2.
Elsa stood there, looking at him, completely dumbfounded.
It was like she was a ghost for him, invisible. 'Or maybe I am, in fact, nonexistent to him' She thought to herself. He was just listening to music, texting, completely ignoring her existence... While she was standing by his side like an idiot.
What in hell she was supposed to do now.
Elsa inhaled deeply a few times to calm her nerves, and tried once again.
"Ehem... Excuse me?" She said, with her voice slightly shaking. No answer.
She cleared her throat a bit noisily hoping to catch his attention, and called him again. "Sorry... J-Jack?" She said louder than before. Again, no answer.
'Okay Elsa, you can do this...' She thought to herself, and with a trembling hand, she tapped slightly on his shoulder.
"God dammit, what!?" He finally snapped, ripping off his headphones and turning to face her. Elsa jumped slightly in her place.
"H-hey.. uhm, I'm Elsa and we were... paired for the project-" She tried to say without sounding too nervous, and failing miserably, of course. He just stared at her, typical scowl adorning his face.
"Yeah, so?" He finally said. Elsa took his answer as an opportunity to take the seat beside him, earning an even larger scowl than before.
"So.. I was wondering what company you would like to investigate? I was thinking about Coca-Cola since their commercials are always so good or maybe-" She started.
"Look, princess" He said interrupting her as he stood up from his seat. "I don't really care about this project. So, good luck" and he made his way out of the class without another word.
"You're dismissed" Prof. North coincidently announced. Everyone rushed out of the class, but Elsa just stood still in her place, with her jaw still on the floor.
Prof. North scanned the class room, and smiled slightly when he saw Elsa still on her place.
He made his way to her.
"What's keeping you today, Miss Winters?" He asked with a warm smile, causing Elsa to snap out of her state of shock. "How's going with your new partner?" He asked again.
Elsa pursed her lips nervously. 'Why lie to him?' Maybe if she told him that everything was disastrous he would switch her with someone else, and she won't fail this subject.
"Well.. Actually, pretty bad" She started to say. Prof. North looked at her with a slight frown. "Truthfully, I don't think it's going to work out. Maybe you could switch me wi-"
"Elsa" He said, and she closed her mouth at the sudden interruption. "We both know that you're my best student" He said, and she nodded slowly. "Your projects and works are always flawless, you always manage to make a perfect score, and I'm really pleased with that" He added "I know how Jack can be, he's a really difficult person; that's why I trusted you to be his partner, because I think you're capable making it work. Yes, it is a challenge, but if you play your cards well, I'm sure you can find a way of working on this with him" He explained. Elsa opened her mouth to complain, but before she could say anything, North continued "But if you really want to switch partners, then go for it" He said, and she was about to scream yes. "But it'll be a huge disappointment".
Damn it.
North has pushed Elsa's buttons.
He said that awful word.
'Disappointment'
The word that haunted her even in her nightmares.
The most dreadful thing to Elsa.
"You won't be disappointed" She finally said, defeated. North immediately smiled widely.
"I know I won't" He said, and turned to leave "And if you're thinking of doing this by yourself, drop that thought right now, I will notice it" Fuck. "Just tell me if you need help with anything" He added, and left the classroom.
Elsa groaned.
X
Lessons finally ended for the day, and Elsa was beyond relieved.
She didn't pay attention to any of them, she was too busy trying to figure out ways on getting Jack freaking Frost to work on the project with her, and got nothing.
Of all people in the campus, why him?
Even Pitch Black was going to be more useful for a project.
She sighed once again, and made her way to her dorm, that was in the Snowflake building.
Today was a 'girls night' so she was pretty sure that Merida and Punzie were already in the dorm that she shared with Anna.
Their dorm was pretty big, the biggest category of dorms the campus has to offer, with a fairly sized combined living room and kitchen, two rooms and a bathroom.
Elsa's room was an enigma to her friends, even for her sister, the last time Anna entered was probably last year, when Elsa asked for her help to paint her room, but after that, Anna knew that Elsa's room was somehow 'forbidden'.
Her room always remained locked when she wasn't around, actually.
Why? Well, Elsa always felt somehow caged in her soon-to-be C.E.O. life. So, the only real space in the planet where she dared to be herself and not the perfect daddy's little girl slash heir, was in her room, her little space of freedom. She decorated it with things she actually liked, she dressed with clothes that weren't from Chanel or her typical little goody-goody girl attire.
Anna stopped minding it long ago, it was just the same in their home. No one was allowed in, just one maid, and luckily for Elsa, their parents were always so busy to even mind about it.
