When she excuses her class for the day, Anna lets out a long breath.

Honestly, she sometimes doesn't understand why the universe likes to screw around with her. She just had to get a student whose mother she slept with. Just had to. . . That wasn't fair and everything about this stupid encounter isn't fair.

She can remember waking up and reaching over to snuggle with Elsa for a moment but finding that she was alone. Perhaps, she had hoped, Elsa was in the shower. But when she had strained her ears to hear running water, she had been greeted with silence. And no sign of Elsa had been left behind in her apartment.

Except that cursed note on her nightstand.

Anna had actually felt tears of rejection come to her eyes. Though she knew that the whole purpose of sleeping with Elsa was to have a one-night stand, her more emotional side had taken over, and she had wanted to be friends or something with Elsa. At the very least, kiss her goodbye and wish her well. Maybe that would have made their second meeting much more bearable and less awkward.

She was nearly late to work that morning after she spent an hour sulking in her shower, hating herself for sleeping with someone and having an attachment to them afterwards. And her luck just kept getting more fucking fantastic when Elsa showed up in her classroom, her son Olaf—already proving to be a smart student in Anna's opinion—ready to be taught by her for the rest of the year.

Anna can admit she was rather cold towards Elsa during their confrontation, but she felt that Elsa deserved it in a way. No, Elsa hadn't meant to be hurtful; Anna knew that. It was supposed to be a one-night stand, and Anna keeps reminding herself of that, but leaving her with the idea that they would do it again only makes Anna feel like a used toy rather than a lover.

They had agreed to be professionals about it, and Anna hopes that any and all feelings about Elsa will diminish as her more rational side takes over.

Her thoughts keep contradicting themselves, and she doesn't know what to do.

She goes around her classroom, picking up pieces of construction paper and left-behind markers from their first in-class activity, hunting for the missing caps as she goes. The kids had enjoyed it thoroughly, writing their names in childish scrawl on the backs of their pictures before they had turned them in.

It comes as no surprise to Anna that the one who has the most artistic potential is Winifred Fitzherbert. Rapunzel is her mother. Sure the picture still looks as though a kid did it, but Anna can't help but see that her young student truly has potential. Flowers and suns dance across Winifred's paper and makes Anna smile, knowing that she has taken after her mother so much.

Sven Bjorgman, the quietest kid in her class so far—the only deduction she's made since she has yet to fully know each student and their personalities—had turned in a picture of a reindeer of all things. It had taken Anna a few moments to figure out what it was before coming to the conclusion. The antlers were what eventually gave it away.

Olaf Fönn was the first one finished that afternoon, skipping up to her desk and handing over a picture of what was clearly himself and his mother.

Anna holds it in her hand after she finishes tossing the exhausted pieces of paper and uncapped markers, making a mental note to get more soon. The picture isn't as well done as Winifred's, but who is Anna to judge her students on artistic ability? After all, they're only seven and eight years old.

The drawing Olaf did is still incredibly cute and sweet, and she knows immediately that he cares dearly for his mother. She runs her fingers over the taller figure in the picture, eyes skimming across the bright yellow marker he used to color his mother's hair, although Anna thinks Elsa's real hair is better than yellow because it's nearly white. Cartoon Elsa is smiling a big, neon pink smile, which Anna thinks are more rose colored, holding hands with the cartoon Olaf, who is also smiling with neon pink lips. They're in a grass field with flowers that have multicolored petals. The sun above them has a smile, too, but it's black instead of pink, with two black dots for eyes. Olaf obviously tried his hardest to draw his mother the best way he could. She's even wearing the outfit Anna had first met her in.

If by some random chance Elsa and Anna end up going out, how will it affect her relationship with her student? Will he call her by her first name in private and then her professional name during the school day? Will it get her in trouble with the administration by any chance?

Her mind's eye flashes unwillingly to an image of her with Elsa and Olaf, looking very much like a happy family. Olaf is even presenting them with the same picture, but Anna has joined the mix on Olaf's other side.

Why am I even thinking about this? Anna scolds herself. I told her professional so I need my thoughts to be professional. Come on, Anna. This isn't right, or appropriate, to think about! At all!

She shakes her head and lays down Olaf's drawing with his classmates'. She has to talk to someone about this. Not Rapunzel. No—she needs someone outside her work entirely since this is more of a personal matter.

