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The rain roared on the pavement bouncing off of it like sparks as a lone car rushed by with a curtain of water trailing behind it that splashed onto the sidewalk where a young man stood by the bus stop. He didn’t attempt to move away from the spray, just dug his hands further into his pockets. I’m already thoroughly soaked, a little more water won’t kill me, he thought.
The boy sighed and pulled at the wet fabric of his hood wishing he had brought an umbrella or at least a raincoat. However in his rush to leave the only thing he managed to bring was an old backpack with some basic necessities: a change of clothes –which he doubted were still dry-, some snacks, his wallet, and some toiletries.
“Had to boil over in the rainy season didn’t you?” He muttered dryly and huffed the bleached strands of hair out of his eyes. “Well done Jack.”
“Boil over” in truth was a bit of an understatement. In fact “explode” or “detonate” were probably far more accurate terms to describe the finale of the series of unfortunate circumstances over the last three months. All of which brought him to the lonely bus stop in this less than favorable weather.
However things didn’t start out this way. In fact for a while things hadn’t looked better! He had a steady job and while working in a small ice cream parlor wasn’t glamorous in any fashion, it paid the bills and tuition fees. Besides that, Jack was able to bring smiles to everyone that walked through the door. He had been excelling in his classes at University -something his family was extremely proud of- and he even had a beautiful girl he got to call his own.
Then February rolled around.
Jack kicked a pebble at his feet in his aggravation, watching it skip across the puddled pavement and into the flooded storm drain. Sighing once again as the dirty water carried it away down the road.
He began to quietly compare himself to that pebble, but his inner monologue was cut short by the lack of rain pelting his back and the rhythmic sound of it pitter pattering against tight, water resistant fabric.
The boy looked up and was greeted by a bright polka-dot pattern consisting of a large array of pinks, greens, and blues all fighting for attention against their white canvas.
Jack turned to thank the stranger, but the words nearly choked him when he caught sight of just who was standing beside him.
At first he couldn’t believe it, he had to be seeing things. I mean in recent times it was hard to go a day without hearing her name at least once since it had been printed in every headline shortly after the unexpected and tragic death of Angarr and Iduna Queen two years ago. (A plane crash in the Atlantic if Jack remembered correctly.)
But it was hard to mistake the profile he had seen a million times with the clean bun that swept up her platinum hair and fair skin that was dusted with mild amounts of makeup to match.
To put things in layman’s terms, he was now sharing a tiny, spotted shelter with the billionaire Elsa Queen.
What are the odds?
“T-thanks.” Jack finally stuttered, having to wrestle his tongue into iterating a simple show of gratitude.
“It’s no trouble.” Elsa replied quickly. Her voice was smooth and clear, even over the steady rumble of the heavy rain.
Then there was silence.
Jack shifted uncomfortably, his sneakers giving faint squeaks as they squished out excess water when he traded his weight from one foot to the other.
He spared Elsa several glances, noticing how she remained perfectly still, like a model waiting for an artist to finish her portrait.
The only words she spoke to him within then space of what felt like an eternity was a simple: “bless you” when his nose betrayed the bitter chill.
It was beginning to drive Jack insane.
“Ahem!” He cleared his throat awkwardly. “That’s a nice umbrella. Can’t say I pictured you with something so… spotted though.” Jack wanted to slap himself for the pitiful –and probably insulting- attempt to break the ice.
Elsa blushed and looked away. “It’s my little sister’s.” She clarified. “I accidentally grabbed hers in my rush.”
Jack nodded with a hum of understanding and with relief added, “Yeah, I’ve got a little sister myself so I get it.” He said. “Though she’s quite a bit younger than Anna.”
“What’s her name?” Elsa asked, whether out of politeness or genuine care, Jack didn’t’ know. However he responded without hesitation. “Emily.” He answered.
The celebrity sighed fondly. “That’s a lovely name.”
After a pause, Jack finally caved into his curiosity, for honestly he dreaded the looming silence much more than her reaction. “Why are you here, Ms. Queen?” He asked, turning his head to look at her fully. “You know what they call this stop, right? The-“
“Runaway stop.” She finished while keeping her eyes ahead. Elsa took a deep breath that came out in a huff before she spoke. “I’m not happy here. I don’t like people and I’m finally leaving them behind.”
Jack gave a suppressed snort in response that was followed by a series of strangled chuckles. Yeah it was rude, but he couldn’t help it! Elsa’s answer was so… frigid and so painfully rehearsed that is was funny in a tragic sort of way.
“Why are you laughing?” Elsa demanded her eyebrows furrowed in frustration. Jack shook his head, smiling brightly at the girl. “Because that was so obviously fake. Come on,” He nudged her gently, “why are you really running away?”
Her frown smoothed out into a tight line. “Tell me something… Do you think it is possible to hate someone you so dearly love?”
Jack pondered her question for a moment, chewing on each word before responding. “Maybe, but it depends on the person, I think.”
“What about a sister?” Elsa asked without inflection. Jack said nothing, but waited for her to elaborate. “Anna, she… she’s a kind soul. Wants to make friends with anyone and everyone, in fact I’m not sure she’s even capable of making enemies.” The woman said fondly, but her smile creased. “Naturally Anna isn’t just loved by me, but everyone it seems. Her upbeat attitude and wild personality... I have a hard enough time keeping up with her, how am I supposed to compete with her?” Elsa crossed her arms. “It only got worse when I had to take up the company and after we fought at the conference dinner… I made my decision.
