The silence gnawed at Elsa's insides. Thick and heavy, it hung in the air like the limb she called an arm. In front of her was Senya's keyboard, ready to be switched on and used to create a beautiful melody. A melody her frozen muscles refused to make.

She had a lot to think about.

The conversation with Vanessa drained the remaining strength that was left in her. She needed a distraction to keep her brain from going down that gray area. Equipped with that need, she danced around the lyrics for Hans' wedding; changing some phrases, deleting, and adding new words. It was not perfect, but it was mostly done.

If only she could play it.

Elsa's hands fell on her lap. Thirty minutes had already passed and no progress has been made. This was harder than she thought, but she was not going to admit that out loud when her only companion was becoming noticeably restless.

"You're not required to play it, right?" Rapunzel finally asked. Elsa mentally patted her on the back for lasting this long.

"I want to try."

Rapunzel stepped away from the wall. "You want to start performing again?"

Her long and pale fingers brushed on the sheet, tracing a single line. "I don't... crave being out there like I used to. But, I do miss it."

"Are you sure?" Rapunzel tapped her shoulder and Elsa scooted over, giving her some room. "You're not just saying that because you still feel guilty about your sister, are you? Last time, you told me that when you imagine being on stage, you remember seeing her..." She trailed off meaningfully.

"It's been a long time, Rapz. I avoided performing all these years and I think, somewhere along the way, I lost the passion for it. I still want to do it, but not all the time anymore."

"Okay. What about Anna? Hans? If you're going to go through with this, he will know who you are. Are you ready for that?"

"I don't want Anna to keep avoiding me. If this is why I can't have a proper conversation with her, then maybe... maybe if I do this, she'll talk to me again."

"You'll do that for her?" Rapunzel's big smile softened as a blush colored Elsa's cheeks. "Alright! If that's the case, I have a suggestion!"

A bit whiplashed from the sudden change, Elsa coughed. "Suggestion?"

"Why don't we tell Olaf and Sen? Oh, don't give me that look! Just hear me out. There's only a week left until the wedding and you haven't played the piano or the keyboard in years."

Elsa groaned, covering her face. "That's why I don't want to tell them. I don't know if can make it."

"That's exactly why it's okay to tell them. They know what you're going through and they're experienced in the field. If there is someone who can help, it's them."

"I don't want to raise their expectations. Olaf's been urging me to perform ever since Hans requested it. If he found out I'm trying to—"

"Do you want to do this or not?"

"I do! I'm just being realistic. No matter how badly I want this, I don't even think I can do it by then."

"Elsa, listen." Rapunzel took Elsa's hands in hers. "A week can be enough to get those muscle memories moving, but it might not be for getting over something. This isn't something you can rush and we all know that. You know that. We can keep this from them if you want, but if you really want to do this at the wedding and you're having trouble facing the... music—" She giggled, squeezing. "Maybe Olaf and Sen can make it possible."

"Make what possible?"

A shiver ran down Elsa's spine after hearing that familiar timbre that didn't belong to either of them. She and Rapunzel turned to the entrance to see Olaf and Senya.

"Hey! You're back early," Rapunzel squeaked.

"We were only checking out the venue." Senya placed a folder on the desk. "What's going on? You're in front of my keyboard."

Olaf dropped his bag on the corner, his gaze not leaving the girls. Rapunzel squeezed Elsa's hands again and released them. "We're not allowed to?" Rapunzel asked.

Elsa's throat went dry when the musician looked at her. "I... I thought I could play a little."

On the corner of the room, Olaf jumped to his feet and looked at his girlfriend. Senya nodded, humming. "How was it?"

"I don't know." Elsa pursed her lips, facing the keyboard once again. "I... haven't played anything yet."

Unable to see Olaf and Senya from this position, Elsa tried to live vicariously through Rapunzel who was still by her side. Soft shuffles were heard, followed by careful clicks of shoes, until a feminine body made it to her peripherals and picked up the sheets on the music stand.

The room was awfully quiet, save for the slow flipping of the pages. It caused her heart to beat strongly against her ribs. She hadn't shown that version to Senya since completing it, but the notes would give away exactly what piece it was.

"You've completed it. Right on time, too! Let's see." The musician went back to the desk and prepared the laptop. As soon as the piece from the proposal video blasted through the speakers, she mouthed the lyrics written on the paper and bounced her head to the beat. "Not bad! This goes better than the last one."

"Can I see?" Olaf clasped his hands in front of his chest. "Please, please, please?"

Rolling her eyes, Senya offered the paper and went back to the girls. "If that's what you were trying to play, does that mean...?"

Elsa swallowed. "It doesn't mean anything."

"I see."

"I LOVE IT!" Olaf exclaimed, and the girls jumped. "I love it! Chelsea, this is great!"