She locks up her classroom and heads down the campus, the sun setting over the gate and trees that surround the school and separate it from the residential area around it. She gets in her tiny Prius and turns it on, driving out to her best friend's house. Anna doesn't even bother calling her because they both have a knack of dropping in uninvited and unannounced, and it's sort of become their thing.

Once parked, Anna walks up the steps of the six-story apartment building. She loves this building because all of the doors face the street, which means she gets to see all her best friend's neighbors wreathes during the holidays. One can tell a lot about a person by what's on their front door. Or in Anna's friend's case, what's in front of it. The apartment she wants is on the second floor, and she can spy her friend's swimsuit hanging out to dry on the railing in front of her door. Anna picks it up and knocks twice.

The door opens, and Merida pokes her head out to see who has come to call. She grins at the sight of Anna, her best friend since college. So when Anna moved to Arendelle from Andalasia two years ago, Merida was the first person to welcome her to the city.

Anna can tell she's getting ready for a night at home. Her crazy red hair is pulled back into a high ponytail. Her shirt is loose and there are several small holes in the collar and the hem, well worn over the years. Her pants are sweats with the Gryffindor House crest and name on them, clearly a token from her latest trip to Hot Topic, and she has a pair of mismatched socks on her feet.

"Oh. . . it's just you," Merida says pleasantly. "C'mon in."

Anna steps over the threshold and shoves the swimsuit in Merida's arms.

"Thank you. . ." She notices the distraught look in her friend's eyes and shuts the door quickly, getting the feeling that a very difficult conversation is about to ensue. "Alright," she continues, placing the swimsuit over a nearby armchair as Anna heads straight towards the tiny kitchen. "Wha's the mat'er?"

"I fucked up," Anna grumbles, opening the fridge and grabbing the stock of king-sized Reese's Peanut-Butter Cups that Merida keeps just for Anna. "Like, really badly."

"Bad first day?" Merida guesses, turning on the kettle and inviting Anna to sit at her kitchen table.

"Not exactly," Anna says, ripping open the orange packaging and stuffing the cup in her mouth. Merida waits patiently as Anna chews and swallows. "I went to The Queen of Hearts last night."

"Ah, the lesbian pub," the Scot nods wisely, and Anna rolls her eyes.

"Yes, that place. Need I remind you that you're the one who recommended it to me? You're a bartender so you have all the hot spots."

"You were the one who wanted a place ta meet some lovely lasses," Merida says, wagging a finger in Anna's face. "Don' you act as if I forced you. I was helpin' my friend meet some new people when she moved inta town."

"Well, let me finish." Anna tears open another Reese's, orange paper fluttering to the off-white tiled floor. "So I met this girl. Incredible body, gorgeous smile, amazing hair that I'm pretty sure she sold her soul in order to obtain. I start chatting her up 'cause she looks sad. Turns out, her date stood her up, and she was upset about it. So we have some shots together and talk. She's super smart—her name is Elsa by the way—and we're laughing, having a great time. And things get flirty, and fuck is she a good kisser. We go back to my apartment and have the most mind-blowing sex I've ever had." Merida watches as Anna bites the chocolate treat in half, still talking as she eats. "Wake up in the morning, she's gone and left this note. . ." Anna riffles through her bag she has yet to put down and thrusts the note at Merida, who reads it. There's a pause before Merida speaks, rereading the note a few times to make sure she isn't misunderstanding.

"So. . . she wants to have sex again?"

"Hold on. Here's where it gets shitty." Anna crams the rest of the Reese's in her mouth. "Wouldn't I know it, her kid is one of my new students."

Merida's head lifts up from the note, and she gawks at Anna. "You're kiddin'."

"Nope." Anna shakes her head, as if she wishes she were kidding like Merida is accusing. She weakly picks up her third Reese's and peels it open slowly. "And now we're on a professional level, focusing on what's important, which is her son's education." She pauses her fingers over the corner of the wrapper, scowling down at it. "But I keep thinking about her, and it's hardly been a day. I mean, holy hell, I didn't know girls in this town could be as fucking amazing as her."

"Well, naturally you keep thinkin' about her," Merida soothes. "You're a very emotional lass. You're gonna want somethin' from her."