I’m done being chained to a desk in Arendale; I don’t want to be forever dubbed the Ice Queen and spend the rest of my life staring at mounds of paperwork while secretaries whisper things behind my back. I want to go somewhere, where I can see the stars and just be… me.” She looked up and smiled dreamily. “No tabloids, no more rumors. Just me and stars.”
“That sounds… really lonely.” Jack muttered softly, but Elsa just shrugged. “So I’ll get a dog. I barely socialized outside of work anyway, it’s not like I’m not used to it.”
Jack couldn’t help but flinch at how nonchalant she was about her own alienation. It was clear to him that Elsa was used to being on the outside looking in and what’s worse she seemed comfortable with it!
That was just so unbearably sad. However these thoughts were derailed when she voiced her own curiosity.
“What about you? Why are you here?”
Jack chuckled humorously and shook his head. “No offense Ms. Queen, but why do you care?” His question clearly caught the woman off guard, but he paid her shock no mind. “I’m no one. Just another troubled youth whose grades fell and lost his minimum wage job.” He flicked his hood’s drawstring. “Just another guy whose girlfriend broke up with him on Valentines Day.” Elsa was quiet beside him and he kicked the sidewalk weakly, splashing some water from a shallow puddle below his feet. “Someone like you shouldn’t give me a second glance. Why ask about a one in a million cliché that occurs daily?”
“Because,” Elsa answered after a long moment “I’m not talking to just anyone. I’m talking to the soaking boy I’m sharing my sister’s polka-dot umbrella with.” Jack found himself staring unabashedly at the celebrity he knew, but knew nothing of him. She sent him a sideways glance and blushed brightly when she caught his stare. “What?” She demanded in her fluster.
First he blinked, then he smiled, and finally he laughed openly and with more joy than he felt in a long time. Throwing his head back with the force of his guffaw. Elsa was clearly unnerved by this display, but said nothing, just frowned and waited for him to finish.
Finally Jack wiped a tear from his eye and held out his hand with a blinding smile. “Jack Frost.” Elsa stared at his hand in confusion which only caused another fit of giggles to bubble out of the man. “I figured you should know my name since I’m about to pour out my soul to you.”
To Jack’s surprise Elsa giggled a little herself. “I can’t believe I forgot.” She said with a soft smile as she placed her hand in his with a firm shake. “Elsa Queen. It’s nice to meet you Jack.”
Now that they had passed the stranger phase, he shared his story in detail. How Toothina -“An… odd name.” Elsa had remarked- had broken it off, saying their spark had died in their year long relationship. How he began skipping work which predictably got him fired. How his grades started to drop when he fell into a small bout of depression which spurred his professor -who he was already on thin ice with- into a long lecture about how he expected better of him and how he no longer expected anything from him, which finally caused Jack to snap or better put: explode. Wrapping up his tale with how the next thing he knew he was emptying his bag of his books and replacing them with clothes, food, and a toothbrush.
“But I swear it wasn’t raining when I left! I mean, it had already rained this morning so I figured I could trust the cloudless sky. Dumb weather.” Jack pouted with pink cheeks as Elsa continued to give him her rapt attention. “But yeah, that’s my story.” He rubbed the back of his neck with averted eyes. “Sounded even more cliché when I was telling it. Can’t say I didn’t warn you though.”
Elsa shook her head. “No!” She blurted, her eyes widening at own her outburst and instantly becoming more demure. “No, it wasn’t dumb at all.” She pushed back her bangs as she looked down. Jack watched her fingers as they tapped the handle of her suitcase rhythmically and he smiled. “Thank you.”
At this Elsa snapped her head up to look at him fully with eyes big and expression puzzled. “What for?” She asked and Jack swallowed thickly. “For listening and for not judging me too harshly for my, uh, reasons.” He fumbled out and felt himself beginning to fidget under her intense gaze.
The boy caught her surprise in his peripherals, easing some when she turned to look at the flooded streets instead of him. “It should be me thanking you, you know.” Jack faced her in his own astonishment, but bit his tongue. “You treated me like an equal and you were willing to listen, I’m assuming, without prejudice.”
Jack was impulsive. Always had and always will be.
So when the umbrella hit the sidewalk with a clack, it joined the cacophony of sound that was all drowned out by their heartbeats pounding in their ears as the distance between them was swiftly abolished.
Elsa tensed at the sudden contact, but when the shock faded she let herself fall into his embrace, clinging to him like a lifeline. Almost bruising his ribs with the intensity of her hold, but he couldn’t bring himself to worry about that because yes, he will readily admit that it was brash move and that he could still very well regret it later. However right now there was only a lonely girl who desperately needed to be held by someone, even if it was just an equally broken boy.
They stayed like that for a long while, both becoming soaked without the shelter of the umbrella, but neither could spare it a thought.
For as the rain continued to roar with the distant sounds of sirens and racing cars, the world and all of its titles ran together like wet paint, blurring until they became one indistinguishable mass of color.