31.
Anna woke up incredibly happy that day.
One of the reasons: It was a brand new year, and that meant new experiences, new dreams, new chances, new people, new places, and a chance to be a better person. January the 1st was always a happy day for her. The whole word was just filled with that fresh atmosphere she couldn't help but smile.
The other reason was that she woke up with the best news ever.
Kristoff has texted her, and told her that in a couple of days, he would be visiting her until the classes started (bringing Sven of course) and she was just euphoric about the news.
This surely was going to be a great year.
After cleaning herself up, and just putting on some leggings and a oversized sweater, she got down stairs humming 'Auld Lang Syne' while she tried hard not to trip.
"Happy New Year again!" Anna said entering the dining room, were everyone was already eating. She walked to her mother and father and gave each of them a peck in the cheek. "You know what? Kristoff's coming in a couple of days! Isn't it amazing?" Anna said with a big smile. Idun giggled at her and Adgar smiled.
"Of course, sweetie. Just let us know if he needs someone to pick him up when he arrives" Idun said, and sipped her tea. Anna nodded enthusiastically, and was about to walk to her sister when she noted something was off.
Elsa was practically about to hide her face in her food, clearly trying to avoid everyone's eyes. Anna blinked in confusion at the state of her sister, and then she turned to Jack, that was pretty much in the same state as her sister, except she could see his face better. He was deep in thought, eyes on his untouched food, and his face was a mixture of confusion and fear.
Something happened between them, their state was a clue, but the thing that confirmed her suspicions was that they weren't seating next to each other as they did since they got here.
Jack was the one out of place, he was seating besides Nic instead of Elsa.
Something was definitely fishy.
She narrowed her eyes at them, and was about to call them out but quickly thought against it. This appeared to be kind of serious, so she really didn't want her sister to feel uncomfortable.
She quietly sat down next to Elsa, not saying a word. She knew Elsa did not want her to talk right now. So she just filled her plate with food, and ate silently while observing the two of them.
She wasn't surprised that the 'adults' didn't find their behavior odd. They were actually doing a good job in hiding it, Anna was just a master on reading people, and like she said before, Elsa was an open book to her, she could read her emotions perfectly, just as Elsa could read hers.
Once everyone finished eating and started to get up, Anna decided she would wait no longer.
"Elsa can you please help me make some more hot chocolate? I'll really like to learn how to do it this time" Anna said, looking at her sister while communicating with her eyes.
Elsa knew exactly what her sister wanted, it was actually just a matter of time before she called her. She was glad she didn't say anything to Jack, or anything in front of the others at least.
"Sure" Elsa said, and quickly got up.
Anna saw how Jack looked at her sister for a split second with somewhat regretful eyes, but he instantly adverted them and got up as well to then exit the room, probably to go to his room.
Anna heard a faint and almost imperceptible sigh from Elsa, and she pursed her lips. She was worried now.
Once they entered the kitchen, Elsa still went to grab the ingredients, while Anna observed all her body language.
"So? Are you gonna tell me what happened between you two?" Anna said, leaning against the counter. Elsa sighed and walked to the stove.
"I really wish I could" Elsa said with hurt eyes. "But I'm as clueless as you" Anna blinked in surprise at first, but then narrowed her eyes at her sister again.
"So... You're gonna tell me that Jack just got up today and decided to seat in another place and decided to ignore you as well?" Anna said with a tinge of irony in her tone. Elsa bit her lip.
"No" She said and stopped for a second in her tracks. "Something happened, but... I don't really understand any of it" Elsa said, and resumed her work. Anna walked to her and placed a hand in her shoulder.
"Then tell me" Anna said with a supportive gaze. "Maybe I can help" Anna said. Elsa sighed again.
"Yesterday... After everyone went to bed I couldn't sleep. So I came down here to make me some tea and then I stayed till late in-" Elsa started.
"The balcony" Anna finished, she knew her sister always went there when she couldn't sleep.
