Chapter 24: Rapunzel

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I actually have a date with Jack!

I can hardly believe it!

Currently, music blasted through my ears and a grin plastered itself on my face. I danced across the spare bedroom and hummed excitedly to the tune playing through my headphones, not a single care in the world except for the thought that I'm finally going on a date with Jack.

"Rapunzel?"

I ignored the familiar voice in my head and continued to daydream of my date.

Where would we go?

Dinner and a movie was the practical and easy suggestion. Maybe we'd go on a stroll through the park? Or a nice dinner at a restaurant where we talk for hours about anything and everything?

"Rapunzel Corona! I'm trying to talk to you!"

"Huh? What?" My headphones came off and I turned around in a daze.

Merida was sitting on my bed and sighed at my inability to focus. What did she expect from me, really? I felt as though I were floating on air and twirling through clouds of cotton candy.

"Punz, are you sure you want to do this? I can tell him to back off if you want. I know you're too nice to do it, but I'll gladly do it for you."

"I'm ready for this," I told her. "It's time I move on, and who better to do that with than Jack?"

"I can probably name a few."

I stared at her, a smile playing on my lips, and said, "Well, I can't, and that's all that matters." It was silent for a minute and Merida seemed to be fidgeting. "Mer, what's really the problem?"

She stared at me for the longest time with an unreadable expression. It took me back, seeing the raw emotions in her eyes. "I don't want you getting hurt. Jack can be an idiot sometimes and I don't want him to be another person to add to the list of people who've hurt you."

I sat down next to her and grabbed her hand. "That 'idiot' saved my life. Numerous times, in fact. I don't think he's gonna hurt me."

"I just can't help but feel protective of you. I failed once as a best friend, I'm not gonna do it again."

"What do you mean you 'failed as a best friend?'"

"I didn't see what was going on. You know, with your mom and Flynn. I should've know and done something sooner."

I squeezed her hand. "It wasn't your fault. I didn't want people to know."

"Doesn't make it any better. I still should've seen it," she mumbled.

"You know, you and Jack are actually very similar," I told her.

She scrunched up her face in confusion so I continued: "When I was at the hospital, Jack kept going on and on about how it was his fault for not realizing earlier and how he had let me down, but it was entirely my fault. I refused to drag people into my mess of a life, so I did everything I could to hide what was going on. It's not his fault or your fault and I don't want you thinking it was."

Suddenly, her arms were around me and her hair found its way in my mouth. She didn't say anything, but she didn't have to. I could see a weight being lifted off her shoulders because she knew I could never blame her for what happened.

When we separated, she gave me another concerned look. "If he does anything--and I mean anything--to hurt you at all, you call me and I will whoop his butt, got it?"

"Got it."

After our little heart-to-heart , Merida helped me pick out an appropriate outfit. We decided on a turquoise shirt with a faded heart design on it and an orange jacket with white sleeves that went to my forearms.

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