Snowflakes Fall and So Did I

~CHAPTER 21~

Jack likes you.

Those three words echo in my head as soon as they slip from Tooth's lips. It was all I could hear in my head, over and over again, replacing the deafening music and even my own racing heart that I think just stopped beating.

"W-what?" I stammer, finding it hard to breathe. This has got to be a joke, right? There's no way that...there's just no way.

"Jack likes you," Tooth says again, but I barely heard her because I heard my heart again.

"How..." I breathe in sharply, trying to calm my rattling nerves. "How do you know? Did he...tell you?"

"Well," Tooth starts as she nervously fingers one of her long feathered earrings, eyes looking at everything that wasn't me. "No, he didn't. I actually...don't know if he likes you romantically. Not for sure, but...it's obvious from the way he looks at you and acts with you."

I chuckle, though I found nothing funny, and say, "Tooth, that's not proof at all. If he didn't actually say it then...he doesn't like me like that." And I'd really appreciate it if you don't get my hopes up.

Overcome with relief and disappointment and shock and even hope caused me to shift in my seat, trying to get comfortable since I knew I was going to be sitting for a while. There's no way I'll be able to walk straight with all these emotions running through me. However, Tooth must have thought I was leaving because she quickly takes hold of both my hands and frantically says, "No, wait, please! I didn't mean to upset you. Please don't say anything to Jack. I just...I know it's not my business, but I just thought you should know. Please don't be mad at me."

"But why?" I ask. "What compelled you to say something like that when there's no proof? I promise I'm not mad, I could never be mad at you, but I am curious. It's wrong to base something off of an assumption or observation and say it's fact."

"I know, but," Tooth's grip in my hands tighten, "The reason why I brought it up, the reason why I felt that you should know, is because...I love Jack. Like... love- love."

My eyes widen at something churns in my stomach. "Oh." was all I said as the tight churning in my stomach increased. Oh I've felt this before. I know this feeling. I've felt this feeling six years ago when Anna and Rapunzel grew closer. This is jealousy.

But why is it more intense?

"But Tooth," I say when I realized, "you're his--"

"Adopted aunt," Tooth finishes and sighs before letting go of my hands to rest in her lap. She gives a humorless laugh. "Trust me, I know. I'm well aware. Jack must never know about my feelings. It would make things so awkward for our family. You and Bunny are the only ones who know. At least, I think so. I thought no one knew until Bunny told me last week that he's known for awhile. He was also the one who suggested the idea of Jack liking you. And because I love Jack, because I would do literally anything for him, because I would protect him from anything, I need to know that you won't break his heart. Unless it's to reject him. What I mean is...I need to know that you won't lead him on, which I know you would never do on purpose. You're not that type of girl. I just..." And just like that, she bursts into tears and covers her face with her hands.

"Oh I'm so sorry," she says through her tears, her voice a little muffled. "You probably think the worst of me. Here I am accusing Jack of a crush that he probably doesn't have, which I doubt is true because look at you! How could he not fall for you? You're literally perfect!"

"Oh, Tooth," I whisper, my heart breaking. "I'm nowhere near perfect--"

"But then again I thought the exact same with Rapunzel and he threw a big fit over how he doesn't like her romantically. So I don't freaking know. It's different with you though. So different! And not only am I accusing what Jack feels, I'm also accusing you of possibly leading him on like...what the heck is wrong with me?" Her sobs intensify and that's when my sister instincts kicked into place.