His Game

Chapter 17: Elsa

A horrible sounds that isn't unlike that of a dying whale fills my room. After a few moments, it registers that the sound is coming from me.

I sit up, my head pounding. Why do I have such a bad headache, and why do I feel nauseous?

"Ouch... " I murmur, trying to stand up. I wobble unstably, putting a hand to my forehead, which feels like a tiny man with a hammer is in there and really wants out.

I'm still wearing my clothes. They're all rumpled from me sleeping in them.

Why?

I put my hair in a braid with clumsy fingers and move slowly down the hall, knocking on Jack's door.

He opens it, looking surprised.

"Well, you're up." Jack says.

"Uh-huh." I yawn. "My head hurts. I remember getting into the van with you and Hiccup last night, Hans trying to hit on me, and Rapunzel getting us drinks. That's all. What happened?"

Jack gives me strange look, moving out of the way and motioning for me to come inside his room. "Um, Rapunzel sort of tricked us and gave you something... Stronger then what she originally told us. You got wasted."

"I know that  much," I say quickly, "I just want to know what happened while I was... Wasted."

"We drank some more, talked with Astrid and Punzie, and then left." Jack explains. I feel like he's leaving something out, but I don't push it.

Well, maybe I push a little. "Are you sure?" I ask suspiciously.

"Y-yes." Jack says.

We stare at each other. The room goes quiet. It's a little awkward.

I look down at my feet, my face red.

"What time is it?" I ask, hoping to break the silence.

"One in the afternoon."

One in the afternoon?

"What? Mama and Papa are going to kill me! I was supposed to be awake nine hours ago-" I start to panic.

"Relax. Your mom came to get you when you didn't wake up and decided you looked a little sick, so she's letting you sleep in." Jack smirks. "Also, you're free of... Whatever it is you do around here. Study?"

"I don't have to study?" I ask, my mouth falling open.

I have almost forgotten what it's like to not  study. I know that there are teenagers out there who skip it completely, but what do they do with their lives? I don't have a phone to be distracted by. I don't have friends to talk to. I don't go to mall or to Ross.

"No studying for you, sweetheart." Jack says.

For some reason, the name doesn't bother me anymore. In fact, I find myself liking it.

"So... I'm gonna go outside to my garden, then." I say, turning around. "Do you maybe want to come?"

"Me?" Jack looks up sharply.

That was stupid. Jack Frost + Me + My garden = Bad. Besides, he's not really the kind of person who would want to follow me there. It's just flowers.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid-

"I guess so."

Stupid, stupid- WHAT?

"What did I just hear?" I ask teasingly. "Jack?"

"I said 'I guess so," He grins at me, "Or, you know, I could always stay here-"

"No, you promised." I say, pretending to be firm.

Jack laughs and follows me down the stairs. "For the record, I actually didn't promise anything."

"Keep telling yourself that," I smirk.

What am I doing exactly? Why am I hanging out with this delinquent? Why do I want  to hang out with this delinquent?

And how come my world suddenly doesn't make sense if Jack isn't in it?

I shake my head, clearing it of all those thoughts, and walk into my corner. All of my flowers are there, swaying slightly in the breeze, different shade.

"You know what?" Jack asks.

"What?"

"The first time you mentioned this place, you said you would tell your dad if you caught me here." He says, grinning. "That's a big rule, isn't it?"

"But aren't you Jack Frost, breaker of all rules existing?" I ask, sitting on the bench. 

"True."

I pause. The question I am about to ask could start a fight, but I have to know.

"Why do  you break the rules so much, Jack?"

"I don't like them." Jack replies, his expression darkening. "They don't make sense, they aren't always fair, and half of them are there just so that some prick can feel in control."

"That's all?" I ask, and he nods, shrugging, so I continue. "Another question; why are we friends all of a sudden? And why did it take a trip to a pub at two in the morning to make that happen?"

Jack hesitates. I can practically see the gears in his mind turning. "Are we friends?"

Oh. Maybe he doesn't want to be friends. Maybe he wants for us to go on hating each other.

"I-I don't know, I j-just sort of assumed- sorry, I'm sorry." I whisper.

"No, I didn't mean it like that!" He says quickly, "I was just wondering if that's what we are now. I mean-" Jack gives me a crooked smile. "-you're making it harder and harder for me to hate you."

Relieved, I say, "Well, I don't hate you either. Does that make us friends?"

"I think it does." Jack shrugs, then looks around the garden. "You should put some orange in here."

"Orange?" My nose wrinkles. Blue has always been my favorite color.

"Yeah. Orange and blue are across each other on the color wheel, which makes them complimentary colors. They look the best together." He says.

"You like orange?"

"Eh, I don't really think about colors anymore. However, I suppose that if you asked me what my favorite color was, I would probably say orange." Jack tells me. "Not bright. Soft."

I stare. Jack doesn't even notice my eyes boring into him at all, he just continues looking at the flowers. 

"Jack Frost, I believe you have a soul locked up in there somewhere after all." I announce.

"Ugh, how dare you." Jack smirks.

"Oh, I dare, little boy." I laugh. "I dare do all things."