Still lost in thought, she entered her dorm, aware of Merida and Punzie's presence.
She walked without saying a single word and collapsed in one of the couches.
Anna, Punzie and Merida just stared at her in confusion.
"Did you meet Gaston on your way here or...?" Anna asked with her eyes glued at her sister. Elsa groaned.
"Nope" She said, rubbing her temples. Punzie gasped.
"Pitch?!" She exclaimed. Elsa shook her head, still rubbing her temples.
"Even worst" She said, the three girls shared a look.
"I'm lost" Anna said.
"What's worse than Pitch?" Merida asked with her thick Scottish accent. Elsa sighted deeply in exhaustion.
"I'm paired up in a project with Jack Frost" She said, waiting for their reactions.
They stood still for a few seconds.
"WHAT" Anna exploded.
"Damn" Merida said.
"Yep" She said and threw her head back. "I don't even know what I'm supposed to do. Today he just left me planted in place saying 'I don't care, good luck'" She said imitating Jack's voice.
"Well just ask your professor to switch you! They surely know that anything with Frost it's impossible!" Anna suggested "Plus, I bet you're their best student, like in all your classes. I'm sure your professor will accept" She added, Merida nodding at what she said.
"He won't" Elsa said "Prof. North told me that he actually paired me with him because he thinks I'm the only one capable of working with him" Elsa said groaning.
"Prof. North loves you!" Merida exclaimed, rolling her eyes.
"Right! Just insist him a bit" Anna added.
"He told me he was going to be disappointed if I switched" Elsa said, looking at her hands. Anna immediately groaned.
"Oh my gosh Elsa! Again with that!" She said, slightly angry "You can live it up to please everyone!"
"Anna, stop it" Elsa spat frowning at her, Anna closed her mouth "I'm the best in his class, and I'll like it to keep it that way" She said, serious. And suddenly, she realized something. "Why you're so quiet, Punzie?"
Punzie, that seemed to be lost in her thoughts, immediately gazed up at the attentive gazes of her friends.
"Well, I actually agree with North" She said quietly, Anna and Merida started to complain loudly, not believing what she just said.
"It's freaking Jackson Frost! Are you out of your mind?!" Anna said loudly.
"I'm pretty sure working with Pervert Pitch is gonna be better!" Merida said in disbelief.
"I bet Jack's going to hand Elsa to Pitch so he can rape her!" Anna added. Elsa rolled her eyes.
"No, he won't" Punzie said, and they stopped talking for a few seconds, Elsa gazed at her arching a brow.
"How can you be so sure?" Anna asked suspiciously.
"Uhm... well" Punzie started, looking a little nervous. "He went to the same high school as me, we actually were from the same group of friends.." She added nervously twisting some of her short brunette hair.
Her three friends looked at her with eyes big as plates.
"Come again?" Merida asked, stunned. Punzie was about to repeat herself.
"You're joking" Anna said, still not blinking.
"No... "Punzie just said.
"And how come you didn't tell us? Ever?" Anna asked, narrowing her eyes, Elsa just stood there, attentive to all.
"Well, we never actually talked about him. It never came up" She said and it was true, they've always talked about every member of Pitch's gang, but never about Jack Frost. Somehow, it was like talking about Voldemort. "Plus, Eugene just hates them so much, I'm sure he would go ballistic if he knew" She added.
"Okay..." Anna said, shocked.
"So.." Merida started. "Was he always the biggest jerk walking on earth?"
"Oh, no, no!" Punzie immediately said shaking her head. The three girls looked at her even more dumbfounded. "We actually were never 'close' per say... We just used to hang out with the same group of people. Just exchanging hellos and goodbyes and stuff..." She explained. "But he wasn't like this, the total opposite actually". She added. The girls shared a look, and jumped close to Punzie, with curious faces.
"Explain, now" Anna demanded, expectantly.
"Okay..." She said, and took a deep breath. "I had my little group of friends, and in a summer vacation, one of them became good friends with a few guys from his group. So, when classes started, we just started to hang out and stuff. I never actually had a conversation with Jack, but he was a really funny guy, always making us crack in laughter with his jokes and pranks. He was a really sweet guy too, he and his family always were participating in charities and stuff" She said, the three girls were looking at her like he just had grown another head "Yeah, hard to believe I guess... Anyway, he also was super sweet with his girlfriend, they were the actual relationship goals. He was always surprising her and hugging her and making her laugh. They were together for like three or four years maybe? I don't know, but they were just perfect, every girl in school always said that they wanted a relationship just like theirs. He just loved her so damn much, you could see it in his eyes.
