Rapunzel Bennett (Jackunzel)

Chapter 13

"Oh, well there he is..."
"And enough other kids to fill a school." Flynnigan interrupted.
"Uh-huh."

And all the kids were playing with the one person Zel both wanted to avoid and couldn't stop thinking about.
Jack Frost.

Jack had a big smile across his face until he turned to see Zel with him.
In this life, Jack didn't know who he was.
But in another life, where Jack never met him, he knew him as Eugene. The one who stole Rapunzel away.
Jack glared at the guy.
He flew down to Zel.
"Rapunzel, who is this?" he asked furiously.
"Wh-what? Rapunzel?" she clarified.
"Rapunzel?" Flynnigan added.
Zel shook her head, "You know, I'm not actually in the mood to speak with you! I need to get my siblings and leave."
"Who are you talking to?" Flynnigan looked around.
"No one." Zel scowled heading toward Sophie.
Jack frowned as he reached out to her.
"Sophie, where's..." Zel looked to see Jamie talking to Riley Andersen.
Zel's eyes lit up, "Sophie! Look he's talking to her!"
Sophie nodded.
"And it looks like he's hitting it off!" Zel exclaimed.
Riley laughed then looked in the corner of her eye, "Zel's back!" she declared.
Zel awkwardly waved as the kids surrounded her, "Hi guys!"
"You've all gotten pretty tall." she laughed.
Riley hugged her, "We all missed you." she said. The rest of the children nodded.
A girl slightly taller than most of the kids with shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes looked up at her, "Can we play hide and seek again? You're the best at it." she admitted.
Zel smiled at the girl, "Of course Penny, as long as the other kids don't mind!" she exclaimed.
Jack leaned on his staff and watched her admiringly. Not only was she good with kids but she remembered all of them.
"And Jack can play too?" Sophie grumbled.
"W-well, I--"
The rest of the kids pleaded until Zel gave in, "Okay, just give me one moment." she finished heading in Jack's direction.
He lifted his head up, unknowingly forming a smile until she passed him.
She walked to Flynnigan, "Uhm, here. You didn't help much but the assistance was highly appreciated." she charmed, handing him the thirty dollars she carried in her skirt pocket.
Flynnigan slowly accepted it, staring at her. Hoping he would be invited to stay.
But even though Zel was smart.
She was still oblivious and did not notice either boy. She headed back to the children and began their game.

After the sun went down everyone went home.
The Bennett parents had prepared dinner and all that was left was for everyone to go to bed.
It took a while but Zel had put Sophie to sleep so she could talk to Jamie.
Zel lightly tapped the white door three times before hearing Jamie invite her in.
"Hey... Booger?"
"Yeah?" Jamie replied taking off his socks.
Zel pursed her lips together and plopped down on the bed beside Jamie.
She had her hands clasped over her nose and mouth and sat staring at the wall for a minute.
"I... I have a question."
Jamie turned his head trying to look at her face as a signal he was listening.
Zel moved her hands to her lap, "Sophie said... she said that you said... I like Jack. But... She then changed it and said you said he liked me. Despite us only having just met and not completing one conversation. Why?"
Jamie furrowed his eyebrows, "What? I didn't tell her that. It hasn't even crossed my mind, to be honest, Jack's busy dealing with heartache. Saying something like that would just get his hopes up."
"Then why did--" Zel looked up and seen a slight crack in the door before hearing it shut. She jumped and got up.
She quickly walked through the door and looked down the hall, "I'm going to talk with... Sophie, okay?"
Jamie nodded as Zel switched rooms.
Zel opened the door to her sister's room and seen the child's heavy breathing as the blanket moved up and down rapidly.
Zel laughed and sat on the foot of the bed, "Gotta hide better than that kiddo." she remarked.
Sophie peaked an eye out of her covers.
"So, I'm assuming you've heard mine and Jamie's talk. And the whole, you lying to me thing. I'm not interested in Flynnigan if that's why you did it."
Sophie removed her covers and sat up, "It's not just Flynnigan. You have someone else." she cried.
Zel narrowed a brow, "And who would that be? I've been single my entire life and my school is designed just for girls. I have no time for someone else." she mocked.
Sophie angrily pouted her lip, "Well you do, Jack."
"Why on Earth would I like Jack?"
Sophie's lips quivered as she tried to hold back what she wanted to say. But she couldn't. "Because! I'm not Jamie! Everyone always tells Jamie everything! If I wanted to know anything that happens in this house I had to watch subtle body movements. And eventually, I learned! And you know what. Yesterday in the hallway, the way Jack looked at you. I can just tell. His pupils were dilated and everything. And I don't care what you say, after seeing him, you felt something too." the tiny girl argued.
Zel shook her head, "Sophie. I didn't. I'm not going to lie to you, he is attractive. But that's it. I know nothing about him! Except he shouldn't exist! If anything I feel lust towards hi-"
"What's lust?" Sophie interrupted.
Zel turned to her, "What? Lust? Where did you get a word like that?"
"From you, you just said it."
"What, no I--did I? I wasn't thinking I don't-- I'm going to my room. You just... Get some sleep."
Zel left and Sophie stood in the doorway, "What's lust?" she shouted through the house.
Jamie popped his head out the door, "Excuse me, what did you just say?"
"Zel said she feels lust towards Jack. What is it? Is it like love?"
Jamie's eyes widened, "A... a form of it... in a... way. You're five! You shouldn't know these words!" Jamie finished before awkwardly closing the door.

Zel leaned back on her wall and clutched her chest, "Lust? Lust?! I've never felt lust for anyone. And I'm not starting with someone who shouldn't exist." she heavily breathed in and out, cradling herself.