"But it was intended to be a one-night stand. I just took it too personally or whatever." Anna finally opens the wrapper and breaks the chocolate cup in half, offering a side to Merida, who declines. She knows that Anna needs all the chocolate she can get at the moment.

The teacher takes another deep breath, and her eyes follow Merida as she moves about the kitchen, taking the whistling kettle off the stove and getting out two mugs. She makes the pair of them tea, handing Anna her drink in her favorite mug.

"Wait. . . the name Elsa sounds familiar," Merida hums, sipping her tea and leaning against the tiled countertop.

"Is it common here?" Anna wonders.

"Not exactly what I mean. Wha's her last name?"

"Fönn."

Merida grabs her laptop from the counter to her right, settling back down across from Anna. She types in Elsa's name, furrowing her garnet-colored brows as she does. Anna is staring at her, slowly chewing on her snack. What is her friend getting at exactly?

"Aha!" Merida shouts. "No wonder it's familiar. You slept with the editor-in-chief of Crowns and Gowns, the magazine."

Anna blinks. "I did not."

"You did so! Look." Merida turns her laptop around to face Anna, and she leans forward, looking at the magazine's website.

Sure enough, on the staff list displayed on the homepage, Elsa's name is at the very top with the label "editor-in-chief" beside it. She scrolls her finger on the trackpad and over the link, clicking on it. It directs her to Elsa's profile on the website with pictures, a biography, and links to her most famous articles for the publication. There's a photo of her looking powerful and smug at the very top. Her arms are folded, and her eyes are boring into the camera lens and straight into Anna's soul.

"Not a bad lookin' gal," Merida compliments, scooting next to Anna to scroll through the profile as well. "Yeah, I can see how she's smart. I mean, look at all she's done. Wow, she interviewed him? Huh. . ." She turns to Anna. "I can't believe it's botherin' you so much. She's gorgeous! I mean, yeah, sucks you have her kid in your class but. . . she's really smart, by the looks of it."

"It's just. . . why me? I'm sure she can get any girl she wants, and yet she sleeps with a second grade teacher who barely makes rent every month."

"I mean, you did mention she got stood up, yeah? Desperate perhaps?"

"Well. . . gosh, I don't remember? It's hard to really recall every little detail." Anna doesn't show how much that stung. Was Elsa just desperate at the time? She catches Merida's skeptical gaze. "But then I teased her about wanting sex after being stood up, and she freaked and said that she was genuinely attracted to me," she tries to smooth over. After Merida purses her lips, Anna reaches over and shuts the Macbook. "I'm really just at a loss of what to do."

"You said you are on a professional level now?" Merida reminds her.

Anna nods numbly.

"Stick with that, then." She coaxes another Reese's into Anna's hand, encouraging her to indulge on the sugary goodness. "See where things go an' don't lose yer head. Keep doing yer job an' she'll do hers. The odds were one in a million, sure, but maybe things'll work out in the end."

Anna gives her a grateful smile before ripping open the next package, sinking her teeth in the chocolate and peanut-butter snack, and hopes she can follow Merida's advice with ease.

For the first week of school, Elsa tried to avoid going in Olaf's class and seeing Anna. Sometimes it's easy because pick up and drop off happen in the yard. But often when she says goodbye to Olaf in the morning, she'll see Anna exiting the library nearby or just getting out of her car of heading into the building to get to her classroom before the bell rings.

And Anna always manages to catch her eye or—even better—her attention. The mere memory of their passionate night is starting to take hold of Elsa and torture her, watching Anna's legs as she walks and the way her hips sway with each step. A reminder that she and Anna had tangled their legs together sometime in the night. And the way that Anna's hands curl over her purse straps sends shivers down Elsa's spine, recalling how those very same digits curled within her.

Yet there's still a harsh coldness in Anna's teal eyes during any sort of meeting. Still hurt and discomfort. And Elsa can't blame her for she feels it too, though more so discomfort than hurt. She can't lie and say that Anna's words during their first encounter after their one-night stand hurt her with each nip she took at Elsa's ego. Nor can she say that the awkwardness between them has gone away.

Awkwardness, however, is to be expected in a scenario such as this.

