Reminder: In Chapter 20, Anna told Rapunzel that Vanessa used to be her best friend.

Anna's locker was neat in every sense of the word, free from any water, paint, or papers filled with insults. But no matter how many times she looked inside, at those books and notes that remained undamaged and fully intact, it still made her uncomfortable.

Wow. I'm...

She pressed her lips tight, fingers burying on the edges of the book on her grip. It wasn't easy to forget all those years of torment. A sick, twisted side of her wished that Vanessa would simply jump and throw insults her way. To get things over and done with. The past few days had only made Anna more restless than when she and the senior would constantly fight. At least if Vanessa was being a bitch, Anna would know what to expect. She would also know what to do.

Three knocks dragged Anna back to reality.

Rapunzel was standing beside her, knuckles pressed lazily against the locker. "Can we talk?"

Fear traveled the course of Anna's veins. That question didn't bode well.

Without waiting for a response, Rapunzel said, "I told Elsa that you knew." Anna froze, eyes widening and glued to the brunette's narrowing ones. "Yesterday after class, I told her," she clarified. "Do you know she's curious about Vanessa? She thinks something is going on between you two."

"W- What?"

Rapunzel scoffed. "I don't really know where she got that idea, honestly. I don't even know what's going on anymore. With you, with her. With that girl." She pursed her lips and let a group of students pass them by before adding, "Did you tell her Vanessa used to be your best friend?"

Anna could barely keep up with the information. No, she had never told Elsa that she and Vanessa used to be close. At the very least, she had told her they were from the same Junior High. That was about it. "No," she managed to answer with a voice close to whisper. "Why would she...?"

The brunette stared at her intently, her expression serious and raising alarm bells in Anna's head. She averted her gaze, sweat forming on the side of her forehead as she tried to focus on the items inside her locker. Again, Rapunzel wore that same observant look that made her insides twist in all the wrong places. Scrutinizing. Studying. Reading.

"Why didn't you tell her that you knew?" Rapunzel asked, making Anna flinch. "About her being Chelsea."

Anna inhaled sharply and returned her gaze to the brunette's stoic look. "You didn't tell her either."

"I just did. I couldn't stand seeing her continuously blame herself for hiding it. You've known for a long time." Rapunzel stood on her full height and crossed her arms, lowering her voice so that only Anna could hear. "Why did you avoid her when she finally had the courage to admit it?"

Because... Because Anna was a coward.

Anna snapped her gaze back to her locker and placed the book inside.

Rapunzel grabbed her wrist, holding it firmly and forcing her to face her again. "Elsa was blaming herself, Anna, and she's been blaming herself for so many things her entire life. For once, why can't you just say something?"

Tears brimming, Anna lifted her gaze to the brunette. "You won't understand."

The grip Rapunzel had on her loosened, her mouth parting before she pressed them in a thin line. "I don't. Right now, I really don't. I thought you stayed quiet because you were waiting for her to be brave. Now, I know I'm wrong." She released Anna's numb wrist. "Look, if you don't want to tell me... If you can't tell me... I hope you at least explain yourself to her."

Her shoes clicked and echoed in the hall as she left, leaving Anna in the middle of a forming crowd. The colors rushed back to her cheeks. She faced the locker to avoid those prying and judgmental eyes of people who do not even know a single thing about her.

Explaining to Elsa...

The laugh that escaped her came out shallow and bitter. Of course she had to explain. Ariel wanted her to, and now, Rapunzel said the same thing. Anna wanted it, too. Badly. Her actions were not fair, and she was painfully aware of that. Elsa deserved more than this.

But Anna was not more than this. She was... just Anna.

Elsa stretched her arms and moaned as the joints popped. Giving her homework another once-over and finding the answers satisfying, she placed them inside her bag and grabbed the camera gifted to her by her parents.

"Are you sure you want to be here?" Rapunzel asked, adjusting some of the tripods on the other end of the room. "They will arrive in a few minutes."

"Yes." Her answer did not change for the past couple of hours, and it wouldn't now. "I wanted to talk to Olaf yesterday, but he didn't come home."

Rapunzel scratched one side of her cheek. "Are you mad? We didn't mean for it to get this far."

"I'm not mad. I'm more... disappointed."

"I really am sorry."

"It's fine, Rapz. I can manage. There's just something I need to tell you and those two." Elsa was about to start taking photos when Rapunzel squirmed. "What's wrong?"

"You're really not mad?"

"Not anymore."

"Promise?"

"Rapz, what is it?"

Rapunzel released the tripod and cautiously joined Elsa on the front desk. "You're torturing me, Elsa. I wish you didn't tell me there was something you wanted to say hours before actually saying it."

She rolled her eyes. "Consider it payback."

"I thought you weren't mad!"

"I'm not."

Another complaint was underway when the door opened and Olaf and Senya stepped in, fresh from a recent shoot. Their smiles became stiff as soon as they saw the girls by the front desk. "Hey." Olaf grinned, his two front teeth peeking shyly through the small gap of his lips. "Can you wait? We'll put these away quickly."

