Love Thaws: Melting

Protective

Elsa popped another firm, green grape into her mouth as she stared off into the distance. Jack walked into the room, immediately catching Elsa's attention. His beautiful azure eyes sparkled.

"Hey."

Elsa smiled shyly. "Hi."

He sat beside her on a barstool. "So, I've been thinking... Again. I might start making this thinking stuff a habit." Elsa's lips curved into a small smile. She popped another grape into her mouth. "Anyway, I thought we should go to this neighborhood party."

Elsa inhaled sharply. A party?! She tried to inhale deeply, but found she couldn't. Elsa began to panic as she realized she couldn't breathe.

"You okay, Elsa?" Jack asked.

Elsa gingerly touched her throat and tried inhaling again, to no avail. Jack's eyes widened in realization. He was behind her in an instant, wrapping his arms around her. He fisted his left hand and grabbed it with his right. With a sudden jerk, Jack pulled up and squeezed. A green, round object flew out of Elsa's mouth. She gasped greedily for air and Jack set her down on the couch. He seemed a bit nervous.

"I, uh, I'll g-go get you some, uh, water." He hurried to the kitchen. Elsa simply leaned back and breathed. He returned a moment later with a glass of water. Elsa tilted it back a bit too much and it spilled, wetting her face and the front of her shirt. Jack disappeared and reappeared with a hand towel. He gently began dabbing at the front of her shirt.

Unconsciously, Elsa smiled. "Do you..."

Jack looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. "Do I what?"

She cleared her throat. "Remember when you spilled water on me in art class?" Her smiled widened. "It was the first time you noticed me."

Jack returned her smile and shook his head. "No, it wasn't. The first time I noticed you was the first time I saw you."

Elsa raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

He nodded. "Do you remember a Cameron?"

"Didn't you date her for a while?"

He nodded again. "I stopped a week after you started coming to school. I stopped dating any other girls entirely."

Elsa frowned. "But why?"

"I was too scared to approach you before. You just seemed so... untouchable." Jack smiled and feathered his fingers across her cheek.

"No, I meant why did you stop dating her?"

Jack withdrew his hand. Elsa found herself missing his warmth. "Because it was wrong." 

Elsa cocked her head curiously to one side, silently prompting him to continue. 

"It was wrong to..." He ducked. 

Elsa wondered if he would actually tell her or not, if he'd trust her with such information that he obviously guarded. 

He inhaled deeply, as if bolstering his courage. "It was wrong to kiss a girl and pretend... like she was someone else." He shyly looked up to face Elsa, as if awaiting her wrath.

"Oh." Elsa felt rather pleased that he had stopped dating on her account. Tendrils of warmth curled through her. It made her feel special that Jack had noticed her so early on. They were both silent for a moment. Elsa noticed Jack was avoiding eye contact with her.