"Ah, Anna…" Elsa patted Anna's hand, understanding her intention to irritate her fiancé, "Don't be too hard on him…"

"She is always like that." Suppressing a laugh, Hans peered at Anna's eyelids. "All she has to do is to bat her long eyelashes."

Elsa laughed, and Anna turned red. Hans didn't change a bit. He could still make people laugh just like before.

"Hans," Anna said firmly, still blushing, "But this is not going to reduce you punishment. You must take me and Elsa for a ride."

"Huh…" Hans let out a fake sigh, and eyed Elsa, "But is she willing to go for a ride with the man who underestimated her a moment ago?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Anna shoved him toward her sister. Hans gave her a disappointed glare, and walked near Elsa. Elsa felt the ground beneath her feet disappearing as she watched him stepping close her. He had the same handsome features, same graceful movements that made her heart flutter seven years ago. Elsa balled her fists, trying to control her overwhelming emotions. No, she couldn't feel in this way. Her fingernails grazed into her palm.

Conceal, don't feel.

It was too late. Hans was already standing too close to her. His face was an inch away from hers. She could feel his warm breath brushing her skin, could count every freckles on his cheeks.

"Will you?" He whispered gazing into her eyes. Even his voice sounded like the night he asked her out. His green eyes held the same intensity when he kissed her in the darkened corner of the waiting room. Elsa gazed back. It felt like old times again, and Elsa jumped guiltily, her senses going into instant overload at his nearness. The fourteen years old girl was returning again, and she had to stop it from happening.

"I can't." Suddenly Elsa's voice lost the warmth and hesitation it held moments ago. She cautiously freed her hand from Hans and took a step behind, shifting her gaze at Anna, "It is nice to meet your fiancée, Anna. But I think I better go inside and rest…"

"I guess your sister doesn't like me much." Hans said to Anna as she turned to leave.

Anna's smile faded almost instantly. Hans looked hurt by Elsa's rejection.

"She is just tired." Anna smiled, trying to apologize for Elsa's awkward behavior. "Don't worry, I'm going to get her…"

"No, wait." Hans tried to stop her, understanding the sudden turn of events. "If she is really tired…"

But Anna wasn't listening to him, she was already went out of the room to follow Elsa.

"Elsa…" She caught Elsa at the bottom of the staircase leading to the second floor. She rushed near her, took her hand, and whispered softly, "Please come with us. It'll be a matter of an hour or so. We'll be back soon. Besides it will hurt Hans if you reject him."

Elsa knew Hans was already hurt with her rejection, she hurt him before. But she would hurt Anna now if she spent more time with Hans. She gazed into Anna's eyes for a while, then nodded, "No…." She freed her hand from Anna, and began climbing the stairs.

Tears welled up from her big blue eyes. Hans, who followed Anna to the stairs, walked near her and took Anna's hand. "It's ok, Anna." He whispered, "We better leave her and…"

But Anna wasn't giving up this time; she had to clear things up. She freed her hand from Hans, and began following Elsa to the stairs. "But why?" Anna cried from behind her, and her voice made Elsa stop. She turned to face her little sister, her face was red with emotion and rejection. "Why Elsa?" Anna shouted again, her thin body was shaking with the cry she was trying to resist, "Why are you shutting me out? Why are you shutting Hans out?"

Elsa glanced at Hans who stood behind Anna; his expression was pained. She turned her eyes to Anna who was standing a step behind her, almost the verge of crying. She closed her eyes briefly. Oh God, how much hurt she caused to them? But still she couldn't. To keep her sanity, to keep Anna's sanity, she had to do this.

"I don't care about Hans's feelings. I don't care about your feelings." She opened her eyes and spoke. Her voice was as cold as ice. "He is your fiancé, not mine." She let the words flow from her mouth, and turned back. Wrapping her arms around her, Elsa stormed towards her room.

Anna looked at her angry trail for a moment. She still couldn't imagine that her sweet sister could turn so cruel. Yes, she was cold and distant, but she never voiced her lack of love for her. But now it was clear. She said it herself.

Anna's head felt so light that she felt that she was going to faint anytime. But fortunately Hans was there to hold her. "It is alright." He gathered a distressed Anna in his arms, and gently led her to the sofa. He sat down with her, and held her close. Anna rested her head on his chest, while he drew soothing circles on her back. "It is alright." He said, looking into her eyes.

