"So, what do you choose." Elsa just sat there and continued to stare at the floor. Class was about half over and the girls were getting no where in the project. Anna wasn't the one to get annoyed but Elsa was doing a great job at ignoring her, and Anna was getting a little fed up with it. "Okay then, uhh," she was really trying to get Elsa to talk. She wasn't trying to have the girl give a speech but she at least wanted some kind of response that could get things moving. The day before Elsa had manage to almost pick a song, and today it seemed she wanted to do absolutely nothing expect just sit there. Maybe I should, no. Maybe I could, no. Maybe if I, ugh no. Maybe, uhh. As Anna was thinking on what she could do on how to get this project on its way. She didn't just want to do it herself and put Elsa's name on it, it wasn't fair to either of them.
The word "maybe" came back into her head. Wait that's it Maybe. All of a sudden Anna reached into her pocket and fished for her Ipod. She unlocked it and went to her playlists. She took a couple seconds to find it. Of course having a deep love of music Anna kept almost two thousand songs just her Ipod alone and that didn't scratch the surface for how many songs she had on her laptop, cd racks and flash drives. Finally finding the song she hit play and turned up the sound, but to much so to attract attention. She leaned forward a little and held out her Ipod letting the speaker face Elsa.
Elsa looked up a it to see what Anna was doing. Slightly confused Elsa didn't know what the red head was about to do. That sent a slight panic through her mind What is she doing? As the song started she noticed how familiar the guitar riff the begging. Oh wait, I know this... it's Maybe by Sick Puppies but why is she playing this song?
"Maybe I'm a dreamer, maybe I'm misunderstood. Maybe your not seeing the side of me you should." What is she getting at here, Elsa thought. She had heard the song enough times, that she knew what the artist was getting at. And she didn't like how Anna had picked a song that had a personal connection to her.
"Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe I'm the only one, Maybe I'm just out of touch, Maybe I've just had enough. Maybe its to change, leave it all behind. I've never been the one to walk alone, I've always been scared to try. So way does wrong, to reach for something more, To wanna live a better life. What am I waiting for, cause nothing stays the same. Maybe its time to change." Elsa was trying to ignore the message she thought the singer was trying to show, but she couldn't help but feel guilty. After she had been dating Hans for a couple months and still feeling nothing this song played on the radio in her car on the way to his house. She thought the song was changing who you were as a person in order to feel happy, to live a better life. But that was not what the song was really about.
"Maybe it's hopeless. Maybe I should just give up. What if I can't trust. What if I just some help. And maybe it's time to change, leave at all behind. I never been walk alone, I've always been scared to try. And why does it feel so wrong. To reach for something more. To wanna live a better life. What am I waiting. And nothing stays the same. Maybe it's time to change"
Anna leaned back and paused the song. She looked at Elsa, who was trying not to look at her look and instead, looked at the wall, but she kept glimpsing back at Anna. "You don't have to look at me, but just listen, okay." Elsa felt something very strange come over her and let her eyes drop to the floor and fought the urge to keep looking back at Anna. "I wanted to play that song so you could her the message of it, did you, or do you know what it is?" Anna was speaking in a very kind and warm tone that was melting Elsa on the inside. The only thing Elsa could do was nod and keep her eyes fixed on the ground. "So you know that in order to live a better life, one must change the world around them," Elsa looked up and stared at Anna for the first time, but was trying not to look into her eyes. Confusion and disagreement crossed her face, but landed on curiosity as Anna continued to explain the song, "and to be true to ones self. To not let others control them and to make a change that would let him or her be themselves and be happy."
"So what I want is for you to make a small change. Just tell me what song you want to pick. That's it, you don't have to explain why or tell what the song is about, I'm pretty sure I know almost every song in the world." She gave a soft giggle and waited for Elsa's response.
In complete shock at how Anna seemed so genuine and caring, Elsa was at a complete loss for worlds and thoughts. It seemed time had stopped as she starred at Anna trying to figure out what to do or say. She had no idea why she chose the song but the only song that came to her was "You found me."
"By the Fray right." Anna said with happiness in her voice.
Elsa nodded and at the same time that feeling grew stronger. That feeling was seeing Anna in a very different way than before. Even though she had literally met the girl only a day ago, the way she saw Anna was something she couldn't explain. She really didn't want to look into Anna's eyes but she did anyways, and what she saw really shocked.
