Anna might be (elatedorgassy) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2016-06-09 16:47:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, anna of arendelle, frank hardy |
Who: Anna and Frank
When: Mid-may
Where: Baxter’s Bakery
What: Meeting for breakfast and coffee
Rating/Warnings: Low/None
Status: Complete!!
Frank had always been an early riser, but lately he had been getting up earlier and earlier. It was not so much that he was plagued by nightmares or repetitive dreams, but he could not help but want to shy away from sleep and his Dreams. Every night he dreamt of a new mystery and he would see himself with Callie, happy as two clams in the surf. Yet every morning he would awake in his bedroom, reach for his phone and read the last message she had sent him. He had kept it as a reminder that they were, in fact, over and the dream had been just that: a dream. Usually it would serve to ground him and remind him that what his brother must be feeling was a million times worse, but today it had just made him tired.
He had cut his usual morning run short so that he would have time to get ready and head to Baxter’s Bakery to meet Anna for breakfast. Unlike Frank, Anna always seemed to have an infinite amount of energy and a boundless smile to go along with it. Maybe today he could siphon a bit of that energy and use it to finish out the day without finding an excuse to go home early and bury himself in studying California weather patterns and the public records he had managed to copy from his last trip to City Hall.
Frank checked his watch as he headed up to the shop. He was a bit early, but patience was one of his few good traits. The smell of caffeine and baked goods permeated his thoughts as he entered the shop. The pleasant atmosphere was already working its way to wake Frank from this morning’s stupor. Dark eyes glanced about, trying to see if his breakfast companion had already arrived.
Anna was absolutely a fountain of energy. She’d spent some time recently hounded by sour dreams--the dreams about the villain turning on her, the dreams about nearly freezing solid, the dreams where the words if only there was someone out there who loved you rang through her mind over and over. She had those Dreams more and more lately, and they soured her mood just slightly.
But this morning she was meeting with Frank. And that was exciting. He was, after all, one of the three she had in mind for her Summer Boyfriend. She headed to the shop and followed him in from the parking lot. Not wanting to startle him, she came up from behind and tapped him on the shoulder. “Hi! You’re early! I thought I was going to be early, but you beat me here!”
At the tap on his shoulder, Frank turned around. He smiled as he spotted Anna behind him. “Good morning! It looks like I didn't beat you by much.” He could hear the teenage detective from his dreams berating him for not spotting her earlier, but he ignored the voice. He was a reporter, not a detective. There were no ulterior motives lying beneath the surface of this particular redhead’s smile.
Frank stepped to the side so that Anna could go ahead of him in line. He felt a twinge of guilt for using her exuberance to brighten his mood. It was not fair to her or to Callie. After everything he had put Callie through, feeling a little miserable every morning was something he deserved. Yet there he was, talking to the personification of sunshine and trying to sneak in a few rays before the clouds came back.
Looking up at the menu, Frank focused his attention back on breakfast and studied the menu. “It was a sparkling latte and an almond croissant, right?”
Anna had nearly forgotten how handsome Frank was. Her smile brightened when she caught his eyes with her own. Even though it was early in the morning, Anna was quite chipper. Most post-coffee-people acted like pre-coffee-Anna. When she was post? It was even more ridiculous. "No! I'm glad! I mean, I'd hate to make you wait, you know? It'd be a total shame to wait for coffee."
She stepped up into the line with him, giving a gentle 'thank you,' Then she turned to give him her full attention while they waited for the couple customers in front of them to order. "Yes! I like my latte with caramel. And this morning I think I want it hot. Though sometimes I get it iced, or even iced and blended! Like a milkshake, you know? She bumped his elbow with her own. "I'm so glad you're willing to try my favorite! I sure hope you won't be disappointed. I think it's delicious, obviously! But it's kinda sweet? We'll see what you think!"
Frank was not sure he was going to need much caffeine if Anna’s smile got any brighter. Laughing, he casually placed his hands in the pockets of his jacket. “I’m a patient person, but you’re right. It’s much easier to wait after you have a cup of coffee in your hands.” Which was why he usually set the coffee to run before going on his morning run. Coming home to the smell of a fresh brew and a shower was one of the little things he had come to enjoy.
After spending a year in Egypt, Frank had to admit that his coffee tastes had changed. The thick, sweet coffee from the cafes there was as addicting as it was delicious. So far he had yet to find the same taste in the States, but that had not stopped him from trying. “I don’t mind sweet. I’m not sure about the sparkling milk yet, but we shall see.” Stepping up to the counter, Frank ordered for both of them. It was an accident borne out of habit, but by the time he caught himself he decided he didn’t mind. Buying breakfast would help him feel less guilty about using her smile to help him feel better.