"Here, we'll help." Elsa rushed to Senya's side to assist with the music stands while Rapunzel went to Olaf to help with the cameras. "Do you want something warm?"

"Water is fine. We've had too much caffeine since yesterday." Senya whispered a 'thank you' as they put away the equipment. "How are you?"

"Could be better."

There was silence, heavy with tension. Elsa went back to the front desk and grabbed her camera again, mentally preparing herself for the long-awaited talk. She was the one who asked to have a conversation with the three of them, but now that that the opportunity arrived, she realized she hadn't thought this through.

"Okay, let me go first." Senya placed the cup down after taking a sip. "I heard that Rapz told you."

Elsa met the musician's gaze. "That Anna knew, yes. Why didn't you tell me?"

Senya was about to speak when Olaf said: "We were worried. You were in a hospital, Elsa, after another fight with your parents."

That... did not surprise her one bit. It was always the same old reason every time she was being left in the dark. Everyone was worried. During the lowest point of her life, it had felt great. It was nice to feel that she was cared for. That she was loved. But as the years passed, it grew exhausting. She had told them repeatedly that she would be alright, but they would still treat her like a newly born child if they ever think that something was a threat to her.

"We wanted to tell you," Senya assured. "Once things settle down with your parents, we were going to. We didn't mean to hide it for so long. Especially when we found out that Anna likes you."

"Did you ask her to keep it from Hans?"

"No!" Senya denied, looking offended by the very idea of it.

"But I told her not to tell you," Olaf admitted. "I take full responsibility for that. I knew it wasn't fair, but I thought you'd freak out if you found out she knew it at that time."

Elsa breathed, pulling her fists closer to her body. "That's the same as asking her to keep it a secret from her family, Olaf." He lowered his head and shuffled on his feet as all the girls in the room looked at him. "Don't you trust me?"

That made him snap his head back to her. "Wha...? I do."

"Then why do you keep deciding things for me?"

"Els—"

She raised her palms up, stopping him there. "I know you care. And I appreciate it. I do. But I'm not the same girl anymore. I thought you knew that?"

"I do."

"Do you?" Elsa lowered her hand on the desk. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I wouldn't be able to handle it if you told me that time. If Anna had told her brother who I was then, maybe the pressure would've crushed me again. But that's something we don't know for sure."

"Elsa..."

"All I'm asking for is a chance. A chance to prove I'm not as weak as I used to be. Don't face my problems for me, Olaf. You too, Sen, Rapz." She glanced at the siblings. "I don't need you constantly watching over me. I don't need you to help me. I need you to be there while I try to help myself."

The door to Anna's room slammed open. "Cookies downstairs, little red!"

Anna grunted, scowl deepening as she read through the contents in her journal. Nothing changed; everything in it was in her handwriting. Anna had been afraid to open this notebook since getting it back because she hated the possibility of Vanessa even catching a glimpse of what was inside it, or worst wrote something on it.

She nearly screamed when fingers snapped in front of her face. "Wha- Meg!"

"What are you looking at?" Meg rested a hand on the desk and the other behind Anna's chair. "Hm, let's see. Oh, what's this? 'When th—'"

"Okay, that's enough." Anna snatched the journal back from her sister.

"Is that a poem? You're getting better at this!" Her sister praised, grabbing the notebook back with ease. She flipped the pages and stopped at a particular one. "Have you shown these to Hans?"

"It's rubbish, Meg. Why would I show him? And would you please give it back?!"

"Are you serious?!" Meg grinned, finally allowing Anna to gain possession of the thing. "Those can be converted to songs, Anna. I know you said you wanted to be a teacher, but didn't you ever consider becoming a songwriter? You're skilled at it!"

"Music is not for me, Meg. That's Hans' thing. I don't want to be compared to him all the time."

"Then why are you writing?"

"It's just a backup plan, in case Chelsea didn't show up and Senya wasn't able to prepare something. It's for that song." Anna placed the notebook back on the desk and crossed her arms. "Besides, if I'm as good as you say, there are no rules saying that I can't be a teacher and a songwriter at the same time. What are you doing here anyway?"

"We've been calling you for five minutes, but you weren't responding. There're cookies downstairs." The older woman shrugged and scrunched her face. "Did I just hear you say you're planning to be both?"

"No, I said there's no rule saying I can't do both."

Anna spun on the chair and faced the computer. The folder on the screen called out to her and for the first time in a week, she let it win. There was only one file inside, the video with Elsa's song. Anna decided against wearing an earphone and let it ring in full blast from the powered speaker.

"So those are for this?" Meg glanced at the screen. "It's great that you have a backup plan, but do you have any leads? The wedding is close."

