Ice Skates & Guitar Strings

Chapter 7- Morning After

            “Hey cutie!” a handsome guy greeted as I drank my fifth vodka cranberry of the night.
            “Hi.” I said back in a slightly seductive tone.
            “Wanna dance?” he asked.
            “Thanks, but I’m here with my friends.” I said pointing behind me.
            “You mean the couple making out?” he asked. I spun around to see Rick’s lips attached to Theresa’s. I should have known they were going to get together at some point, so this wasn’t a really big surprise to me.
            “Could you ask me that again?” I said turning back to him. He smiled.
            “Would you like to dance with me?” he asked once more. I downed the rest of my drink and took his hand in mine.
            “Yes, that would be lovely.”
********************
            I felt like lead. I was fully aware I was in another person’s room, but gravity seemed to triple its force on me. On top of that, my head was pounding, my throat was dry and my chest felt stuffy. Every time I tried to take a breath, a wheeze escaped from me. I waited until I found the strength to force my eye lids open.
            I clearly wasn’t in my room; dark blue walls and no pictures, this was a boys room. The ceiling light wasn’t bright enough to blind me, so I could still see there was darkness outside. This room seemed vaguely familiar, like I’ve been here before. I forced myself to sit up the best I could, but I ended up leaning my head on the headboard. I’m not sure how long I was lying like that for, but I heard footsteps outside before someone stepped into the room. His deep blue eyes saw me and he chuckled.
             “Good morning Queeny.” Jack smiled walking towards the bed.
            “Morning.” I croaked trying to sit up properly. Jack set down what he was holding on his dresser and helped me properly lean in the headboard. He took a seat by the bed while my body started to come to its senses once again. I could tell he was waiting for me to break the silence, so I did.
            “So… what happened to me?” I asked not looking at me.
            “You were… drugged.” He hesitated as he handed me a glass of water. Even though I was shaking, I took it and gulped down more water than I intended to.
            “And you were attacked.” He finished. I sat just letting that fact sit in. My body suddenly went cold as tears started to build up in my eyes. I brought my knees into my chest and cried into myself.
            “Hey.” Jack said softly. “Uh, I’m not how to do this. But you should remember that you’re safe and you weren’t-“
            “Thank you.” I interrupted him.
            “What?”
            “Thank you Jack.” I sniffled looking at him, he gave me a small smile and just shrugged.
            “It really was no problem.” He waved it off. I chuckled in astonishment.
            “Why do you do this?” I asked.
            “Do what?”
            “You clearly hate me, but fake it for god knows why. So why would you risk yourself to save someone you loath?” Jack looked at me like I was crazy.
            “Seriously? I thought it was obvious.” He answered. When I didn’t give an answer, he leaned back into his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose.
            “Look Elsa. Just because I’m a jerk to you, doesn’t necessarily mean I want anything bad to happen to you.” He replied. My brows knit together hearing him say something unexpected.
            “You called me Elsa.” I pointed out. He stiffened at the realization.
            “Yeah, I guess I did.” He chuckled. I leaned back into the headboard not really knowing where to go from here. Wow, for the first time in forever I don’t have a plan.
            “So what happens now?” I asked him.
            “Being totally honest here, I have no idea.” He replied.
            “Wha-“ I was cut off by the sudden pounding in my head. My hand instantly flew to my head, failing to stop it.
            “Lie down.” Jack instructed. I slipped back onto my back and felt my hand be replaced by the warmth cloth. I sighed as the pounding began to subside.
            “Thank you… again.” I smiled with my eyes closed.
            “Don’t worry about it.” He waved it off. I turned to say something else to him, and that’s when I got a really good look at Jack. His right cheek was bruised and he had a cut on his lower lip.
            “Jack.” I winced trying to sit up. He helped me sit, but when he pulled away I held him by his shirt.
            “Sit down.” I instructed. He hesitated, but sat down on the edge of the bed. I took the towel that was on my head and dipped it in the bowl of warm water that was on his nightstand.
            “What are you doing?” he asked as I rang the towel out. i didn’t answer, instead I pressed the towel to the cut on his lip. He flinched, but moved no more. I continued to clean the wound or provide some soothing to his bruises on his cheek and neck. When I looked up, he was looking at me, as if he was studying me.
            “You don’t have to-“he started.