Elsa confides this to Kristoff on the weekend after the first week. They're at a park near Elsa's house, and the boys are playing pirates on the large, ship-themed apparatus. Other kids are flocking the area, some on swings, some playing in the sand. The two single parents are sitting on a bench, keeping an eye on their kids, with coffees in their hands.

"Do you want my honest opinion?" Kristoff says carefully.

"It'll probably do me better than reassuring lies," Elsa mumbles bitterly. "So, sure, take a shot."

"Let it go," he states dryly.

"That's what Meg said."

"It's the best sort of advice in this situation." He takes a sip of his coffee, noting that the days are starting to get colder the closer they get to September. "You and Anna have a shared priority, and that's Olaf. I don't think you should jeopardize Olaf's second grade year by avoiding the classroom he's going to spend ten months of his life inside. I mean, I didn't care for Frollo, but I still tolerated him in order to check up on Sven. He gave you a hard time, and you still dealt with it. You ought to be able to handle seeing and talking to Anna."

"Yeah. . ." Of course Kristoff is right about that, but she doesn't want to say the words and admit it. "Olaf is the most important person in my life, and I have to make an effort to get to know his teacher."

"Exactly. I promise that you'll feel better about it later."

Elsa leans back in her seat and drinks her coffee, watching Olaf go down a slide, brandishing an imaginary sword. She has survived the first week, and she hopes that she can survive the next ten months. She has to show Anna that she means business and will keep her promise of a professional relationship.

If not for herself, then for Olaf.

What she's done in order to make her boy happy. . . So much of her personal life gone, willingly of course, but the only people she remained close to after her pregnancy were those at her office, Rapunzel and Eugene, and Kristoff. Most of her other friends moved on and lived out their late twenties still single until they finally settled down. But Elsa is fine with just a small circle of reliable friends who all adore and care for Olaf.

She gazes up at the sky and sees the swirl of clouds above her, gliding seamlessly across the expanse of blue. She keeps thinking about how she'll approach Anna from now on. Perhaps they'll run into one another soon, perhaps they won't.

"When is family reading night?" Elsa asks.

His automatic reply is, "First Friday of September."

"Back to school night?"

"Start of October."

Elsa racks her brain for other encounters she can prepare herself for.

"Ah. . . how about career day?" she wonders.

"That's only if you're approved to come in," Kristoff reminds her. "Olaf has to ask."

"Right. . . but when is it?"

"I think it's next semester. Sometime in February."

"Hm."

"Don't worry. Arendelle Charter has a ton of fun nights during which you can hook up with Anna."

"Screw you."

He grins and rumples the back of her hair. Olaf and Sven pretend to battle skeleton pirates on the apparatus, using their best pirate talk. Autumn is coming, and Elsa wonders if she really can survive ten months with the knowledge she slept with Miss Eldr.

Of course Elsa's son writes in cursive, Anna notes bitterly as she marks his page with a high grade. Really, she shouldn't be surprised at all. With a mother like Elsa, Olaf is bound to be more advanced in his learning at home.

It's the third week in, and Anna has gotten a good feel for her class and their attitudes. And, even though she knows she isn't supposed to pick favorites, she already has them. Olaf, Sven, and Winifred quickly became Anna's favorites within the second week. They are the only students who show genuine enthusiasm in Anna's lessons. The only thing that bugs her is the amount of talking they do when they should be paying attention.

No matter, she thinks. They may or may not stop. After all, summer vacation was only a couple of weeks ago, and she is still wistfully reminding herself of the week she spent on the beach with Merida, tanning and boogie boarding.

During lunch one Wednesday, she and Rapunzel go out to grab some sandwiches at a local deli. Anna has yet to divulge her sexual exploits with Elsa to Rapunzel, although she wonders if another opinion besides Merida's could help her properly assess the situation she's in.

"How are things going, Miss Eldr?" Rapunzel asks teasingly as they stand in line.

"Oh, you know," Anna mutters. "They're going."

"Is my Winnie treating you well?"

"Yes, very well," Anna confirms. "I was wondering, whose class was she in last year?"

"Dr. Thatch's. You've met him. He's the odd sort of fellow but charmingly so."

"How about. . . Olaf Fönn and Sven Bjorgman?" Anna shifts awkwardly on her feet. "Whose class were they in?"

Rapunzel makes a face. "Frollo's. God, I felt bad for Elsa for having such a misogynist teaching her kid."