Anna groaned. The colors on the video danced around her unfocused eyes. Her ears and brain, however, were attentive. They listened to the instrumental and tried to decipher the hidden message behind it. They even replayed Rapunzel's call-out to her for avoiding Elsa the past few days and how it made almost no sense at all. The clock was ticking. The wedding was close and Elsa had admitted who she was weeks before it.

Why couldn't she have waited until after the wedding?

Anna pursed her lips, stopping the disgusting words from spilling out. She should be proud of Elsa. She was proud of Elsa. Elsa was finally getting her confidence back after months and years of being unsure of herself. But even then, Anna also wished she had waited until the wedding was over before finding the courage to admit being Chelsea. It was a selfish desire, one Anna still could not get over with. If only Elsa waited a few more weeks. If she only held the guilt in for much longer—

Pathetic.

"Whoa, hey! What's wrong?" Meg reached for a tissue and handed it over. "Are you pressured?" Anna stared at her older sister's hand. "You're crying, Anna. What's wrong?"

"W-What?" Anna croaked, touching her face and feeling the wetness that proved her sister's claim. "Wait, g-give me a minute."

Meg watched her worriedly as she wiped the tears dry. "Is Hans pressuring you? Do you want me to talk to him?"

"No. I'm fine, Meg." Anna sniffed, dumping the sodden paper on the bin beside her drawer. "He's too busy with all the preparations and rehearsals to ask."

"Why are you crying?"

Anna wiped her face one last time and lowered the volume of the speaker. "I don't know." I'm disgusting. "This song is... It's nice and makes me feel sad in a way."

"Riiight." Meg glanced around the room. "Oh, that reminds me! Is Elsa coming?"

Her throat constricted and she barely managed to stop a pitiful whimper. She sniffed. "I... didn't get a chance to ask her yet. School has been busy lately and we're from different grades."

"You have her number, right?"

"Y- Yeah."

"And...?" Meg sat on one arm of the chair and crouched a little to give Anna a look. "Anna, what's wrong?"

"Wrong?" Anna wobbled towards the nightstand, purposely creating a distance between herself and her sister. She reached for a random item to keep her hands occupied. "Nothing. I'm perfectly fine!"

"You're holding it upside down." Anna dropped her gaze and gritted her teeth as she placed the mini calendar back on the stand. Narrowing her eyes, Meg stood on her full height and jutted her hip to the side, placing a hand on it. "Princess Annabelle Westergaard."

Cursing inwardly, Anna threw her hands up in exasperation. "We had a fight, that's all."

"A fight? What kind of fight?"

"It's just a misunderstanding."

"You wouldn't cry out of the blue if it was that simple."

"Meg, please." Anna grabbed a pen and opened her journal to a new page. "It's fine. I can do this. We'll be fine. It's going to be okay."

The older woman pressed a palm on her forehead. "I'm having a strange feeling of déjà vu." Anna flinched. "Fine. I'll stop asking. But if it gets too much, I want you to tell me right away, okay? I don't want a repetition of what happened before."

Anna bit her tongue, refusing to let something slip.

"I'll be downstairs if you need me. We'll leave some cookies for you."

And just like that, Anna was left alone again, listening to this music piece that Elsa created. After a particular note passed, she wiped another stray tear.

Why was it that the more she listened to this, the more it spoke to her?

It was so... comforting.

Heartbreaking.

Anna chuckled, the sound dead in her own ears.

What would Elsa think if she learned of the disgusting thoughts running inside her head? If she learned about Anna's wish that Elsa had never told her the truth, at least until after her brother's wedding? Anna gritted her teeth, fingers curling around the pen on her grip. "Ngh..."

Loneliness was not a foreign concept to her. In her short life, she had lost many things, lost many people. That was why she built her defenses; she was tired of feeling lonely. If she guarded herself, if she did not let anyone close, it would save her from the inevitable pain once they decided to leave. She would not feel abandoned, again, if she did not get attached to anyone in the first place. It was as simple as that.

Then Elsa happened.

Everything about her life—school, music, and family—has Elsa involved. Whatever the situation, Elsa would be there. If Anna or Ariel would be made fun of, she would come to the rescue. If Hans were to have a discussion about his wedding, Elsa's cousin was his photographer. If Anna just wanted to have a relaxing conversation with her family, they would talk about Elsa one way or another because they liked her.

The only place where Elsa was not involved in was her past.

But the past was haunting her again, and it was Elsa's actions that drove it back in motion.

Her tears fell on the notebook, smudging the ink on the page. "I'm sorry." She sobbed, the music still beating softly from the speaker. "I'm sorry, Elsa..."

'And when the tears dry

Will you still be there?

Will you wait for me no matter how long?

Or will you cast me away like any other song?'

Looking at the calendar, I just remembered that tomorrow (14th) is the 2nd birthday/anniversary of this fic. I probably should've updated this at the exact date, but because it landed on a weekday, I might not have the time to do that. My weekdays are almost always busy. ;-;

PS: The 'Princess' is a part of Anna's name.