Heat bloomed within Elsa's chest. It spread to her arms, legs, and cheeks. Olaf's massive grin, his excitement and happiness, removed any traces of doubt she had left. She shoved past the dryness of her throat and faced the musician chuckling at her boyfriend's reaction.

"Can you... help me play it?"

A choked gasp followed the excited cheers from Olaf's direction as the smile that Senya wore grew in size. Elsa felt the chair shift and Senya offered a grateful nod before taking the spot her sister left behind. "How far are you?" Elsa wrung her hands nervously. "That far, huh?"

"I'm sorry."

"Hey, none of that. You don't have to apologize." Senya gave Elsa a brief side hug. "Although I want to know what brought this on."

"I guess I wanted to give it another try? I can't run away forever."

"Were you able to touch it?" The immediate lack of proper posture answered it. "Not even once?"

"N- No."

"You know you assist me with this when I'm moving from place to place, right?" Elsa frowned, and Senya hit the switch of the instrument on. "I can't read minds and I'm not going to pretend that I can. So tell me, Elsa." The musician pressed one of the keys, letting the sound pass. "What's holding you back?"

The warm hum of the instrument left a gaping hole in her chest. It had been close. Closer than it had ever been in a while. She thought of the times she couldn't touch her Aunt Gerda's grand piano. Then she thought about Senya's keyboard. There were times she couldn't touch it, like just now, but helping to move it from time to time? That... happened.

Olaf scratched his cheek. "She has a point. You don't look too bothered being in the same room as this anymore, and you even replicate the same sound using that software Sen gave you. You just hesitate when it comes to the real thing."

"You don't have to answer now," Senya promised. "I want you to think about it. You said you want to try again, but you haven't played anything yet. Why? Is it guilt? Think about it. Think long and hard. "

Elsa flinched. "But... But the wedding—"

"Is going to happen with or without you." She picked up a sheet and handed it over. "Forget about that. You're putting unnecessary pressure on yourself with that deadline. This isn't about Hans and Belle. This isn't about me, Olaf, Rapunzel, or even Anna. This is about you."

Elsa... wished it was that simple. That there were no deadlines and that time was on her side. It was not. The longer she allowed herself to be afraid of playing, the longer she was keeping her Chelsea identity a secret and ultimately pushing Anna away for some reason.

"I'm scared," she confessed. "To see Cindy again, breathless and... dying." She closed her eyes. Her fingers dug on clothed knees when the scenarios from that dreadful day flash behind her lids. "I've seen it so many times in my dreams. If... If I do the very same thing I was doing when she died, I'm afraid I'll see it again."

The self-blame was small, tamed by time. It was still there, and it might never go away. Elsa knew this, and she also knew that it was not the main reason why she refused to play a single song with the real instrument. No, it was not the guilt or regret anymore. This fear of seeing her sister's lifeless body... This was.

She lifted her head when no one said anything. "Did Hans say anything? Ariel said that Anna didn't tell him. She's not talking to me and I feel like... like..."

"Elsa," Rapunzel stepped in, placing a hand on her rigid shoulder. "You can't keep blaming yourself for this. We've already established that Anna knew for a long time."

"I can't help it. The timing is too much of a coincidence. I can't think of any other reason why she's avoiding me. If I can't do this next week, should... should I just tell him? That way, he would know and Anna won't have to keep it a secret anymore." Cold dread filled her stomach as soon as she considered it. She remembered it clearly, his excitement when he spoke about her piece. She remembered how it intimidated her. "She said she didn't want to disappoint him."

"I'll be honest. I'm still pissed because, just like you, I'm incredibly confused. It's like we're back to square one with her." Rapunzel slouched on her eye level and rubbed her arm. "Don't get me wrong. I still consider her as a friend and I'm all up for you being on friendly terms again or more. But I agree with Sen. Don't force yourself with a deadline."

"Look, I..." She sighed. "It's true, I want to perform at the wedding because of her. I don't want her to keep lying to her brother because of me. But aside from that, I do want to get over this fear. I'm serious. If I don't force myself, I'll never do it."

Senya stared at her, fingers tapping almost mechanically along the keys. Before long, she leaned back and smiled. "Let's do this then."

"Don't worry about it." Rapunzel watched the blonde flex her fingers. "Nobody was expecting you to get over it right away, and I mean that in the kindest way possible."

"I know, but I wasn't expecting to... to actually cry."

"Hey, at least you were able to press a few keys. That's already a huge step." Rapunzel crumpled the sandwich bag and threw it to the nearest bin. "Here, let me help with that."

Elsa winced when Rapunzel pulled a finger and it cracked. She did the same for the other fingers before proceeding to massage the entire hand. Elsa relaxed once her nerves stopped buzzing and she let her mind wander to the events during the weekend.

Senya was not the kindest mentor.