            “No. Let me.” I murmured getting the cut on his left brow bone. He winced, causing him to grab my wrist and stop me.
            “Sorry, I-“
            “It’s okay.” He huffed and collected himself. His eyes gazed into mine, looking at directly at me as his grip on my wrist loosened. Normally I would have dropped my eyes to break the connection, but something about him made me stay. One of his hands rose to graze my jaw line. His touch ignited something in me, making my heart race and my fingers go cold. Getting shivers down my spine as another twangy feeling moved throughout my entire body. I tilted my head up and he leaned in. his nose brushed against mine and I could feel his breath on my face, but he stopped before anything else happened. He just leaned his forehead against mine and sighed.
            “Sorry.” He murmured closing his eyes.
            “It’s okay.” I assured him taking one of his hands.
            “I just don’t think it’s the right time, especially after-“
            “I know.” I interrupted. “I get it. That’s actually really sweet of you.” I rubbed circles in his skin, noticing his split and bloodied knuckles. I ran the warm, damp cloth over them; gently so he wouldn’t be in any pain. I continued to help clean him, but I realized how fresh some of his wounds were.
            “How long ago did it happen?” I asked.
            “Maybe six hours ago.” He guessed. “It is 4 AM so I guess it was six hours ago. “ I felt my heart stop… I had to get out of here before anyone else found out what happened.
            “I have to get home.” I said. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and forced myself to stand on my feet. I didn’t even last a second on my own before I felt myself topple over. My head would have hit the dresser if Jack hadn’t caught me.
            “You’re not going anywhere right now.” He said as he lay me back down on the bed. “Sleep. I can take you home tomorrow morning.” He pulled the blanket back over me. Before he could leave, I grabbed his wrist.
            “Stay.” I practically whispered. “Please.” He probably thought the drugs were still in my system, but I just didn’t want to be alone right now. He hesitated, but broke my grip to shut the light off. He crawled into bed with me, keeping a distance between us but still faced me.
            “Are you okay?” he asked me.
            “Yeah.” I murmured before shutting my eyes. Before I was fully dragged into sleep once more I felt him move some hair from my face.
            “Sleep well Elsa… I’ll protect you.” He whispered before I was pulled down into a world with just me and Jack.
*************
            I woke up because of the voices behind the door. I still felt drowsy, but I’m used to walking it off once I got my day started. I was about to sit up and stretch when I felt the weight of an arm resting on my hip. I came to my senses seeing I was almost pressed right up against Jack while he was sleeping soundly right next to me.
            Maybe I could lift his arm and shimmy out of his grip. I lightly grabbed his wrist and started to roll away from him, but then the guitar solo from R U Mine blared in his room.
            “Crap.” Jack murmured as he snapped up and forced himself awake to answer his phone on the dresser. “Hello?... Yeah, sorry. I just woke up… Yeah I’m still coming… Maybe an hour or so… Okay I’ll see you then… I know.” He ended the call and set his phone back down.
            “Should I go?” I asked sitting up and rubbing my eyes.
            “No, no. You can stay if you want, but I have to go.” He answered sitting on the bed. “I, uh, have a thing.”
            “I get it.” I said starting to stretch. Outside I heard some clattering of pans and plates… Hiccup was awake.
            “Crap. He can’t see me.” I groaned/panicked.
            “I can tell you when the coast is clear.” Jack suggested. “He has a pretty regular morning routine, on the weekends too.”
            “Then what would he be doing now?”
            “He just finished his breakfast, now he’s going to shower.” He said. Sure enough, we heard doors shut and water start running.
            “I think that’s my cue to go.” I said getting up. Jack got my purse from his computer desk and took my phone from it.
            “Hey!” I exclaimed trying to reach for it. He moved away and started typing, but then handed it to me.
            “Password.” He demanded. Confused, I unlocked my phone and handed it back to him. He frantically typed something then gave it back to me.
            “Let’s go.” He said opening the door and handing me my purse. Jack peeked out the door and motioned for me to follow him. He even brought me out of his dorm and to the elevator. We stood in silence once I pressed the button to call the elevator, but I needed to say something.
            “Thank you Jack.” I said looking into his eyes.
            “You said that already.” He chuckled.
            “I know, but I feel like I can’t thank you enough.”
            “Thant’s because you don’t need to.” he said as the elevator dinged open. “You’ve already done enough.” I nodded and stepped into the elevator without breaking eye contact. Just before the doors closed, he stopped them.