Anna does a double-take. "I'm sorry, do you know Elsa? As in, more than outside the classroom?"

"Oh sure! Winifred and Olaf are, like, besties. She'll go over to their house from time to time. I've known Elsa since college when I came down from Corona to study here."

"You're friends with her?"

Anna's personal life and work life are getting too close for comfort. She's staring at Rapunzel as if she can't believe her eyes and ears. The blonde is talking still, unaware of the redhead's astonished expression.

"Very good friends. She and I were lunch buddies everyday, like you and I are now. We would go down to this little café near campus and have the best doughnuts in existence. We were on the softball team together too."

"Elsa played softball?" Anna whispers hoarsely. Her head is swimming as the image of Elsa in those tight baseball pants plunges into her mind's eye.

"Yes, she was. She was the pitcher on our team."

Anna stares into space as they move up in line. Rapunzel gives her an odd look, poking Anna in the face with slight concern.

"What's the matter?" she asks, cocking her head to the side.

"If I tell you, do you promise to keep it between us? Nobody else on campus can know."

Rapunzel's brows furrow at her. "Okay?"

"I'm serious about this. If you tell anyone else, I may have to kill you."

"Wow." Rapunzel tries to fight a smile. "You are serious."

"Very."

"Alright," Rapunzel raises one hand and covers her heart with her other. "I swear."

"Good." Anna takes a deep breath and looks into Rapunzel's green eyes. "I slept with Elsa before the first day of school."

Only silence greets this confession.

"No," Rapunzel states in a whisper.

"Yes." Anna gives her a guilty smile.

The older of the two stares at Anna in shock, trying to comprehend what she had just told her. Anna bites her lip, waiting for her colleague to say something.

Then a smile curls across Rapunzel's lips.

Anna watches as Rapunzel claps a hand over her mouth and starts to giggle, shaking her head at Anna as though she's trying to explain that she's not willingly laughing. The redhead glares at Rapunzel, who's snorting into her hand, attempting—and failing—to contain herself.

"Why is this funny!?" Anna demands in a heated whisper.

Tears form in the corner of Rapunzel's eyes as she steps up to the counter to order. Anna is glaring a burning hole in the back of the blonde's neck, watching her gasp out her request to the very confused cashier. She's still giggling under her breath as she walks to the pick up area. Anna grunts out her order next and meets up with Rapunzel, arms across her chest.

There's silence between them, Rapunzel trying so hard not to burst out laughing in this small space. But once they get their lunches and go outside to sit down, Rapunzel throws her head back and bursts out laughing.

Anna scowls and sinks low in her seat, with a howling blonde across from her, earning some very strange expressions from passing strangers.

"Oh, knock it off!" Anna yells. "People are staring! This isn't funny!"

"Yes it is! Out of all the people, you sleep with her!? Elsa is never one to get together with a girl for just one night! She's so uptight and serious all the time!"

Anna keeps glaring at her, cheeks a deep shade of red, waiting for her to stop.

When Rapunzel finally dies down to simply letting slip a couple of giggles, Anna straightens her back indignantly, arms crossed over her chest.

"Well, you know, maybe it was just fate for us to meet when I came to Arendelle," Anna snaps.

"Fate, right, okay." Rapunzel is shaking her head with a shit-eating grin on her face. "This is fucking hilarious."

"Elsa is uptight?"

"Anna, Elsa isn't exactly prone to dating nowadays. She's usually stuck in her house or someone else's house when Olaf has a playdate. She's married to her work. I wonder how she even came across you."

"Well. . ." Anna tells her about Elsa's date standing her up and fills in the details like she did with Merida. Rapunzel starts to slowly listen with a tad more understanding, nodding when appropriate.

She hadn't intended on telling Rapunzel, it's true, but if Elsa knows her, Elsa might have told her eventually. And that could spell trouble for Anna with her colleague, the art teacher marching into her class and demanding why she was kept in the dark. But no matter, she's gotten it off her chest and even though Rapunzel pissed her off with her reaction, she knows that she can trust her.

Rapunzel offers the same advice as Merida, to stick to being professional and to not allow this to get to Anna any further than it already has.