It was much easier to wait when a person had a yummy treat to tide them over. Anna could totally get behind that--it was one of the reasons she normally came early to things, and brought her own snacks. (Like the coffee that spilled before class the other day. That was still rather sad.) "Well, I'm glad you did! Because now we can get them together. And together is better! Because there's none of the I've finished and she's still eating awkwardness that sometimes comes out. Not that I think you'd be awkward, I just... I'm the awkward one. See? Awkward." She went pink around her cheeks, then stepped up to the register.
"I love sweet things. And you're gonna love it. I guarantee it!" Of course, Anna was going to pay for herself. She really was. But then Frank did, and that did nothing to help with the pink on her face. They were having the same thing, so it just sort of made sense to say two of each, right? But that made this feel more like a date than two friends having coffee together. Didn't it? This wasn't a date, was it? Anna wasn't even wearing perfume! This couldn't be a date! She was completely not prepared!
“You’re not that awkward.” Frank gave her a wry smile. She wasn’t, especially compared to his own ventures into social circles. Enthusiastic, definitely, but he doubted she would have much difficulty making friends. He was a journalist by nature, always asking one too many questions and trying to press into business that was not his and then disappearing into the recesses of his own mind whenever he found a story or a problem that he simply could not crack.
“You’re coming up on finals week, aren’t you?” Oblivious to Anna’s flustering, Frank’s attention was quickly being pulled toward the baristas on the other side of the counter. How did they make the milk shimmer like that? Gold? Doubtful. That would make for one very expensive latte. No, it had to be some sort of oil that caught the light but never completely mixed with the dairy. Or perhaps it was as simple as adding edible glitter to the mixture.
Anna couldn't help but beam brightly when he said she wasn't awkward. She thought she was--she knew she was--but it was nice to have someone else contradict her on the idea. She wanted to believe him, but it was hard to when she had so much evidence to the contrary. "Well, awkward enough." She said, giving a shrug.
"Yes." Anna liked having something else to talk about. She didn't want to harp on how awkward she was or wasn't. "I'm taking a pretty full load--eight classes. So I'm up to twenty two units right now. It makes for a heavy homework load, but I think I'm gonna do pretty well. I've gotten a four-point-oh all my college career so far." It wasn't said to brag, but in a jovial way. She was a little proud of herself, but more excited about going to school and bring around so many people.
She turned to look at the barista, smiling brightly, and then reached up to take her caramel latte. “Thanks!” It wasn’t strange at all to Anna.
“Eight classes! That’s double what most people consider a full load.” Frank turned away from the coffee-making to look at Anna with a surprised look on his face. And his brother thought he was an overachiever? Frank shook his head in wonder. “That’s amazing, Anna! Are you looking to graduate early?” Suddenly the overabundance of caffeine made complete sense. There was no way anyone could maintain a 4.0 GPA while taking twenty-two hours without consuming insane quantities of coffee and sugar.
Picking up his strangely shimmering latte and the plate with the croissants, Frank tilted his head toward a free table. “That spot looks open.”
Anna nodded, then turned to walk with him toward the open table. As they walked and took their seats, she gave him her response. “I think I’ll have enough credits to graduate early! But I’m also thinking maybe I’ll double-major. Which would mean… maybe the same amount of time, but just a lot more hard work! It’s not that big of a deal. I’m used to spending all day reading.” She slipped into the chair and then settled her backside a little by twisting in her seat.
“Finals are coming up! I’ve been working my little tail off to get my act together in time for my exams and presentations. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep up my 4.0 this quarter, too!” She gave him a bright smile, then reached forward for one of the almond croissants.
“I think you’ll be able to manage that.” Especially given the current flow of sweets. Frank took the other croissant and took a large bite. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was until he smelled the croissants on the plate. He was still struggling to make a decent fried egg at home, but his desire to learn to cook lessened at the idea of eating here instead. Maybe he could bring some home for the week on a Sunday so that he could enjoy them at home as well.
“What were you thinking about for a double major?” Normally Frank would warn someone that pursuing two majors was a lot of work - and he should know - but considering the courseload Anna was already sporting, he doubted it would even faze her. It was hard to imagine a lively girl like her staying at home all day and reading, but her grades apparently spoke otherwise. The girl was a fascinating flurry of contradictions and it was bringing out his natural curiosity. He briefly contemplated seeing if his editor would give him a green light to interview a few students about their studies. Anna would make a wonderful interviewee.
“Well, I'm studying Art History at the moment, and I was considering picking up a journalism major.” Anna named brightly between bites of croissant and words. And then a sip of coffee, hefty swallow, and she could keep going. “My English professor was really supportive of my writing, so I stayed thinking that was a possibility.” She neglected to mention she was making googly eyes and then making out with said professor.
“Journalism! Really?” Needless to say, Frank’s coffee was slowing getting forgotten as he was swept up in the conversation. He had to remind himself to take another drink of the concoction before continuing. “Most people would choose creative writing over journalism as a second major.” Especially considering most English professors tended to snub their nose at the succinct format used by most news outlets nowadays.
