Chapter 7

It was easier to forgive...

But harder to forget.

All the more harder when you've recently suffered pain akin to taking one's life in one swift stroke, laying in one's blood, pooling around, signalling that life is worth letting go.

Not holding on when it already hurt you so much that the only thing left to do is die and hope that in another life would be able to forget.

She mentally scoffed at the saying, slightly wondering if the person who made that saying was too much enamored with his emotions or blinded to care enough that he have nothing more to give.

But would she?

Will she be able to forgive Jack? Even if the pain was still raw?

Will she be able to forget eveything that was between them? The good and the bad?

She doesn't know. All she ever wanted was to curl in on herself and forget...forget the pain and just remember the good times.

Let it go.

But she couldn't. Even if she wanted to, but she can't.

Everywhere she look, all she could see was the two of them-together-making it harder for her to even find it in herself to forgive...and more importantly to forget.

She bit the bottom of her lip, as she bowed her head, careful of prying eyes, clutching her books tightly in her arms, avoiding the looks that some of her classmates and other students were throwing at her.

Wondering what happened.

The less the others would know, the better. The last thing she ever wanted was to be offered everyone's sympathy, harsh criticisms and 'I told you so's.'

She could already imagine the rumors that would circulate around the university even if the tiniest bit of their relationship was spread around.

Turning around the corner headed towards her next class, she was deep into her thoughts remembering about theories and algorithms that she hadn't noticed anyone coming towards her.

There was an audible thump and a series of fallen objects woke her from her musings as she looked at her things on the floor in slight confusion, wondering how they have gotten there.

She stooped down to pick up her books and writing materials, all the while cursing under her breath at the way her mind had just flown away in their own accord.

Leaving her in such a jumbled mess of thoughts and calculations.

There was a blur of reddish hair as someone stooped down to help her gather her items in a neat pile on top of each other.

"I sincerely apologize for bumping into you," the man spoke, his voice familiar but somehow unfamiliar at the same time.

She shook her head, why would he apologize when it was clearly her who have bumped into him?

"No," she disagreed as she checked her items and heavrd out a relieved sigh, that all was accounted for. "I believe it was mine."

He was about to protest she was sure of it, his pride refusing to acknowledge that it was her mistake and take it as his as he wasn't lookig where he was going.

Raising his head to meet hers, their gazes locked, green eyes against icy blue, reading between the passage of time wrought in the depths of their souls as they stayed in place, not daring any from the two to move.

"...Queen Elsa...?" the man breathed in awe and disbelief as they slowly stood up from the floor, their eyes still on each other, not wanting to break apart lest that one disappeared.

That it was all a dream.

She strained a smile at the title and shook her head, clutching the books in her arms. "Just Elsa."

The man licked his lips and hesitantly held out a hand towards her. "Hans."

"Pardon?"

He rubbed the back of his head as he let out an uneasy laugh and held out his hand towards her again. "I'm Hans Vestergard. It's a pleasure to meet you."

She looked at him then at his outstretched hand tentatively then back to him again before cradling the books in her left arm and shook his. "Elsa Snow."

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you...Anna Snow's sister?"

She jolted a bit back. How did he-

"Not to worry," he assured as he both of his hands. "I met Anna awhile ago and she had told me that her older sister's name is Elsa."

She smiled again as she shook her head. Oh, Anna. When will you cease in finding me love?"Are you okay?" his voice broke through her thoughts.

"I'm fine." she assured him with a small smile. Then looked at her watch and let out a small gasp. She's already 10 mins. late for her next class!

Her professor would surely kill her for being late again.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

She shook her head as she quickened her pace. His footsteps loosely following behind her.

"Wait!" he called out.

She ignored him, her breath quickening as her mind slowly reverted back to the memories that she have taken so long to bury deep into her subconscious.

Images of her being scolded by adults resurfaced in her vision as she quickened her pace to reach her class at the other side of the building.

The heels of her shoes clicking soundly on the tiled floor, her breath in synch with her steps resounding throughout the hall, counting down the seconds that she lingered.

"Wait, please!" the same voice pleaded as she felt herself stopped and she slowly turned to look at him. Silently asking-no, imploring him to just let her be.

She waited, wondering to herself what he would he say to her when they barely know each other save for them bumping into each other in the hall awhile ago.

"I know that there is something bothering you..." he began. "And I know that I'm not the right person but please let me-"

"No need." she replied, crisp and cold, slightly shivering under the force those words-her voice sounded like her own ears.

Like an alien quality taking precedence over her own slightly reserved way of announcing her own intentions.

"Please-"

"You've done enough." she told him, again in the same voice from awhile ago. "Now, please, leave me be."

He looked taken aback at the force that her words have moved him, that his green eyes widened at her, in such a way that she too know that she mirrored him.

This was the first time that she have heard herself sound like that. Someone who have grown cold and distant from the world.

Was her recent pain caused it all?

She shook her head, silently praying that it wasn't, that she wasn't, that it was just brought by stress due to everything.

But she knew that it wasn't.

That it was just one thing.

Without a word, she turned on her heel and quickly ran down the hall, her arms wrapped tightly around her books, desperately holding on to the last shred of self-control she have left.

And burst inside one of the empty classrooms, her face streaming with tears as she slowly slid down to the floor, back on the door, her things falling around her, the sound echoing loudly against the erratic thumping of her heart in her chest.

Her hands flew to her face, trying to force down the cries threatening to break out of her, as she forced herself to calm down when she knew that it would be long before she have it.

Of all the places she could have chosen to break down, it would be here. In school.

Of all the people she expected to see her like this-broken and depressed and not the image of a self-assured woman from an affluent family, it would be a stranger.

But not at the same time.