Guardians and Angels

Chapter 21: Jack

It's been a couple days since Punzie's been back at school, and apart from Hans, Eret, and those girls in the locker room, no one else has been bothering her. At least, not that I know of. School has been significantly better now that she's back and I almost look forward to going just so I can see her again.

Rapunzel and I had decided that we'd study at my house again. But we also agreed it'd be better to study in the family room instead of my room, so as not to get a repeat of what happened last time--not that I would mind or anything. I drove her to my house after school, and Merida made sure to threaten me if anything were to happen to her.

"North, I'm home!" I yelled once I entered the house.

"Stop yelling!" North boomed, stepping out of his mini workshop. "Боже мой, you're so loud sometimes."

"I had to make sure you knew I was home," I teased.

"Trust me, I always know." Then he noticed Rapunzel taking off her shoes and standing behind me. "Ahh, the blonde beauty returns! How've you been, милая?"

"'Me lay'? What does that mean?" she asked, giggling.

"He's just talking in his native tongue. It means sweetie, right?"

North smiled and pat my back. "Glad to know my mumblings don't go unnoticed by you." He turned back to Rapunzel and gave her a big bear hug, to which she happily returned, not quite able to reach her small arms around his round belly.

I clapped my hands together to get their attention once again. "Okay, so we're gonna go study in the family room."

He nodded his head and gave us both another jolly smile. "Have fun, I guess. I'll make you guys a snack. What do you think of cheese and crackers, Rapunzel?"

"I'm fine with that. Thank you Mr. Frost."

"Ach, Ангел, just call me North." And with that he left towards the kitchen.

Rapunzel turned back to me with a confused face. "What did he call me?"

"I think it was angel, I'm not for sure, but I think." I couldn't help but think of how his term of endearment fit her perfectly. She really was an angel in my eyes.

We set up our stuff in the living room, splaying out hoards of papers and books. We were trying chemistry today because all those formulas and compound elements tend to mess with my brain. Even though she's been gone, Rapunzel was somehow ahead of everyone else. I brought her homework everyday when she was gone, but how she managed to keep up her grades is beyond me.

"How come North has an accent, but you and Emma don't?" she asked.

"Oh, he grew up in Russia and moved here as an adult. He's somehow managed to keep the accent and I never picked it up."

"Did you learn Russian?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "только немного."

She stared at me in amazement. "That's so cool! What does that mean?"

"Just a little bit."

"Cool, I speak a little German," she stated proudly.

"Yeah?"

She nodded her head quickly and hummed in agreement. "One of the few things I know about my heritage is that I'm from German descent and thought it'd be fun to learn some of the language."

"Let me hear some!" I flailed my hands in the air for emphasis.

"Ich mag Essen. And in case you were wondering, it means, 'I like food.'"