What she saw in Anna's eyes was someone who wanted to truly try and help, her. Figure out why Elsa was so reclusive and why she was alone. She saw the signs of someone that could be a friend that could be there for her, the signs of a person that would never hurt or judge her no matter what happened. Elsa didn't know how to react to what she was feeling. She knew what it was too, the attraction to a girl, something she didn't want. Something she really wanted to get rid off completely. And she did what she did best, and that was run away from her feelings and hide. Getting up and leaving within less than a heart beat she ran half way across the school and made it to the single bathroom that teachers were only allowed to use. It wasn't locked, it never was. Kids usually just picked the lock and either smoked in it or had sex.
Elsa sat down on the toilet and cried. But it wasn't for what she thought. At first she thought she was crying because of how she was feeling towards Anna. But some how, she figured out why she was really crying. She had just seen what a true friend could do for her. This was the first time ever someone was trying to get past Elsa's walls and be there for her as a friend. To be there and take each brick down and mold it into something beautiful. Elsa felt the signs of happiness for the first time in a very long time and the craziest thing passed through her head, Maybe if I can hold back these feelings, I could let Anna be...be my friend. Thinking that Elsa cried even more. In her entire life she thought hiding behind Hans was going to help her be happy, but in just one day Anna had made Elsa feel that she wasn't alone. But, then she realized something, I never feel or have felt any happiness with or for him. Why is that? He's done a lot for me. But she felt like that was a lie, she couldn't even say when she felt happy with him. She knows when they first started dating he did some romantic things like bringing her flowers, always complimenting her, and going out quite often. But now it she felt he wasn't like that anymore. Shit, stop that, God. You know what!? I'm going to give Anna a chance, and come Friday, I'm going to everything to make myself fall in love with Hans. Elsa had managed to stop crying and let out a breath, It's time to change the world around me, to live a better life.
Anna was lost in her own thoughts when Kristoff said, "Helllooo, anyone home. Anna, come on what are you thinkin about."
"It's none of your business." Anna said playfully.
"Okay, but whenever you are this deep in thought, I know something is up. So tell me. Is it about Elsa, don't tell you did..."
"I didn't do anything. Well I don't think it was that bad."
"Anna come on. Did you something to upset her. I don't want that dick Hans to mess with you."
"Relax Kristoff nothing happened, I just asked her to pick a song for the project, and she did. That's it. That's all that happened. Nothing more. Don't worry everything is fine. Nothin to worry about" Well that couldn't have sounded less believable.
"Okay, I know you are holding something back, and I don't want you to get yourself in to deep with Elsa." Kristoff was sounding really concerned and that worried Anna.
"Is Hans really that much of an ass. I seriously doubt people get death notices. The principle wouldn't allow it."
"You can try and lighten the subject but, Anna, I don't know Hans personally, but I don't know if the rumors around him are true. Just please be careful around Elsa. It would suck to try and find a new best friend, other than Sven."
"Oh haha. I will. Don't worry about me."
"Well okay then. We here now and get out before I'm late."
"Yah because cutting ice from the lake is really a job."
"Oh shut up at least it pays good."
"Yah but you don't get to meet new people like I do."
"So that's not even the point of having the job, but anyways see yah later."
"See yah Kristoff." And then he was off. Anna walked inside the restaurant, which was usually very crowded, and made her way to the employee lounge, though it wasn't really a lounge at all, just a place to change and clock in. There was only three chairs and a small table in the middle of the room, a closet to the left, the computer and some cabinets that usually had extra silverware and plates to the right and the employee bathroom straight ahead. When she walked in no one was there and she changed right there in the middle of the room. She took out the red shirt with her name stitched to the right side, courtesy of her mother, and then she pulled out the black pants that went with the uniform. She changed and then went to the computer to clock in for the day. Walking over to the closet she pulled one of the black aprons for the waitresses and walked back out into the restaurant and immediately went to her stationed area.
There where about ten people that worked at The Summers Diner and Anna had gotten to know and love them all. There was Oaken and Olaf, who were the two head chefs for the restaurant. There were also some other sue-chefs that worked but most of the time they went between the local restaurants to learn different things on how to cook. There was Lumiere, who was head waiter and the only male one. He had a cool French accent that Anna loved. Then there was Gerda, the head waitress and Kai, the host. Some of Anna's friends from school worked as waitresses too. Merida, Ariel, and Jessica were some of the waitresses. Being all gingers they called themselves Team Red. There were other waitresses like Tiana, who was the better at the job than all four of them combined, and Bell. The restaurant itself was very nice. It had a summer and spring theme to it, unsurprisingly, and also had a home away from home feel as well. The food was of course excellent and based off of all home cooked meals that Anna's mother and father came up with.