After lunch, Anna returns to the school and unlocks her classroom, getting ready to grab the kids off their numbered line so she can bring them in for their afternoon lessons. Anna picks up the apple that Olaf presented to her that morning—no doubt encouraged by his mother as some sort of peace offering—and bites into it as the bell rings.

Anna heads outside and stands in front of room 18's line, taking another bite of the apple as she waits for all of her students to arrive. She can still spy a few lingering on the field or on the apparatus, not quite ready to return to class.

Finally, everyone lines up in front of her, and she leads them back into class, wanting this day to end so she can mope in her pajamas and watch some television at home.

"Miss Eldr!" a voice says from behind her.

Anna looks over her shoulder to find Olaf skipping to the front of the line.

"Yes?" Anna says, turning all the way around and walking backwards instead.

"Do you like the apple?" he asks, hope in his blue eyes. "Mama and I picked a bunch from my grandma's tree this weekend."

"It's a very good apple," Anna replies, smiling down at him. "Thank you so much for giving it to me."

"You're welcome!" Olaf chirps before falling back in line with his friends.

For some reason, the small interaction with him lifts her spirits. And all Olaf wanted to know was whether or not his teacher enjoyed the apple he brought her.

Smiling to herself, Anna takes another bite.

"You can't pull the article; I worked hard on it!" Anastasia shrieks as she storms after Elsa.

"I can pull the article because I'm the editor," Elsa says smoothly, walking amongst the desks and cubicles of Crowns and Gowns employees to head back to her office.

"But you said it'd get a place this issue!" whines Anastasia.

"If I felt it was a necessity." Elsa comes to a stop and turns around, the writer nearly bumping into her. "Anastasia, honey, I know you worked hard on it, but it's too long. I can't fit it along with Mulan's fitness article that she turned in ages ago. If you had sent it to me by the deadline, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Can't you edit it down?"

"Here's the thing. It's good; it's really good. I don't want to touch it. Everything looked perfect and clean so there was nothing more for me to take care of. You were just late. I'll see if I can squeeze it in for the next issue, I promise."

Anastasia pouts but submits, folding her arms and sulking away. Elsa draws herself up to her full height and sends an icy glare to some of the more nosy interns eavesdropping on the conversation. They catch her gaze and scurry away.

"Snow Queen," Jane teases as Elsa passes her desk.

"Shut it," Elsa snaps, but can't force down a smile.

"Elsa, you have a call on line one," Sally says once Elsa approaches her office.

She gives her a "thanks" and shuts her door behind her. She picks up the phone, sitting in her seat.

"Hello, this is Elsa Fönn," she says into the receiver.

"It's Rapunzel. I can't believe you fucked Anna."

"Punz!? How the hell did you find out about that!?"

"Uhm, she's my cousin?"

"She is. . . ?"

Rapunzel laughs. "No way! But could you imagine?"

Elsa lets out a long breath. "Fuck, Punz, don't do that to me. How did you know?"

"Duh, idiot, she told me."

"She. . . she did?"

"Oh, yes. Very graphic."

Elsa grimaces. "You're lying."

"Yeah, I am." Rapunzel giggles. "But it's still fucking hilarious. Hey, maybe your next issue should involve getting away with banging your son's teacher!"

"Fuck off, don't you think I want to move past this?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm just giving you a hard time. Sucks though. I didn't realize that you had a thing for redheads."

"You know, you're not helping me whatsoever."

"It is a lot to take in. It's cute though. I never would have imagined Anna would be your type. How'd she woo you into her apartment?"

Elsa pinches the bridge of her nose with her forefinger and thumb. "Punz, I have a lot to do today. Can we please talk about this later?"

"Fine. But you're not getting off that easy. I'll text you later. Bye!"

The call ends, and Elsa slams the phone onto the switchhook, positively livid. Come next Monday, all of the faculty and their mothers will know about her and Anna hooking up. Just how many people does Anna intend on blabbing to? Elsa's only told, well, Kristoff. . . and her most trusted friends who work with her.

Most likely, she reasons, Anna has only told Rapunzel. Elsa has told more people than she originally intended, but she had been so desperate for advice that she didn't know what else to do.

No more talking about it to others, Elsa decides, waking up her computer. Stick with what you know and focus on your professional relationship. She glances at the picture of Olaf and herself in the park, his little note from a few weeks ago still leaning up against it. For Olaf. Do this for him.

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