Even if she had been lenient with Elsa since they'd met, the moment she asked to be assisted and even stubbornly refused to back down, her inner demon was unleashed. She took her craft seriously and, in a way, Elsa could understand. She once held the same passion for music. Now, it was hard to keep up. She tried, though, and in the end, Senya ended their practice when Elsa's left wrist began to hurt. It was the one she broke two months ago.

The side door swung open with a bang, startling Elsa and Rapunzel from their impromptu massage. They had been spending lunch on the side of the main building, the same place where Ariel was once doused with pink paint by the same senior standing before them.

"Jesus! Can't you open the door like a normal person?" Rapunzel scowled.

Ignoring the comment, Vanessa looked at Elsa's wrist. "What...? You're injured?"

"You're concerned?" Rapunzel mocked.

The senior sneered. "I wasn't talking to you."

Sensing the tension between the brunettes, Elsa decided to answer. "It's only a minor ache. There's no need to worry."

"Who said I was?" Vanessa scoffed, marching to the furthest bench.

Rapunzel huffed. "What was that about?"

"At least she didn't start a fight." Elsa's gaze lingered on the senior for a while. "I'm going to ask Ms. Clara for some bandage. It hurts if I twist it at this angle."

"Want me to come with you?"

"It's okay. I'll see you in class."

"Alright then."

Elsa rushed to the nurse's office. While she wanted to know why Vanessa was only eating now with only a few minutes to spare before the lunch break ended, she had to do something about her hand. It was only minor discomfort, but aggravating the same injury from before Christmas was the last thing she wanted. It wasn't fun not being able to use a hand properly.

As she turned the last corner, she spotted a figure down the hall. Her legs stopped moving and refused to take another step as she took in those familiar twin braids and freckles splattered like stars on healthy sun-kissed skin.

"Be careful," she croaked. Anna lifted her head from reading a notebook. "Hi."

"E- Elsa."

Her heart did a tiny flutter. It felt like ages since she and Anna had a talk alone, and that meant it felt as long since Anna said her name. "You shouldn't read while walking, Anna. You might bump against something or someone." Biting her lip, Anna put the journal away. "How are you?"

"I'm... good. You?"

"I'm not sure." Elsa chuckled nervously. A heavy stillness surrounded them, causing her smile to fade. "I'm sorry."

"Wha—" Anna stopped when their eyes connected. "Why?"

"For... helping Vanessa out?"

Her expression softened. "I'm... trying to wrap my head around it. I know how you think about bullying, Elsa. I know it won't matter who was at the receiving end. I... I'm trying to accept it, but..."

"Anna, I promise I didn't do it to hurt you. It wasn't my intention."

The words brought a smudge of relief to her face but did nothing for her rigid posture. "I hope so," she whispered, the tiny voice breaking Elsa's heart. "So..." Anna toyed with the edge of her notebook. "Are you going to the wedding?"

Elsa bit her lip, still wanting to assuage the girl's fears about her connection with Vanessa. She pushed the urge to the back corner of her mind, promising to visit it again later, and focused on the current topic. This was the first time Anna talked about Hans' wedding ever since Elsa admitted to being Chelsea.

"Why didn't you tell me?" It was not the answer to Anna's question, but Elsa wanted to know. "That you knew all along?"

She could practically see the gears on Anna's head turning. "Wh..."

Time stretched between them in a painful and agonizing way. Elsa waited, and waited, and waited, without removing her gaze from the girl's constant flickering eyes.

The bell rang, and the lunch break officially ended.

Elsa waited for a few more and when no answer came, accepted the silence as one and left it at that. "Do you want me to go?"

"I do." The immediate response took both of them by surprise. Anna furrowed her brows, quickly adding, "But I want you to be there as you. Not as a character that someone expects you to be."

"You mean as Chelsea?"

"Elsa..." After a contemplative pause, the redhead continued. "Your secret is safe. It's not something I can just tell Hans. It's a sensitive issue, right? I... want you to be there, but I'll understand if you don't come. I won't force you."

Anna had let Elsa decide on many things before. Ever since their friendship began, she did not force Elsa into anything. Even when Hans invited her to join them that one weekend, Anna promised it would be alright whether she decided to go or not. Now, she was giving her the freedom to choose again.

This should have made Elsa happy.

It took a long time to convince her friends and family to lessen their protectiveness and to allow her a taste of freedom, but Anna was willing to give it without being asked. Elsa appreciated it because with Anna, she never felt pressured into doing anything she was not comfortable with. But after being avoided, worry gripped at her desperately and crushed her bone-deep.

"Why do you always say that?"

The hitch on Anna's breath was not something Elsa missed. She didn't move even as the girl squirmed, her fingers trembling against the journal they were wrapped on. "I don't want you to feel... obligated to."

Oh, look! Another two months! Sorry if this chapter didn't start the way you expected.