Snowflakes Fall and So Did I

~CHAPTER 38~

~ELSA'S POV~

When I woke up for the day, I expected eyes to be on me again. Eyes have always been on me since the day I was born, and it will stay like that regardless of what it is I do for the rest of my life. However, what I did not expect, were for those eyes to watch as my sister, cousin, and I walked out the school doors with a cop at our side.

Suspects.

We're suspects in the disappearance of Hans.

And never have I ever seen Astrid so angry.

"You're taking them in for questioning? Are you serious?" she angrily asks from behind us, directly behind her tall aunt.

Astrid's aunt had instructed us to not chit chat with our friends when we left the office, to immediately head for the doors, and as much as I told myself not to make eye contact with Jack when I walked past him, it was the first thing I did as soon as my foot stepped out of his grandfather's office door. Jack, Hiccup, and Astrid had asked us what had happened as soon as we stepped out, but Tamora told us to keep walking. So North must have told them.

"Tamora you know they'd never--"

Deputy Calhoun doesn't stop her walking, nor does she look behind to speak with her niece. "Of course I know, Astrid, but it's protocol. I'm just doing my job. You know this."

Astrid scoffs. "Oh yeah? Like how I also know that you're bringing Felix over when I'm not around?"

This time, the tall, blonde woman stops and looks at her niece, baffled, making Anna, Rapunzel, and I stop too. We're just a few steps away from the doors, and the few kids in the hallway didn't even try to hide the fact that they're watching us. However, my anxiety lessens when my eyes connect with Jack, who stood a little behind Astrid. Hiccup and North stood a little behind too.

Jack gives me a little smile, one that said, I'm right here for you. And oh did my heart flutter.

"What are you talking about?"

Once again Astrid scoffs and points an accusing finger at the older woman. "Don't play dumb blonde with me. Halloween night, Hiccup left Mavis's party, I followed him and noticed you and Felix handing out candy to kids. You said you worked on Halloween. Why did you lie?"

"Astrid--" her aunt tries to speak, her tone coated in a warning.

"Do you not want me around him?" My friend accuses, her voice rising. "Are you ashamed of me? Do I scare him? Does he not like me? That's really fucking pathetic--"

"Enough, Astrid!" Tamora booms, making me jump out of my skin, and I think I saw Astrid jump too. "This is not the right time or place to talk about this, so we'll discuss it later at home. Right now, I have a job to do and you have school to attend to. Ladies," her aunt was talking to Anna, Rapunzel, and I now, "let's go."

She didn't have to tell us twice; our feet sped off with no hesitation, and while I did not look back, I did hear Principal North say, "Astrid, no! Don't go after them. You're causing a scene. They already want to get out of here. Let them get this whole interrogation thing over with."

I still did not look back, but Astrid's lack of response was enough for me to know that she obliged.

It wasn't until we make it to the doors that I do look back, just one last time, at Jack. This time, he no longer had a little comforting smile and wore a frown of worry. A look I did not like to see featured on his face. So I gathered up as much strength as I could and smiled at him, hoping he could hear my silent assurance.

Don't worry, Jack. We'll be okay.

Right?

"Hey ladies!" Came Flynn's voice as he walked up the stone staircase. "What's...up?" His whole demeanor changed when he noticed Deputy Calhoun and his face matched Jack's, full of worry, and his eyes went straight to my cousin's. "Rapunzel, what's--"

"My niece will explain all about it, lover boy," Tamora says to my friend, impatiently. "Get inside and worry about it later."

I grabbed hold of my cousin's hand, knowing just how badly she wanted to stop and assure him that everything will be okay. I then grab hold of my sister's hand, trying my best to give them both the comfort that they need. It's my job as the eldest to make them feel safe. Something I should never have stopped doing years ago.

But as we march closer to the police vehicle, my insides began to twists into horrible knots. I've never been in a police car before, and while I know I did nothing wrong, my anxiety is telling me that I did. Worst of all, I'm afraid that someone I know is the reason Hans is missing.

Did my uncle track him down and do something? What about Jack?

Deep down I know that's not true, but...WHAT IF?!

"Make yourself comfy," Deputy Calhoun says, genuinely being nice as she opens the car door for us. "I need to make a quick call and then we'll be on our way."

And so we climb inside without another word.

"We have nothing to be worried about," Anna whispers to Rapunzel and me as soon as we're settled in the back seat. "None of us have anything to hide. They'll understand that our nervousness isn't because we're afraid of getting caught, it's just a scary situation."

"Agreed," I respond, keeping my eyes glued to the back of the passenger's seat. However, that was short-lived when I didn't hear my cousin verbally voice her agreeance.

Anna and I look over at our cousin at the same time, noticing her very wide, very scared, very teary eyes.

"Rapunzel?" Anna questions, snapping our cousin out of her trance. "Are you okay? I mean, obviously not, look at our situation, but I mean...you goodish?"

"Oh um..." Rapunzel reaches for her braid to hold onto for comfort, "No. Not goodish at all." She laughs nervously. "But it's like you said. Look at our situation. This...sucks."

And for some reason, probably cuz I'm so done with life, I laugh. "Indeed it does. Honestly, I could really go for some beer, and I hate beer." I was hoping to lighten the mood and luckily it works.

My girls laugh in unison.

"Like a Corona beer?" Asks my cousin. "Because, and this stays between us, but I personally know the guy who owns the company."

Anna fakes a gasp. "No way! How can this be?"

"He be my father."

And perhaps it's because all three of us are sleep-deprived, but those four words we found really funny.

But once Astrid's aunt got in the car, started it up, and got us on the road...

Nothing was funny anymore.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm back y'all! So much has happened since my last update in October. I broke up with my boyfriend and now have a girlfriend, got my associate's degree, gained back some weight that really took a toll on my mental health and self-image issues, just a whole lot. But I'm back and ready to continue where we left off so let's do it!