I smooth out the drawing, carefully holding it under the table so Hiccup can't see. He doesn't seem to notice; he's still staring at Astrid.
Elsa stares at the sketch.
I don't know why, but I suddenly felt the urge to show it to her. Maybe it's because Hans hit on her and she probably was a little shook up.
"Here you guys go," Punzie says, passing us our drinks.
She gives Elsa a glass of water, but also hands her a blue can.
"Um, I-"
"Don't worry, hon." Punzie smiles, her blond hair falling around her shoulders in blonde waves. "It's on the house."
"But-"
"It's just guava juice with a tiny bit of spirits in it," She assures her, "You'd have to drink twenty of them to actually get drunk, and anyways, you can barely taste anything than the guava."
Elsa looks at the can warily.
Then she looks at me, worried.
"And," Punzie continues, "The good thing about not having so much liquor in it is that you can-"
"-Keep 'em coming!" I finish, laughing.
Hiccup takes a swig of straight vodka, downing the whole shot. I've never understood how anyone can like that stuff. It doesn't taste good at all, makes your tongue feel thick and fuzzy, and burns.
"Hey, don't drink too much," I say warningly. "You have to drive us home."
"Can't you drive?" Elsa asks.
"Well, I have a license, and I can, but I don't really like to." I say uncomfortably.
"Oh." Elsa takes a sip of water and looks at the blue can. Setting down her cup, her fingers inch towards it until she's holding it in her hand.
She stares at it.
Slowly, she opens it and looks through the opening. Elsa smells it.
"It smells good." She whispers.
"Try some," I say, "Just a little."
"Doesn't everyone tell you not to give in to peer pressure?" Elsa asks seriously. I think about that.
"Yep."
"And?"
"We think you should try some anyways," says Hiccup.
Elsa brings the can to her lips.
Then sets it down again.
"I can't."
"Hey, girlfriend, I can't help but notice this little war you're having with yourself." Astrid says, sitting next to her. Hiccup drops his shot glass and dives to retrieve it.
"War?" Elsa echoes.
"Just try a sip. I'm telling you, a little bit won't hurt."
Elsa stares at the can once more.
"Oh, to heck with it all." She mutters, and grabs the can. Elsa tips her head back and drinks half of it in one gulp.
"How was it?" I ask, grinning.
Elsa sits on the stool, stunned. "That was... Bubbly, surprisingly. It was fuzzy. My throat feels fuzzy."
Hiccup and I laugh.
"I'll go ahead and assume that was your first drink," laughed Astrid. "And, um, you're Hiccup, right?"
"Uh, this is him." Hiccup says stupidly. Elsa and I snicker.
"Is that your van out there?"
"Y-yeah." He's getting nervous.
"You got it from my shop. Does it run good?"
Well, Hiccup relaxes, because if there's one thing he won't shut up about, it's cars.
"Purrs like a kitten," he says.
I notice Elsa downing the last of her drink and grin at her.
"What?" She asks.
"Did you like it?"
"Oh, this? Yes. Definitely." Elsa says, giggling. I've never seen her act like this. I start to feel suspicious.
"Um, don't drink any more of that." I say.
Elsa laughs and drinks the rest.
"I like this stuff," She grins at me.
Okay, something's up.
"Rapunzel!" I call.
"Yes, Jackie?" Punzie comes back to the bar counter, giving me a sweet smile.
"What did you really give her?" I gesture at Elsa, who rolls her eyes at me.
"Can I get some more of this?" She asks.
"Oh, not anything terrible." Punzie laughs, "Just something, you know, a little bit stronger than what I said it was."
My head falls into my hands. "That was her first drink, Punzie. This is going to make her crazy."
Rapunzel shrugs. "Well- Oh, hang on a sec. I need to get this guy some more drinks." She smirks at me and turns to leave. "Besides, there's a load of girls over there and I think they want to talk to you."
Sure enough, a group of giggling girls who are probably drunk flounce over to us, ignoring Hiccup and Astrid, who are still deep in conversation, and Elsa.
"Hi, Jack." One of them says, "My name's Mavis." She seems to be the only one who isn't drunk. "This is Tiana, Cinderella, and Jasmine. We just thought we'd ask what's up?"
"Eh, not a lot, except RAPUNZEL," I say her name extra loudly and she grins at me from across the bar, "Got Elsa drunk."
Elsa smirks at her cup.
"Is she your girlfriend?" Jasmine asks, her expression darkening.
"No." I say quickly. "I'm not- We're- Uh, I'm living at her house, but, no, we aren't dating."
"Oh," Cinderella giggles, "Good. You deserve better than a goody-two-shoes like her."
"Got that right," Tiana laughs.
I look over and see Elsa glaring at them, especially Mavis. I have never seen her look like that. Ever.
"Go. Away." She snaps.
"Um, no." Mavis says pointedly, "Sorry, sweetie, but you can't tell us what to do."
"Yeah. If we want to hang with Jack, we can." Jasmine adds.
That's when the impossible happens.
Elsa slips her arm through mine, still glaring at those girls. She hiccups. "Mine," Elsa says.
"What? Elsa, hold on!" I cry, my face going red. "You're drunk!"
"Go find someone else, ladies." She continues, "This one's taken. Mine."
For some reason, I feel oddly satisfied at hearing those words, even though they can't be true. Elsa's drunk and doesn't know what she's saying. Besides, she hates me and I hate her.
...Right...?
Right.
"Um, yeah, right!" Mavis scoffs. "You're a pretty little girl who has no idea what she's doing." She grins at me and I notice she has tooth implants to make her teeth sharp.
"Maybe you guys should go." I say. The last thing I want is a fight between these guys, because that'll upset the whole pub, and then we won't get home before five.
"Aw, Jack!" Cinderella whines, "I thought you liked us. You've been flirting with us all morning!"
"First off, no, I haven't. Second, I have to get back before five and we can't be late, so we have to leave. Hiccup, let's-"
I look over and see Hiccup's almost as drunk as Elsa.
My heart nearly stops.
"Hic!" I cry, "You're supposed to drive us back!"
"Jackie?" Punzie asks, "You okay?"
"How many shots did he order?"
"That's his eighth."
"What?" I groan, "I can't drive, Punzie, you know that!"
"Don't you have a licence?"
"I can't use it; I'll crash the car! I'm horrible at driving, remember?" My head falls into my hands.
Astrid stands up, a smile on her face. "Relax, Jack. I can drive you guys back and drop Hiccup off at his house. I'll call a friend and have her pick me up afterwards."
"Thank God. You're a lifesaver, Astrid." I sigh, "C'mon, Elsa, we're leaving."
Elsa pouts. "Aw, I like it here! I like guava juice."
"That wasn't guava, sweetheart." I smile. "Let's get you back home. Hiccup, you too!"
"Bye, Jackie!" Punzie waves.
"Later, Punz." I reply.
Hiccup gets up, swaying on his feet. I can't believe that with a goody-goody and a guy on parole, I'm the one who stayed sober.
Astrid gets into the front seat. Hiccup and Elsa get in the back.
"Which way?" Astrid asks.
"Uh, pull out and take a left." I look in the back seat. Elsa's fallen asleep, her head against the door. "She drank a lot for her first time out," I say.
"Who, Elsa?"
"Yep."
"That's gonna be a monster hangover."
"I know," I laugh. The Snugly Duckling gets smaller and smaller in the side mirror as we leave, driving down the bumpy gravel road before pulling onto the highway.
"So," says Astrid, "Are you and Elsa sweet on each other or what?"
"She won't remember any of this tomorrow."
"Do you wish that she will, though?"
"I... "
I don't know.