Though she didn't really like the job as much as she let on while working, Anna really did like to meet all the new people and have conversations with them, which usually led to a good tip. But other than that and seeing her friends, the job was really bad. Anna would always come home late, smell like food, and feel extremely tired to do anything. But she couldn't quit it was her fathers restaurant and she couldn't leave something he had loved so much.
Anna's father died two years ago in a boating accident while fishing alone. He had gone up to the lake a couple miles out of town. It had been a beautiful day and Anna had wanted to go with him.
"Come on Dad, I want to go, it so boring here." Anna wined.
"Sorry my little strawberry, but you have to go to work." Her farther said.
"But it is so tiring. Can't you just let me go this one time."
"One time," he chuckled "what about all the other one times I've let you come."
Anna smirked, "Yah but those don't count."
"And why not?"
"Because..." she was biting her lip as she tried to figure out a reason.
He smiled at her as she become developed in thought, "Hey the next time I go, I promise I'll take you with me. But for now go with mom to work. Okay?"
"Okay." She said a little happier.
"Good, and by the way it's almost done, within the next day it should be finished and ready to go."
Anna immediately got excited. "Really I can't wait to finally sing and perform in front of people."
"Hey, it's what my little girl wants to do. I don't think serving tables is what my little girl wants to do all her life."
"HECK no."
"That's what I thought. Now I'll see you later. Tell mom I love her and that I'll be home by dinner. See you later sweetheart." With that he went to his car and drove off, only, he would never return. When the police came to the house later that day that day everything fell apart.
Ding, Dong
"Finally, does he know how late it is?" Anna's mother said. When she opened the door she was surprised to see a police officer. "Oh, can I help you Bill?"
"Hello Jen." The officer said with a little sadness in his voice.
"Is something wrong." She said innocently.
The officer looked down and took a deep breath. "I'm very sorry, But there has been an accident with Patrick."
"Oh my god! What happened, where is he?" She said with a little worry in her voice.
"Jen...Patrick's dead, we found his boat on the shore and his body not to far away from it."
"What!? No, no... he couldn't have, he...Anna." She whispered the last part and looked into Bills eyes and started to sob.
Anna had just some down to see why there was a police car in the driveway. "Mom what's wrong, is dad okay."
Anna's mother began to sob even more and tried to tell her daughter but couldn't she looked at the office who was trying not to get emotional himself. "Anna, your father, he's... he's not coming home."
"What do you mean?"
Her mother was barely able to tell her daughter. "Anna, Dad was in an accident, and he won't be coming home."
It took only a couple second before she figured it out. "You mean he's...dead." As she looked at her mother, and the tears came and she lost control of herself. Falling to her knees and grabbing her heart she cried, and eventually fell to her side and bawled. Her mother raced over to comfort Anna, and they both sobbed. The officer came in and sat down next to both of them. "I'm very sorry, he was a good man, and a great father." Anna cried even harder. Though she cried before, like when she broke up with Kristoff, this nothing she had ever felt.
Breaking up with Kristoff had been tough but the reason she cried was because she didn't know what it could mean for them afterword as friends. But now she felt lost and broken. Her father had always been there and always supportive of whatever she wanted to do. Though her mother had been there for her in the past, she and her father had always been close.
Over the next weeks Anna had become depressed. She felt lost and didn't know what to do. Kristoff and Rapunzel were by her side nearly everyday to make her feel somewhat better. It took awhile but Anna was able to move on from her fathers death and she knew he was watching over her. But Anna's mother didn't cope so well. Without her husband, the restaurant had closed for a for a few months and she was losing money fast. It was the only thing left of him that Anna's mother saw. He had built it himself with money he had saved for years. She did everything to try and save it. When the doors finally reopened, there was little to know revenue for the company to survive. Anna's mother sold there house and for a couple weeks she and Anna lived in the restaurant. All seemed lost until one day, there was a concert in town that had everyone excited. Located just before the road that led to the Rec center was the restaurant. People coming to the concert that went early needed a place to eat and the closest place was The Summers Diner. Those people that showed up loved the food and atmosphere and spread the word to there friends, who came and then spread the word even more. Eventually the restaurant was back to it's original stature. Eventually Anna's mother was able to buy a smaller house a few blocks down from the restaurant and everything seemed to go back to normal.