"Yeah" Elsa said. "So, apparently Jack couldn't sleep either, because he appeared on the door frame not so long after. He told me that he was going to the kitchen, but I told him to stay there with me" Elsa said. "So we just sat there for a moment, and then I told him that last year was probably the best one yet for me, because I finally was able to be myself and among other stuff, including that meet him was some of the good thinks that happened to me as well" She explained. "He didn't answer anything, he just told me that he needed to show me something, and he showed me a tattoo of an ice tiara, and told me that he got it because of me"
"Aww! That's so cute!" Anna said, Elsa smiled briefly but the confusion quickly returned to her face.
"He started to say a lot of nice things about me, like how special I was to him, and how I make him a better person, or how I saved him" She recalled with a tiny smile. "It was just- So nice, everything he said was just so nice that I couldn't control myself... And I kissed him" Anna gasped and covered her mouth with her hands, Elsa giggled a bit dryly.
"...And then he run away?" Anna asked, expecting the worst of it. She ws actually pretty damn sure that Jack liked her sister, maybe even more.
"No" Elsa said. "Once I realized what I did I said sorry, but he kissed me again" Anna had a face in total confusion right know. "He kissed me again and... And then I don't really know what happened"
Elsa was hurt. She didn't understand. She couldn't help but replay the scene in her head a million times, trying to understand.
Jack cupped her face in his hands, and brought her closer to him to kiss her again.
The kiss was sweet, but full of passion and relief. His lips started moving softly and slowly on hers, making Elsa melt at the burning heat that was traveling all over her body. She synchronized perfectly with him, and brought him even closer, one hand was running through his silvery hair, and the other was resting on his bare chest delicately.
Elsa sighed on the kiss, making Jack smirk on it.
Unluckily, when the oxygen was out, they forced to part from each other. Jack slowly broke the kiss, biting her lower lip just so softly, like regretting their need of oxygen.
Elsa opened her eyes, and for a moment she thought she was going to wake up in her room, and realize everything was just a dream.
But feeling the tingly sensation on her now swollen lips, and the sight of him in front of her, just inches apart, made her heart feel relieved, and she felt another wave of heat traveling through her whole body.
Jack's icy blue eyes were shining even brighter than they usually did. He was gazing at her, looking like she was some kind of dream come true. His cheeks were flushed, and his lips were swollen as well. He smiled slightly at her, looking from her eyes to her lips repeatedly.
Elsa felt her heart beating quicker again, she was happy.
"Do you like me?" Her sweet voice slightly said. Even she didn't know how she managed to ask that, it seemed like her mouth took control of her for a second. Still, she wanted to know.
"No" Jack said almost whispering. Elsa felt a pang on her heart for a moment, but before she could even say anything, Jack continued. "Like doesn't make up for what I feel" He said, and Elsa's eyes felt like they were on fire again. "I love you, princess" Jack said. "I'm in love with you"
She didn't want to say anything yet, they just simultaneously leaned to each other, pressing their bodies together as much as they could because of being sat down. Their lips met again, this time filled in urgency, like they believed the other would disappear at any moment. Their lips were on fire, and they were lighting up their whole bodies fast. The wave of heat washed over again as Jack teasingly bit Elsa's lower lip, a bit harder than before, making her gasp and open her mouth because of it. Jack slowly, but without giving her the chance of closing her mouth again, inserted his tongue on her mouth while one on his hands was bringing her closer from the small of her back, and the other was softly tracing Elsa's neck, shoulder and clavicle.
Elsa felt like a whole camp fire lighted everywhere he touched her. The way he innocently but curiously traced the little exposed skin she had was making her dizzy. He left a pleasurable tingling sensation wherever his fingers traveled. She was burning.
The need of oxygen came knocking again after what it felt an eternity but still not enough. This time, they both broke slowly apart at the same time, but did not open their eyes. They stayed close to each other, lips brushing as they panted quietly.
