The Quiet After the Storm

Chapter III: Jack

“Hi there! Thanks for letting me in, it’s a little nippy out there! That’s a little joke of mine, because…”

“VERY little.”

“Yeah, ah, well… As I was saying, that snow out there isn’t really a problem for me. I’m Jack Frost, by the way. You can call me Jack. You probably should call me that, actually, because if you call me something else, I probably won’t know you’re talking to me, so you’d have to walk over to me and tap me on the shoulder, like this,” and I tapped her on the shoulder, “Because otherwise I won’t know that you’re… talking… to… me.”

My voice trailed off, because I was being treated to one of what I would later come to call an “Elsa Stare”. I didn’t call it that at the time, because it was my first one; and also because I didn’t know her name yet.

“What’s your name?”

Staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaare.

“Um, okay, well I was just passing through, and I saw your beautiful house, and I’m really glad that you let me in! It’s even better on the inside! Of course, that’s because inside I can see all of these reflections of the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen, and… oh, wait, is that you? I had no idea!!”

Okay, two things for future reference. One, I should calm down a bit before opening my mouth in front of this amazingly gorgeous creature. Two, if I don’t get her to talk soon, I’m going to go absolutely insane. I *must* hear what she sounds like when she isn’t yelling at me. Assuming that she has any other voice besides “yell”. But you know what? I think I like that about her, too.

“So, I’m, uh, sorry for going a little over-the-top there, I was just so excited to see your insides!” - Crap! - “I mean the inside of your house!” – okay, better… - “It’s such a beautiful place. Do you think you could at least show me where everything is?”

Oh, great. Now she’s going to think I’ll be coming back later to rob her.

But she doesn’t react the way I expected. In fact, it seems like she’s even smiling a little. Maybe, just maybe, I haven’t messed everything up already?

No, I haven’t! She really seems okay now! So I still have a chance. Time to turn on the charm…

WAIT! STOP! NO! TURN THE CHARM OFF!! OFF!!!!

Whew, that was close. Just be myself, right? That’s what girls like, when you’re just plain old you. I really wish I knew what that meant, though. I guess for now, I’ll just smile a lot.

“So, this place is made out of ice, huh? So what do you do when you have to use the bathroom?”

CRAP! – um, I guess I mean, darn it. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why can’t I just… Wait. She’s smiling still? Huh. Maybe she might like the real me after all.