Anna was shaking so horribly. Hans understood, and supported her face between his hands. "Oh, Hans," She cried, "What is wrong with her? What is wrong with me?" She clutched Hans for support, trying to steady her trembling body.

"There is nothing wrong with you." Hans smiled, drawing her closer and kissing her forehead, "I know you love Elsa, and I know her words are still troubling you. But she still loves you. I'm telling you that everything will be alright when we are married and in a house of our own, decorated with lots of pretty photographs you snapped for us, I promise everything will be alright. We might invite Elsa to come over and stay with us."

She looked up and smiled for the first time. "Are you sure, Hans?"

Hans took her hand and led her to the door, "You can trust me, Anna."

His words made her to feel a bit better. She rested her head in his shoulder and cried. When her tears finally ceased to fall, she looked up from his shoulder and smiled, "We must go now. We have much planning to do for the wedding."

Hans watched his fiancée with concern, "Are you sure?"

"Yes…" Anna summoned her strength to hold herself together. She couldn't ruin Hans's happiness for her own. She freed herself from Hans's embrace, and nodded, "I'm alright. We better go." She wiped her face, and took his arms, led him to the door without glancing back.

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Elsa stayed in her room for rest of the afternoon. She drew her knees close to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them. Why did she come back? She came to make Anna happy, but she was hurting her every now and then.

She raised her head to look at her reflection in the mirror opposite to her bed. The face that looked back at her wasn't to the Elsa Kingsley she knew. Instead she saw the fourteen years old girl, who was afraid of her own emotions. She thought her heart froze over years along with the emotions it held. But no, it was melting. Anna made it melt, Hans made it melt. She took a deep breath, it hurt too much. It hurt Anna, it hurt Hans, and it hurt herself. No she had to stop this.

Don't let them in. Don't let them see. Be the good girl you always have to be.

Conceal. Don't feel. Put on a show.

Make one wrong everyone will know.

She closed her eyes and chanted the magic words to herself. Those words- her father taught her those words many years ago when she was so much broken after the death of her mother. Those words gave her strength. She hoped it would work now.

She was tired of being a bad big sister.

Anna didn't come home for dinner. Elsa dismissed the servants waiting at the dining hall, and told them that she wasn't hungry. She settled idly in a sofa in the living room, waiting for Anna, flipping through various channels. Every news channels were casting the same news.

The mysterious disappearance of Sofia Westergard.

Elsa recognized the name instantly. She was Hans' old girlfriend. They got engaged for a while before she eloped with Hans' older brother Henry. She frowned and increased the volume to listen to the news when a heavy, dragging footstep sounded in the room. Something thudded against the wall and a girl moaned.

"Anna! Hold still."

It was Hans' voice which made her jump. "Anna!" Racing to the front door, she found Hans carrying an unconscious Anna inside. "What happened?" she said, her heart leaping into her throat as she let Hans carry Anna inside, and called for servants while he dropped the girl in the sofa.

"What is wrong with her?" Elsa panicked while Hans arranged the blanket, and covered Anna with it.

"Don't worry." Hans rose from his position beside Anna, and turned his gaze towards Elsa who still standing behind him, with a face as white as paper. "She drunk a little bit more than usual." He assured her, "She will be alright by the morning."

"Oh!" Relief flooded Elsa's face, as she gazed at Anna who was now sleeping peacefully in the sofa. She took a step closer, knelt beside her, and about to move a stray hair from Anna's face. Instead she tucked her hands in her lap, and sighed. Hans smiled at her hesitation, "Oh, Elsa, go touch her. She won't bite."

Elsa ignored Hans's attempt to lighten the situation. She moved from her position beside Anna, and turned to face Hans. "I'm sorry for the evening." She told him, not looking into his eyes.

Hans studied the older Kingsley girl for a moment. She had hair the color of silver and the texture of heavy silk, and soft, dewy skin. Every time he had seen her during this past years, she seemed to have grown prettier, her skin fairer, her eyes bluer. She was no more than five feet two inches tall, barely reaching his shoulder, but in a blue knit shorts and a matching V-neck top, she had the figure of a petite goddess, with long shapely legs, full breasts, and a tiny waist. She also had a way of looking at him that made him feel mesmerized by her eyes. His gaze slid from her russet eyelashes to the gentle swell of her breasts, pausing to contemplate the curve of her smooth cheek and the softness of her lips… And the way she looked at her sister, looking so vulnerable and guilty, that made her prettier than ever. He knew she still fancied him, and it was the reason behind her rough behavior earlier this evening. Suddenly he began to feel drawn to this vulnerable sad girl, wanting her more than ever, wanting to kiss her full lips, to shove his hands in her lush silvery hair, feel the curves of her body against his own.

