Elsa

Ten

My face flushes. "We don't- I mean, I-" I sputter. It's not helping anything, so I stop. Jack smirks at me, and I feel like slapping him.

His frat brother Ollie saunters up. "Yo, man, if it's cool I totally burned through the rest of your choc-o-lat-ay."

"No, it's chill, bro."

"Great- yo, that barn is shady, dude. Like seriously off the grid, man."

I try to wander off while they're talking, but Jack just shoves Ollie away playfully and is on my heels.

"What do you want?" I mutter, glancing back over my shoulder sharply.

Jack slows down, and I think he's going to stop following me, but when I turn forward again I bump directly into someone. Pierce. I take a step back from his black leather jacket.

He looks down at me, then up at Jack. He's staring at him so fiercely I actually cringe a little.

"Leave her alone," Pierce says.

Jack doesn't say anything.

Pierce grabs my elbow and leads me past Jack, outside, again. I look back over my shoulder and see Jack watching us leave, and I feel embarrassed. We're doing exactly what he accused me of. I look up at Pierce- he's still angry. I mean, he looks really angry. I'm not sure why. Jack wasn't doing anything wrong except maybe being a little annoying, but I don't need Pierce to be breathing down my back every time some guy annoys me.

We're out at the woodpile again and Pierce lets go of me. I cross my arms and watch him. He stares out at the moonlit trees, then looks back at me.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said. "Are you?"

He watchs me for a second. "Yeah. Was he bothering you?"

"Not as much as he was bothering you."

Pierce steps closer. "You shouldn't have to put up with people like him. You don't deserve to be treated like that."

"Like what?"

"Elsa," Pierce says, dragging a hand down his face. He takes a deep breath and steps back. He tilts his head. "I've been thinking. Your powers could get you anywhere, you could do anything. No one says no to you. No one has the right."

I curl my fingers tightly. I don't like to think about what my powers can do.

"You need to stop hiding them. I say you use them- here. Kind of a- a trial run."

"What do you mean?"

"Ask to be switched so you can be my ski partner. And if they don't listen, use your powers."

I flinch and pull back. "What do you mean use? I don't want to hurt anyone-"

"No!" he jumps in. "No, absolutely not. Just show them that you get what you want, or else they might be hurt."

"Pierce, this is very obviously threatening. I don't want to do that."

He clenches his jaw and steps closer to me, grabbing my arms. "Elsa, you don't understand the kind of power you yield. Don't let it go to waste."

"But-"

"Do you not want to be my ski partner?"

"No, I'd love to be your ski partner," I'm quick to say.

"Then ask," he says. He pushes a strand of hair behind my ear. "I want you to be my ski partner. And I want you to not be scared of your powers."

I can feel myself melting to his request. His cologne wafts around me and I feel comforted by the familiar scent.