When Different Worlds Collide

Chapter 22

Hey, guys! It's good to be back again! I hope you enjoy reading this part and happy reading!

Merida

What. Did. I. Just. Do.

You just kissed Hiccup, you numbnut. A tiny voice told me.

I know that. I scowled to myself. But why?

Because you like him.

"Of course I don't like him," I muttered to myself. "I mean I like him, but not like like him."

Then why did you kiss him? the tiny voice said.

"W-Well. I don't- I don't know, okay?!" I shouted to myself. I stopped and looked around, making sure that nobody had heard me. If anyone saw me talking to myself like this, they'd probably get me kicked out of this school and put into an asylum.

Admit it. You like him.

"No. I don't like him," I said.

You like him.

"No, I don't."

You. Like. Him.

"No. I. Don't."

Yes. You. Do.

"Oh for crying out loud! Okay! Maybe I do like him just a teensy bit," I said to myself. "Well-okay. Maybe a lot. But that doesn't mean that he likes me back. Does it? I mean, I'm just his friend. And I don't know the first thing about relationships, other than that they call each other weird names like cookie honey or schmoodle pie. Nope, no thank you. Merida would be just fine.

"And besides, he probably likes Astrid more than me," I said. "I mean, they've known each other practically their whole lives and they have much more in common than him and I have. And I had just met him in like what-fifth? Seventh grade? See? I don't even know when we first met. That's gotta say something about me not being cut out for this kind of stuff."

I walked quickly to my dorm, my heartbeat racing. My cheeks felt warm despite the cold weather, and my whole body had this strange, tingly feeling going on. Is this how having a crush feels like? It feels...weird, but...nice at the same time.

Opening the door to our dorm, I headed inside. Right when I walked in, I was bombarded with questions all at once.

"How did it go?"

"Did you hold hands during the movie?"

What did you guys talk about?"

"Did you share any food together?"

"Did you kiss?"

"Guys!" I shouted. They all became quiet. I exhaled a sigh. "First of all, what are you guys doing?"

"We were waiting up for you," Anna said.

Rapunzel nodded. "We wanted to know how your date went right when you came back."

"They forced me into this," Elsa sighed.

"Hush, sister," Anna said. She looked back at me. "Well?" she said, smiling. "How did it go?"

"Alright, I guess," I shrugged. I made my way to the bathroom to get out of this uncomfortable dress and into my pajamas.

"Alright?" Anna's voice echoed from the other side of the door. "What do you mean alright? Didn't anything happen there?"

"Well, we watched a movie," I said. "And we ate popcorn."

"That's it? You just watched the movie and ate popcorn?" Anna said.

"Well...wasn't that what you wanted us to do?" I said.

"No! I mean-you know what? Never mind," Anna sighed.

"Wait, this might not be a lost cause yet," Rapunzel whispered to Anna (although I could still hear her through the doorway). She cleared her throat. "Well, while watching the movie and eating popcorn, did your hands...touch while reaching for it?"

"Oh for crying out-" I stepped out of the bathroom. "No, our hands didn't touch or anything like that. We didn't hold hands during the movie and we most certainly didn't k-kiss," I stammered at the last word.

Wow. Smooth, Merida. Way to act not suspicious at all.

"Alright. If you say so," Anna shrugged. But knowing Anna, this subject wasn't going to be dropped anytime soon.

"Hey, what about Ms. Tremaine? How did it go with her chaperoning you guys?" Rapunzel asked.

I smiled mischievously. "Yeah. About that...let's just say that she didn't stay too long for the movies."

Anna gasped. "Did you...kill her?!"

"What?! No! Of course not!" I said. "Why would you even think that?!"

"Well, knowing you and your temper, Merida, I don't think Anna is not far from the mark," Elsa said.

I sighed. "No. I didn't hurt Ms. Tremaine. She left early to go do some...errands or something like that. I don't really remember."

"Oh really?" Rapunzel said, a teasing tone in her voice. "You don't really remember something that happened less than three hours ago?"

"Well...a lot happened during the movie," I said. When they all looked as if they had just uncovered some epic discovery, I added, "The movie movie I mean. You know, the whole plot and whatnot."

"Oh," Anna and Rapunzel said, looking disappointed. Elsa and I sighed and rolled our eyes.

"You know, when it comes to love, you guys act like a bunch of maniacs," I said.

"Well, what's there not to love about-love?" Anna sighed dreamily. "I mean the ro-"

"Okay, I've heard this whole speech before," I said, holding out my hands as if I was shielding myself (in a way, I was. When Anna and Rapunzel start getting into their speech about love and romance, it's like a five hundred foot tidal wave had hit you).

"And besides, wasn't this just something to get back at me for exposing your secret mission thingy to Rapunzel?" I asked. "That was the whole point, wasn't it?"

Rapunzel and Anna shared a look with each other. "Yeah," Anna said, smiling. "It was. And it turned out good, didn't it?"

"Putting me in a dress, setting me up for a blind date with my best friend I've known since seventh grade (Wow. I remember now), and almost having to deal with Ms. Tremaine breathing down our backs during the whole entire movie? Yep. Mission accomplished," I said.

The others laughed, and pretty soon, I was laughing along with them. Even though it only happened a few hours ago, looking back at it now, it all seemed so distant. And hilarious.

"So, we good?" I asked. "You got your revenge, Anna. I don't think you'll be needing to set me up for a blind date with Hiccup anytime soon."

They all exchanged a glance with each other (What is up with these secret looks?). Anna looked at me a bit weirdly. "Are you sure nothing happened between the two of you?" she asked.

"Yep. Most definitely," I said. But oddly enough, saying this kind of dampened my mood. Because nothing did happen between us.

AN: Merida+Finding Out About Love=Mind Blown. Well, thanks for reading and see you in the next part!