But with that came something else. Anna's mother still wasn't over her husbands death, and was determined to keep the restaurant alive forever. She had made Anna quite her music lessons and had her study business. When the school year started again she made Anna take a bunch of business courses. Anna's mother wanted Anna to take over the restaurant and run it until she had kids that would then run it after her. And Anna's mother still believes that, even though Anna wants to chase music more than anything.
It was closing time and the last of the customers had paid and left. Anna had said good-bye to everyone as they left and waited for her mother to finish counting the days profits and come out of her office. As she waited, Anna went to a stage that was now covered by tables. Her father had built it for her after she told him about how much she loved music and one day become a singer. He was also the one that paid and got Anna all her music lessons. Anna couldn't help but get a liitle mad at her mother for not really supporting her like her father did, especially after he died.
"Anna, let's go."
"Okay, I'll be right there." Taking one last look at the stage Anna made her way to the sidewalk. Living only a few blocks away they walked home. Normally it would okay with Anna but, it was still winter and though she loved the snow, the cold was something she could never get used to.
"So how was school?" Her mother asked.
"It was good. Got a lot of homework though."
"Anything interesting happen," not waiting for a response she added, "I got a call today."
Shit, I hopes it's not about what happened to Elsa. "Mr. Weselton isn't very happy with you for not paying attention in class."
Ugh. What does he want? Well at least it wasn't about Elsa. "I c...can't help it. The class is ssoooo boring."
"That doesn't matter. You still have to pay attention to what he's teaching. If you're going to run the restaurant someday, you have to pay attention." Her mother was being serious and condescending.
Rolling her eyes. "Mom, I've told you that I don't want to run the restaurant. I never did. You know I want to be a singer. Play big concerts and have my name be called for a Grammy."
"No! The chances of someone getting that far very slim. Let alone woman already have a hard enough time getting into any kind of profession especially business and the music is not a business your father would want you to get into." Raising her voice even louder. "And that's final. You're going to stay after with him and if your grades don't improve by the end of this quarter you are going to drop that music class."
Anna couldn't what she just heard. She and her mother have had this argument many times before, but never had either of them mentioned her father to get leverage on the conversation. Anna got very upset and yelled, "You don't know what dad wanted for me! He always believed in me! Why don't you. Even before he died you never really supported me. Please...let me prove to you that I can have what it takes. Please, Dad built that stage himself, and when it was done; he made a promise that I would get my chance." Tears were starting to form around her eyes." Please Mom, let me have a chance."
Her mother looked at her in the eyes and with said, "No, get inside and do your homework. This is the last time we are going to have this conversation." Opening the door Anna's mother went straight into the kitchen.
Anna immediately followed her and said, "NO this is not over. What is going to take to convince you that I can do this."
Getting angry her mother was almost yelling. "I have already made myself clear young lady. You. Are. Going. To. Run. That. Restaurant, it's the only thing that's left of your father and if you can't appreciate that then shame on you. He loved you and this is how you repay him."
Now completely angry and stupefied and her mother Anna spoke before thinking. "FUCK YOU! He was always there for me while you were doing whatever. I'm not going to run that restaurant. It's not what he wants, it's what you want."
Her mother was flustered and got right in Anna's face. "DON'T SAY EVER THAT AGIAN! YOU HEAR ME?! Your father would be ashamed of you fro talking like that."
Not feeling intimidated at all, Anna yelled back. "No he wouldn't. He would be proud of me, like he always was."
Anna's mother suddenly got an idea. "You know what, let's just with your smart mouth can do. Come this Friday, I'll have the stage set up and you are going to 'perform' all night until closing."
Caught off guard Anna didn't know how to react. She didn't know if this was a good thing, a bad thing, whether her mother was lying. So she just said, "Good. Now I'm going to do my homework." Walking back in to the foyer, Anna made her way up the stairs. Feeling a little guilty for what she had said to her mother Anna made her way into the her room and closed the door. After a while it finally clicked, this Friday she would finally get her chance to do what she and her father knew what she was born to do. Nearly jumping into the ceiling Anna danced around her room. Settling on her bed she thought how weird it was for her to go from extreme anger to absolute excitement. She turned on her computer and played Greenday while she did her homework. The first being When I Come Around.
While downstairs her mother thought Anna didn't have what it took to be a singer and that she just need some harsh reality to finally get Anna's mind out of the clouds. She thought Anna was going to mess up and finally understand what her mother was trying to say. But when Friday would come around, she and Anna would finally find out singing and being a musician was what she was really meant to do.