"I'm in love with you too" Elsa whispered, not opening her eyes at first, but when she did, she found Jack looking at first happy, but his expression slowly changed to shock, and then to confusion. Leaving a frown on his face.
He adverted his eyes from her and just stayed looking at the floor for a moment. Elsa was looking at him in confusion. She really expected him to be happy. What was he thinking about?
Her heart started to beat fast, and she was suddenly nervous.
"We should..." He said with a tone of voice she couldn't quite comprehend. "We should go to sleep" He finally said, still not looking at her. He got up, picked his sleep shirt, and left.
Elsa still couldn't understand what went wrong. He was supposed to be happy. When you loved someone, you wanted more than anything to be loved back, right?
Then what was going on?
"He told me he loved me, and then when I told him I loved him back he just... left" Elsa said, but mostly to herself right know. Anna frowned in confusion. She really didn't understand. "Maybe he... was disappointed after all, maybe he was expecting more from me, maybe I'm not as special as he thought"
"Maybe you should go talk to him" Anna suggested. "I really... have no idea on what happened, or what went wrong so... maybe you should talk to him"
"Right. Like he hasn't ignored me the whole breakfast" Elsa said sarcastically.
"You know he would talk to you if you ask" Anna insisted. "You are as special as he thought." Anna stated. "I really don't understand him, but you do. You really should talk. Maybe is not how you think it is, or maybe it is, but we still have a few days here, so you need to talk about it and see what you can do to deal with this" Anna said.
She was right. Of course Elsa wont kick him out or anything. Plus, she loved his company, but she wont be able to coexist with him more days in this situation.
"You're right" Elsa said, and she turned the stove off and determinately walked out of the room.
Anna just hoped they could make up.
x
Elsa walked through the halls, determination slowly fading with every step she took, being replaced with nervousness and anxiety.
She really wouldn't be able to take it if he rejected her, not after what happened.
Still, she was now standing in front of his door, mentally screaming at herself that she can do this. Of course she could, and whatever he told her, she was going to accept it and live with it. Or at least try to.
So she knocked the door, and thankfully for her heart that was about to stop, he opened the door in seconds... and sure as hell he looked like he had just seen Lucifer.
Elsa decided to not back down. Her father taught her to always be strong and to always show that she was confident, calm, sure of herself never in panic. Obviously he taught her that for when she faced other business people and for the company... So this was more difficult.
"I think we need to talk" She said, trying not to stutter. She look at him directly in his eyes, hoping he realized she wasn't going to take a no for an answer.
Jack gazed at her, biting his lip. He finally sighed.
"Can we go somewhere else?" He asked, taking Elsa slightly by surprise. Before she could ask where, he already answered. "Central Park or something?"
Elsa blinked a few times, and couldn't help but feel incredibly nervous about his request. Was he taking her somewhere else so her family wouldn't see his rejection?
"S-Sure" Elsa stuttered this time, nervousness filling her voice.
"Just... Get dressed and I'll wait for you outside, okay?" He said. Elsa nodded slowly and walked to her room feeling his gaze burning in her nape.
After dressing as quickly as she could (and avoiding using make up just in case) She just threw on a royal blue sweater, black leggings, black boots and a grey winter coat. Her hair was in her signature braid, but she also placed a royal blue beanie in her head.
She inhaled deeply, and went downstairs.
x
The ride was tense. None of them said a single word. The only time they talked was when Jack insisted on driving, and Elsa immediately agreed. The rest of the ride towards Central Park consisted in Jack driving while pressing the wheel incredibly hard, and Elsa forcing herself to look out the window.
Once Jack parked, they got inside the park. Jack was guiding them though the paths, searching for a not so crowded place where they could talk without being interrupted by the noise, Elsa was quietly following him, while mentally preparing herself for whatever might happen.
Once Jack finally found a slight secluded bench, he sat down and Elsa did the. They seated as far as they could from the other. Elsa was hoping him to say something, anything. But they were already there for about ten minutes and the only thing that Jack did was look everywhere but her.