But things changed one day. We were at school, in Science class... I remember it perfectly. "She said, and her face turned sad. "Jack was called out of the class, and he never returned that day. When school was over, the news spread all over the town like wildfire." She said, and inhaled deeply. "Jack's house was caught on fire... and his whole family didn't make it" She said whispering. The three girls gasped in horror. "As far as I know, it was caused by a candle or something.. And, well, Jack didn't have any other relatives. So, they found him a tutor, a good old friend of Jack's father and he stayed with him after that"
"And let me guess, after that he came back to school dressed all in black with piercings and tattoos?" Merida asked. Punzie shook her head.
"No, he did came with one tattoo, in honor of his family or something of the sort.." She explained. "Well, after that he stopped hanging out with us, stopped talking to us and stuff, just a few sad smiles or hellos.. The only person that was with him, was his girlfriend" she said "She supported him throughout those hard times, even though I think he's still not over it. More tattoos appeared, and piercings and black clothes. But he wasn't a jerk or mean like he is now." She continued. "That was until he realized his girlfriend was cheating on him throughout their whole relationship with one of his best friends.." she concluded.
Merida, Anna and Elsa were shocked, stunned... They would have never imagined that anything like that could've ever happened to feared Jack Frost.
"He realized about it in school, caught them in the janitor's closet, in front of everyone. She simply said that he was not enough, that he was just a pathetic boy. She left him all alone. He has no one" Punzie added.
"No one?" Elsa repeated. Punzie shook her head. "He's all alone?"
"I've heard that he didn't even get along with his tutor, I heard his tutor always tried so hard to make him happy but he just didn't accept him or let him in either" Punzie explained. "The whole last year, every time he saw me, he sent me those 'tell anyone about me and you die' looks. I'm pretty sure he doesn't want anyone to know about the old Jack"
Elsa was left without words. She felt so bad for him now that she knew. Sure, that didn't justify his harsh actions towards the other students, but at least now she knew that it was not just for fun, like she thought before.
The sudden confession actually motivated her to try to work with him, and maybe even to try to befriend him.
Elsa always feared of isolation, her darkest nightmares were about remaining all by herself, losing her parents or losing Anna. She knew she was far from being isolated, and that she was surrounded by amazing people, but she was still terrified to lose them. She didn't even want to think about how was like to actually be all alone.
And Jackson Frost was totally isolated.
"That's horrible..." Anna said "To bad he's such a jerk.."
"Elsa's persistent, and everybody likes her, so I actually think she could at least make him a bit better" Punzie said with a encouraging smile.
"I don't want Elsa to be the guinea pig!" Anna squeaked in horror.
"Even though he's been through horrible things, I'm still on Anna's side" Merida said. "He had done some nasty ass things too"
"I'm going to work with him" Elsa concluded, Punzie squealed a bit and Anna was about to complain "Papa always says that we're going to be forced to work with people we don't like in the future, better start practicing now" Anna's jaw dropped.
"Goodness, Elsa! Not everything Papa says is right! Plus it's still college, you're not in the company right now!" Anna whined.
"Anna, I'm not going to act like a spoiled girl like almost everyone in this university, I'm going to be mature about it!" she said to her sister, furrowing her eyebrows.
"What if he just tells you 'I don't care' again?" Merida asked.
"Well, then, I'm going to have to force him" Elsa said like it was not big deal.
"Are you out of your mind?!" Anna exclaimed "Elsa is Jack Frost we're talking about! You can't just force him! And if you try to, I'm pretty sure he's gonna send me your dead body in a present box!" Anna shrieked horrified "bow and all!"
"Look, Anna. My grades are perfect from bottom to top. I've always worked so hard in everything I've ever done. He's not going to ruin that for me, take that for granted. Even if I have to knock him out and tie him up to a chair in order to make him work, I'm going to do it" She said, and turned on the T.V.Making her sister understand that the conversation was over.
"If he kills you I'm gonna write on you grave 'I told you so'" Anna added, and the conversation was now concluded.
"I really think you can do this, Elsa" Punzie whispered to her "If there's anyone in this world that can make him a bit better, I know it's you" She added, and smiled. Elsa just gazed at her, biting her lip, but said nothing.
She always worked so hard for everything.
And even if sometimes it took long to achieve some of her goals, she always managed to reach them.
This was no different.
A.N:
Hey guys!! Thanks so much for the reviews, comments, favs, votes!!!
Please don't forget to leave one! I really appreciate them!
ENGLISH IT'S NOT MY MAIN LANGUAGE! PLEASE REMEMBER THAT
Thanks!!
Sil-bD9.
Edited (10/01/2018)