            “Just promise me one thing Elsa.” He proposed holding the door open.
            “Depends on the promise.” I smiled.
            “Promise that you’ll message me when you get home.” He said. That’s when I realized-
            “You put your number in my phone didn’t you?” I questioned. He pursed his lips as he answered with a nod.
            “Promise me.” He repeated once more. I seriously wondered why he found this to be so important, but I agreed with him the same way I make promises, or used to make promises with my sister.
            “Really?” he questioned my gesture.
            “Just between us right?” I asked. “It’s called a pinkie promise.”
            “I know what it’s called. I used to make them with my sister all the time.” He groaned. I stood my ground, waiting. Despite the expression he had on his face, he wrapped his pinkie around mine.
            “I promise to message you when I get home.” I said before I broke the bond. He allowed the doors to close, but before they did I swear I saw him smile at me.
*************
            “You have to be stealthy.” I whispered to myself as I slowly pout the key into the lock.
            “She can’t see you.” I turned the key slowly and opened the door. I peeked my head inside to make sure nobody was in the common room. As a precaution, I went on my hands and knees as soon as I shut the door. I crawled behind the couch and as soon as I ran out of space I got to my feet. I just passed the kitchen and was two steps away from my room when-
            “Elsa?” a guy’s voice said right behind me. My whole body froze in place as panic began to flow in my veins. I slowly turned around to see the figure who had busted me.
            “Kristoff?” I tried keeping my voice straight. We stared at each other confused for a while; me with my key still in hand and him with his glass of water and messy hair.
            “I, uh… stayed over.” He blushed.
            “I can see that.” I nodded. Crap, now I have to lie too.
            “I was… out.” Not really a lie, but not really the truth either.
            “With someone else I suppose.” He added; Yeah… kind of. I don’t know if I should tell him the truth, or just make up some stupid excuse. Forget it.
            “Just don’t tell Anna, please.” I pleaded. “This isn’t what it looks like.”
            “I was going to say the same thing.”” He added. “The ‘it’s not what it looks like’ part. Not the ‘don’t tell Anna’ part.”
            “Good to know.” I nodded feeling a little relief. “This never happened.”
            “This never happened.” He agreed. I turned away and walked into my room. I shut the door and just flopped down on my bed. Too much has happened in such a short period of time, both physically and emotionally… and it was only 9 AM on a Saturday. I rolled onto my back and felt my phone fall out of my pocket, reminding me of what I forgot to do.
            “When my phone flashed one, his contact immediately came on the screen. What should I say to him? ‘Hey I made it home.’ No. ‘All is good in the hood?’ Oh god no.
            This is me keeping my promise. I texted and sent without another thought. I put my phone don and forced myself off my bed to go and change my cloths. Once glance in the mirror and I immediately wanted to crawl into a hole. Did I really look like this when I was caught by Kristoff? My smudged mascara and lipstick seriously didn’t help his image of me. As I tried to calm myself down and began wiping my make-up off, my phone dinged.
            Good to know a Queen keeps her promises ;)
Well you know a Queen is always loyal, especially to her suitors. I hit the send button and immediately wanted to take it back; that didn’t sound like what I meant to say. To my surprise, he texted back almost immediately.
            Lol okay there Your Majesty. I smiled as I typed what I really meant to say.
            I still have to pay you back for last night. Seriously.
            Stop this madness. You don’t owe me anything.
            Yes I do. I waited for his response, just looking at the ceiling.
            Fine. Meet me at Ambrosia Bakes tomorrow 8 PM. I smiled.
            Promise? *hold up pinkie* Oh god why did I text that? What kind of effect does this guy have on me? I act so childish when I’m around him. When his response came, I couldn’t help but feel the happiness make the butterflies in my stomach go crazy.
            *wraps pinkie around yours* Promise ;)

Hey guys! Sorry i haven;t really been posting because school's getting in the way. However you'll be happy to hear my Christmas break is coming soon. That would most likely mean that i will be writing loads more.... or maybe not. it really depends on what i have planned this break. i have mentioned that i was going to post a preview of BHFH, and i did! it's ridiculously short but i don;t want to give anything away so it had to be. You can find it on any site that has Beware His Frozen Heart; it's the last chapter there. You, hopefully i can give another update soon! Luv you all!! Happy Reading ;)