So she got tired of waiting.
"Can you just please tell me what happened?" She finally said i a bit irritated tone. Jack's head snapped to her, looking at her with wide eyes and slight embarrassed blush.
"I- I just-" He stuttered at first, but quiet down. He opened and closed his mouth like a fish several times, but nothing else came from his mouth. Elsa sighed.
"Did I disappointed you?" She asked first, making him stop in his tracks. "Were you expecting more?"
"What? No!" Jack quickly said. "No, it's not anything like that, at all. You could never disappoint me" He quickly explained. Elsa blinked in surprise of a split second, but then frowned in confusion again.
"Then what is it? What happened?" Elsa asked again.
Jack tried to say something again but nothing came out. He was frustrated, but he just couldn't find the words to explain. Elsa scoffed in disappointment.
"I need to understand. I have no idea what went wrong. You told me you love me and then when I told you I feel the same you just left. I don't understand, Jack" She said in an irritated and desperate tone. "Help me, Jack. Just help me understand. Did I do something wrong?" She asked, eyes crystallizing.
"You did nothing wrong! I just- I needed to think!" Jack responded as desperate as her. "I just- I thought about..." He trailed off and something popped in Elsa's mind.
"You were thinking about her" She didn't ask, it was almost an affirmation, with bad camouflaged sorrow in her voice.
"No, I wasn't thinking precisely on her" Jack instantly denied with truth in his voice. Elsa looked at him questionably.
"If it wasn't 'precisely' on her, then on what?" Elsa asked.
"On what she said" Jack said, not looking at her. Eyes stuck on the floor. "She said I wasn't enough. She said I wasn't enough for her, and at the time I gave it all to that relationship, I did everything I could to make her happy, and still I wasn't enough" He said clenching his fists so hard his knuckles were turning white. "She's the shittiest, selfish, cold hearted and most fake person I know, but if I was not enough for that kind of person, I'm sure as hell I won't be enough for you ever"
Elsa's breath hitched.
"W-What?" She whispered.
"I knew that I love you, I knew it and I really wanted you to know as well. But, even if I was hoping you to love me back, or like, I really thought that was near impossible." Jack explained, with a dry laugh and crystallized eyes. "You're the best person I know, you're caring and big hearted, and you're sweet, you have an amazing future ahead, you're insanely gorgeous... You can get any man you can possibly like. Guys way better than me" He said with a sad smile, his eyes still on the floor. "I'm just shit compared to you, nothing but a screwed troublemaker that everybody hates." He said. "Deep inside, I thought that maybe you liked me, and when you kissed me I confirmed it, and I was happy, because I would at least have you for a moment, before you found someone better... But, when you told me you loved me, at first I was about to jump from the balcony of happiness, but then I just remembered... I'm not enough, I'll never be enough and someone like you really doesn't has to lose time in someone like me"
Jack never met her eyes. There was a moment of silence at first, a strange one, because they couldn't even listen to the Park's noise, or the City's noise.
"I really don't understand why you see so little of yourself" Elsa said, and Jack's head snapped towards her. He was looking at him frowning, with stern eyes. "Why do you think about yourself so lowly, Jack? Why are you so determined in making yourself look bad? Why do you try to convince yourself of that?" Elsa asked. Jack was shocked at first, but he quickly frowned.
"Because thats who I am! I'm just a fucked piece of shit!" Jack nearly screamed in anger.
"That's a lie!" Elsa screamed as well. Jack stopped to look at her, breathing strongly. "You're not just the pain of these three years. You're not just the bad things that happened to you. You're so much more. You might see yourself like that but I definitely don't!" She screamed again. "You're funny, and caring, and sweet. You're an amazing person you're just so set in suffering, in punishing yourself" Elsa listed. "Why do you think I fell in love with you? Do you really think I don't see who you really are?"
