When Different Worlds Collide

Chapter 25

Hey, guys! First of all, I wanted to thank all of you who gave me numerous support and encouragement to continue with this story because I was really feeling unsure. And now, thanks to you guys, this has more than two thousand reads! Yay! Secondly, as you can see, there are going to be changes to how AnimeDisneyGeek and I are going to do this story. There will now be at least one chapter once a week, which will be published either on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or even Monday. Because of this, chapters will be published kind of randomly by either one of us, so keep an eye out on both of our profiles! Well, that's all there is to big news, so I hope you enjoy this part and happy reading!

Elsa

"Are you sure that you didn't move it?" I asked Jack, looking through a box of miscellaneous things in his dorm room. Comic books, messed up slinkies, duct tape, broken pencils, you name it, were all in there that I wouldn't be too surprised if his art project was in here.

"Positive," Jack said stubbornly, rifling through his desk for the third time since I and the others have been here for the past hour. He searched quickly and frantically through his desk for some time before sighing in defeat and slumping in his chair.

"It's no use," he groaned. "We're never going to find it."

"Aw, come on Jack," Anna said sympathetically. "Don't give up. We'll find it."

Jack shook his head, as if he hadn't heard my sister at all. "I just don't know where it could have gone. I clearly remember putting it there after I worked on it the night before."

"Well, things don't just sprout legs and walk off," Hiccup said. "Especially art works."

Jack scowled at him. "Are you hinting that I lost it?"

"Well, you do have a history of not being the most responsible person."

"Okay! Okay! Okay!" I said, holding Jack back from trying to hurt Hiccup. "Now's not the time for fighting!"

They both mumbled an apology. Jack started pacing around the room, his hands shoved deep in his pockets.

"The art show is in less than two months," he said. "If I don't have it by then, I'm disqualified.

"I was so close to finishing it," he said. "I guess that's what I get for pouring my blood, sweat, and tears into something school-related," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Hey," I said, coming to stand up and gently taking his hand. I looked into his blue-gray eyes that were so conflicted with emotions right now. My heart went out to him. I knew that despite his poker face, he was feeling hopeless and miserable.

"We're going to find it," I said softly. "It's not the end of the world yet, so keep that chin up and don't write off everything so quickly, all right?"

He sighed. "Okay. I'm sorry, everyone. I'm just...really stressed on this whole art project thing. If I end up not finding this thing that I've been working on for the last few months, then...." he groaned and flopped on his bed. "I won't know what to do."

"How about strangling a person for starters?"

We all looked to Merida, who had been searching under Jack's bed.

"As frustrated as I feel right now, I don't think I'd resort to that, Mer," Jack said.

Merida shrugged, looking for something underneath his bed. "I'd think twice about that after you see what I found." She took out something, a handkerchief that clearly wasn't Jack's (not that he uses a handkerchief in the first place).

We all crowded around her. She handed the handkerchief to Jack, who immediately started inspecting it. He shook his head.

"It's not mine," he said.

Merida rolled her eyes. "No, duh, genius. But look closer. Anything seem a little bit familiar to you?"

Jack inspected the handkerchief again. His face visibly paled after some time.

"What is it, Jack?" I asked.

"This handkerchief...I've-I've seen him use it before," he said.

"Him?"

"Who, Jack?"

He held up the handkerchief to us. On the handkerchief was written the initials H.W.

"H.W.?" Rapunzel said.

"Reminds me of homework," Anna made a disgusted face.

"Oh, trust me, Anna, you hate this person more than you'll ever hate homework," Jack said, balling the handkerchief up in his hand.

"How could I hate a person that I don't even know?"

Jack looked at Anna as if she had grown another head. "You seriously don't know who this belongs to?"

She shook her head. I was beginning to feel queasy and lightheaded at what I was pretty sure Jack was hinting at. No, he wouldn't dare.

Would he?

Jack sighed, glaring at the handkerchief. "This is Hans Westergard's."

Rapunzel gasped, her green eyes as wide as saucers. "You don't mean-"

Jack nodded. "Yes, I mean exactly that. I think Hans stole my painting."