Realizing that he was lusting after his future sister-in-law, Hans diverted his thought with a question, but he was furious with himself for not telling his true feeling for Elsa…. "It's ridiculous that you keep shutting out Anna like that. You love her." he said brusquely. His voice made the girl look at him in consternation, but Hans was so absorbed with his own thoughts that his tone remained harsh. "Don't you have any guts? Why do you keep lying, and hurting her?"

Elsa couldn't believe he was he was speaking to her like this. Simultaneously she felt the desire to cry and hide. Instead of doing either, she gave him a long look and said quietly, "I'm not a coward, if that's what you mean. I was clear about my words earlier this evening."

"Of course, you were not." Hans said, trying to take control of the situation, "You're trying to hide your feelings. And you're hurting her more in that process."

Inch for inch, Hans Westergard was undoubtedly one of the most insightful people she'd ever known. She felt like an open book, laid bare in front of his eyes. "Anna cried after she left with me." Hans continued gazing into Elsa's eyes trying to read her reactions, "She is broken inside. And your actions are breaking her more and more. She cried after we went out for shopping. "

"No, she didn't," Elsa said, helplessly beguiled by the image of Anna crying with her fists pressed to her eyes.

"Yes, she did." Hans said firmly.

Fear crawled inside Elsa's heart, as she looked into Hans' eyes. He gazed into her eyes deeply as he read her fears. He leaned closer, and whispered in her ears, "You lied that day. You can never get over me. I know why you were so rude with me this evening.

"No…" Elsa gasped, clutching Hans's hands, "It was only a childish crush." The words flowed from her mouth almost instantly. "I got over you before I left seven years ago."

"Really?" Hans looked at her with an expression so tender that Elsa's heart began to hammer. "Look into my eyes, and tell me what is your real feeling about me?"

Elsa tilted her head to look into Hans' eyes. They were so warm with sympathy, and his lips were an inch away from her. Elsa tried to imagine how it would feel to have his lips covering hers, but no, then Anna's face flashed in her mind. She shouldn't think about her brother-in-law like this. She closed her eyes briefly, and took a deep breath. What did she really feel about Hans?

Emotions of the fourteen years old Elsa consumed her.

Conceal, not feel…she chanted the words inside her head, and tried to think. Hans was Anna's fiancé; he loved her, cared her so much, and he was such the perfect match for Anna. Besides, he was so kind to her even after her rudeness in this evening. May be it was time to let her past go. It was time to shut the adolescent Elsa up inside her head.

"Nothing." She said, lowering her eyes from Hans, and gazing at sleeping Anna in the sofa.

"Oh, really." He leaned closer, and Elsa was mesmerized by the look in his eyes. "Anna is really wrong about you. You really love her. And you lied to me that night for her." He threw back his head and burst out laughing; then he sobered and he said huskily. "But you were wrong about me Elsa. You were always my first choice."

Elsa could hardly believe this night was actually happening, that he was really talking to her and looking at her this way. She didn't know what had finally brought it on, but she didn't want it to stop. Not yet. "Does Anna know that?" she asked shakily.

"Of course not, Elsa." He smiled, "I have moved on."

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Hans got into his car and started the engine. She hadn't changed much in the last seven years. She was still driven by her emotions. But things changed so much for him. He was far too much different person from that love-struck sixteen years old boy. He combed his fingers roughly through his mussed ginger locks as he drove along the main road. Things were getting complicated. His wedding was only a week away, and he needed to clear his head. He had a goal and he must reach it.

His phone buzzed to indicate a text message. He tapped the screen to find a message from Sofia. Sofia? Wasn't she supposed to be in Alaska with her husband, the mighty Henry Westergard, the head of the Southern Isles Hotel Department? Then what brought her back to Florida?

Curiously he opened the text, and his eyes widened when he read the message.

I know what you are up to.

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