Jack just stared at her with eyes as plates. He didn't know what to say.
"You're definitely an idiot, but I still love that from you" Elsa said frustrated. " I just wish you could stop thinking of yourself that way" She said and gazed away from him. "This is so fucking stupid!" She exclaimed in annoyance. "I came here thinking that you were just lying! I can't fucking believe how stupid you are!" Jack was literally speechless, and he wasn't sure if this was some kind of joke or if Elsa has just gone crazy "Maybe I'm too good for you, or maybe you're too good for me, I don't know and you don't know that either. But the one thing I know, is that I don't want anyone else. Just you" Elsa said almost breathlessly.
They looked at each other. Elsa desperately waiting for an answer, and Jack just mute.
Elsa sighted in defeat after a few moments, if he still thought like he did, she couldn't do anything else. A tear slipped on her cheek, and she let out a sob, before getting up and deciding just to return home in a cab.
She was about to walk away, when a hand pulled her instantly back to him. Before she could process anything, Jack's lips crashed on her, making her whole body burn, but as quickly as he kissed her, he also broke apart.
"You really think I'm an idiot?" Jack asked with a teasing smirk, but loving eyes, looking down to her. Elsa let out a mixture of huff and giggle.
"The biggest on Earth" Elsa said looking up to him, feeling Jack's arms snake on her back, bringing her close.
"But you still love me" He said, smirk growing bigger. Elsa rolled her eyes and smirked as well.
"Sadly" She teased. Jack chuckled first, but them brought her chin close to his face with his finger.
"I love you" He whispered.
"I love you too" Elsa whispered back, and Jack leaned in, kissing her softly but passionately in the lips. Elsa smiled on the kiss.
"What?" Jack said chuckling and breaking the kiss. Elsa giggled.
"Wait till you see Anna's face when we return" Elsa said chuckling.
"She's not gonna shut up, isn't she?" Jack asked grinning.
"Oh, she's gonna call Punzie right away" Elsa said smiling.
A.N.: HEY GUYS!!!
Oh gosh, I'm beyond happy with this chapter you know? Sorry if I made you suffer at first, but seriously this one is probably my fave.
SO! Few things:
#1 I'm sorry for the drama at the beginning, but I really thought that I couldn't just be so easy for Jack you know? Not after a major heartbreak. I didn't want him to doubt on Elsa doing the same as Tooth, so I went for that still (but less) traumatized part of him. Even if he does not care about Tooth anymore, that break up was still a major reason for his bad boy and hurt behavior. So, thats why I did it.
#2 Someone asked me about Elsa's tea, or thanked me... Well actually thats my favorite tea, it's from Bigelow, and its a Green Tea with Blue Berry and Açaí (or Acai) (I totally forgot about the Açaí last chap sorry. I didn't want plain chamomile, plus I'm a big tea lover so... Yeah, in case you're interested on trying it, IT'S DELICIOUS!.
#3 At first I also wanted Anna to see the whole kiss scene and stuff, and maybe even snap some pics ;) BUT I decided that maybe Jack and Elsa needed a little moment for themselves, plus if Anna saw the whole semi-rejection scene, she'll surely much Jack off the balcony.
#4 About ages, since they're in their second year (third or fourth semester) from collage, Elsa is 20 years old, and Jack's 21. Every age from every character is around there as well. Tadashi is probably 22, I love Tadashi, that's why I feel like telling you his age lol.
AND I think thats all for today!
THANK YOU for the amazing reviews!! You have no idea how much you make me laugh and giggle like a total weirdo! I was expecting the kiss scene as much as you, and reading you so happy about it was the light of my day! THANK YOU.
REVIEWS ARE DEEPLY APPRECIATED AND WELCOMED. IF THIS CHAPTER MADE YOU SMILE, I HOPE YOU CAN MAKE ME SMILE AS WELL BY LEAVING YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT IT! THANK YOU!
Till tomorrow lovely readers ;)
Silvana.