Snowflakes Fall and So Did I

~CHAPTER 69~

~Elsa~

When Jamie and I make it downstairs, everyone's eyes are on us, asking the same question. Are you okay? I'm not sure who each individual person was silently asking that question to. Him? Me? Both? Regardless, I'm glad no one had actually asked. Because no. We're not okay.

But what was said, by North, was this: "Ah, Jamie! So glad you can join us this evening. Would you like to be the first to cut the cake?"

"Cake?" Jamie repeated, confused.

"We made a cake for you," says Tooth. "And invited as many of your favorite big kids as we could."

"Hiccup is preoccupied at the moment though," Astrid says, "He's terribly sorry for not being able to come."

Merida scoffs. "It doesn't make any sense. Why wouldn't he tell you where he's at? Unless you're lying to me about his whereabouts."

"Not exactly the right time to be starting an argument Merida," Astrid jabs.

"You're his girlfriend though," Merida says, "You're not concerned at all with what he's doing?"

"I trust him."

"Well, duh. I'm not insinuating that he's cheating on you. He's been in love with you for years. I'm just saying that if I had a boyfriend and he told me he was doing something but didn't give me any details, I'd be deathly curious."

"Again, not the time."

"Leave it to Merida to make it about herself," Flynn says, making the red head glare.

"I'd cuss you out, but there are children present."

"I don't think that has ever stopped you before."

"Why you—"

But Jamie is laughing then. "Man, I really missed you guys." He looks around the room, which consists of North, Sandy, Bunny, Tooth, Jack, Anna, Rapunzel, Kristoff, Flynn, Astrid, Merida, Sophie, and myself. "All of you. I'm sorry I haven't really been myself lately. Talking with Elsa really helped a lot though.

I give his shoulder and assuring squeeze. "It helped me too." And it really did. I don't know why exactly, but it did. Maybe it's because I stopped him from isolating himself, which therefore felt as if I had saved my younger self from doing the same all those years ago. It's like I healed her a little bit.

"Don't apologize for not being yourself lately," Bunny says as he kneels down in front of Jamie. "You—we—have suffered a tremendous loss. You're so young. You did what you thought you had to." He looked up at me then and gave me a curt nod that told me he was talking to me too. "But please remember that you are never alone. Neither of you. We are all one big family, and we're always going to be there for each other. No matter what."

Tears sprang to my eyes, but I swallowed them down. It touched my heart that Bunny saw me as family. We don't really talk a whole lot, so I always assumed I wasn't really all that important to him. I guess I was wrong.

As Jamie throws himself into Bunny's chest, hugging him tightly, Bunny's teary gaze catches my eyes. Thank you, I mouthed to him. And he nods, blinking his tears away before closing his eyes entirely as he embraces Jamie's hug.

I felt another pair of eyes on me. I thought it was my sister when I looked in the direction, but instead it's Jack. He quickly looked away, but it wasn't fast enough. Was he...looking at me?

"Group hug, everybody!" North declares, and starts going around, gently shoving people towards Jamie and Bunny.

It all happened so fast, that I didn't even realize that Jack was right next to me during the group hug, his arm placed around my waist, which sent murderous butterflies to explode in my belly. I tried to ignore his touch, but the more I fought to ignore it, the more strongly I could feel every individual finger. I missed his touch terribly, so a part of me didn't want this moment to end, but another part of me felt torture. He's not my boyfriend anymore. He's just a friend. Actually, no he's less than that now. He's a boy that I'm acquainted with.