His Game

Chapter 19: Elsa

"You're pretty," Emma says. 

"Thank you," I say, blushing.

"Can you date my brother?"

"Emma!" Jack cries from the backseat. Hiccup laughs, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

"What? I just think you guys are cute!" Emma kicks the back of his seat, and I find myself even more red than before.

"Your brother doesn't seem to think so," I laugh. "He's got this video of me that he's holding over my head, you see."

Jack gives me a strange look. "Actually, I deleted it a long time ago. We're friends now, remember?"

"Yeah." I say thoughtfully. "Friends." What if we were... More?

NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! THOSE THOUGHTS ARE FORBIDDEN!!!!!

Why on God's good earth would I think that? It makes no sense, I don't even want that... Well, maybe I do a little-

NO. FREAKING NO.

Good gracious. That last thought sounded like something Jack would say.

"Elsie, you just got all pale." Jack says. "What's up?"

"N-nothing." I stutter.

Emma gives me a strange look, leans over, and whispers in my ear, "Do you love Jack?"

I smile and shake my head no. Of course not. He's dangerous and cool and I'm... Prudent.

"Left, Hiccup, left- What the hell? Slow down!" Jack exclaims, his hands gripping the armrests.

"I'm going seventy."

"Well, go slower!"

"Jack always wigs out at that turn." Hiccup says to me. "Even if I'm going the freaking speed limit-"

"That sign says sixty-five!"

I look out the window and see a street light with a white wooden cross tied to it, meaning someone died in a car wreck there. Next to it is a sign that says Speed Limit: 65 MPH

"So I'm five miles over. Sue me."

"That can be arranged," Emma giggles. "I have a lawyer. Well, Mama does, but I can still hook something up."

"See? The kid agrees with me." Jack snaps. "Slow your effing roll."

Hiccup rolls his eyes and reluctantly eases up on the gas. I smile. Watching Jack and Hiccup argue is like watching seagulls fighting over a scrap of bread or something.

Emma seems to think so, too, because she keeps giggling.

Then she says, "Guess what, bro-bro?"

"What?" He asks, grinning at me through rear view mirror.

"Today was the hundredth day of school, and we made necklaces out of dried noodles and cereal. I made one for you and Hiccup, but I didn't know Elsa was coming, or I would have made a third one." She smiled apologetically. "Pass these up to Jack and Hiccup?"

Grinning, I hand one to Hiccup and Jack, biting my lip to keep from laughing. Jack shoots me a glare and slips it around his neck. 

He looks ridiculous wearing cheerios.

I so wish I had camera for this!

"Are we almost there?"

"Your house is right there, kiddo." Hiccup says, pulling over. Jack's house looks exactly like mine.

"Okay." Emma unbuckles herself and opens the door, but then hesitates. "When are you coming home, bro-bro?"

Jack bites his lip. "Soon, sis. I'll see you soon, 'kay?"

Emma leans over the center console and gives Jack a hug, then says, "Bye-bye. I love you."

"Love you too, Emmers." Jack says, grinning. Emma giggles and hops out, waving as we pull out of the drive way.

As his house gets smaller and smaller as we move, Hiccup says, "That kid kills me every time I see her."

"How's that?"

Hiccup doesn't answer. Then he says, "She really wants you to come back to your house."

"Well, mom's the one who wanted to get rid of me so badly. The sooner she figures out how much she screwed up, the sooner things'll fix themselves."

"You know," I say, sensing we're in dangerous waters, "I can talk to Mama, and she'll probably let you have more time with Emma. She isn't like Papa, so she'll understand. Then you can see your sister more than when you just pick her up from school."

"Good idea," Jack says.

"Oh, and I think it's cute that she calls you bro-bro and you call her Emmers."

Hiccup laughs. "When she was little, she couldn't say 'brother,' and she's called him that since."

"You actually remember that?" Jack grinned. "I didn't know you were so smart, Hic."

"And I didn't know you looked so good in a cheerio necklace."

"Shut up, Elsa!"

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Here you go! Sorry for the short chapter, but I'm kinda busy today. :/ Yeah... #Chores. #REALLYbehindonchores, LOL.