Anna couldn’t forget about coffee and stuff. The treats and the drink were her favorite! She kept snacking and drinking between sentences, giving him most of her attention, but saving just a little bit for her own food and drink.
“Yes!” Anna said, smiling brightly. “I thought it would pair nicely with how passionate I am about art. I mean, art is wonderful to see and experience, but people need to be able to write about it so they can advertise and/or review, or… you know?” She grinned as she pulled a bite from the snack with her fingers and popped it into her mouth.
“I do.” Frank gave her a lopsided grin. He could learn a lot from her, especially when it came to multitasking. “I actually got one of my degrees in Journalism. I’ve wanted to be a reporter since I was a kid. Well, there was a time I considered trying to become a consulting detective, but I couldn’t quite pull it off.” Giving her a conspiratorial wink, he took another bite of the pastry in front of him. He really was going to have to get another few of these to go.
“Really? That’s amazing! I mean, I thought I was a pretty good writer, you know? I was pretty good with words. Unless I get angry, and then all that comes out is a stammer.” She remembered the time that she was so angry at Ezra that she couldn’t figure out what to say, and then he called her on it, and she felt incredibly stupid. But that was then. This was now.
“Are you doing anything with your degree?” Anna asked, letting those thoughts go and trying to brighten up again.
“Being good with words is definitely a key part of journalism.” Frank nodded thoughtfully.“It also helps if you’re writing about something you enjoy.” He watched the play of emotions across her face. It was difficult to imagine someone like Anna getting angry, but he knew that she was only human. People had good days and bad days, no matter how happy and chipper he or she was normally.
“Actually, I’m currently writing online articles for a local news station. Fluff pieces, for the most part, but some of them are interesting at least.” Frank shrugged. It had been different in New York, but here in California he may as well have been a greenhorn fresh out of college for all the seniority he received on assignments.
“Wow! I had no idea that you worked as a journalist!” Anna was very impressed. She sat up a little straighter, having momentarily forgotten her coffee and the remains of her croissant. Luckily, it was only a couple of bites sitting on a napkin in front of her. She couldn’t help but beam over at Frank with bright eyes and an even brighter smile. “That sounds amazing! Do you love it? I mean, are you having fun writing for the local news station?”
“Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to keep it a secret or anything, but a lot of people tend to clam up when they know I’m a reporter.” Frank explained, a bit sheepishly. He was also used to new friends asking if their interactions could go ‘off the record’, because they did not want to chance that anything they did or said would end up in print. Most of the time he did not mind, but Anna was so open with everything she said he had hoped not to have to cross that particular bridge.
“I do. Well, not so much the fluff pieces, but definitely the career as a whole.” Frank took a thoughtful sip of the latte. “Actually, if you’re serious about journalism, you might want to look into submitting a few puff pieces to the local papers and stations while you’re still in school. It’ll give you a good idea of what kinds of articles editors are looking for and it would look great on a resume!”
“What? Clam up? Really?” Anna asked, her nose crinkling at that idea. She let it go, though, not wanting to think too much about that. Anna’s life was an open book! She didn’t keep any secrets, she had nothing to hide. So why would talking to a reporter make her nervous? After a little shake of her head, she went on to the next thought. “Wait, really? You think so? Do you have an email address or a website that I could look at?”
“Unfortunately, but that just comes from being a professional busybody.” Sure, there were some stories that were dropped in his lap over the years, but by and large Frank was the one who ended up sticking his nose where it did not belong to get the real juicy leads. If someone had something to hide, Frank wanted to know what it was. There was a time when he considered the only secrets he kept to be his sources. Now, well, he was not entirely sure how to explain what he had seen in the O.C. without being committed to an institution.
“I don’t really ha- Oh!” He snapped his fingers before reaching for his wallet. A few moments later he handed Anna one of the business cards he had made while he had been searching for jobs on the West Coast. “I put my resume online so that it would be easier to apply for jobs. Maybe it can give you a better idea of at least one aspect of the field.”
“Well, on my honor,” Anna lifted her hand as if making a scout salute, though she was never a girl scout. (Or boy scout, though that was probably far more obvious) “I promise to never clam up around you. Besides, you’re just Frank. And I’ve got nothing to hide.” She would have nudged him with her elbow, only they were sitting opposite one another. Instead, she reached across the table and gave his arm a playful shove with her three fingers. Which kinda came out awkward. She shook her head a little and moved on quickly.
“This is great!” She accepted the business card and looked it over. “Ooh! Very nice. I like it.” Then she lined the business card up on the table and pulled out her phone so she could take a picture of it. After her phone made the shutter-click sound, she held the card back out to him.
“Now I get to cyber stalk you,” she teased. OR WAS SHE?
“You’re one of a kind, Anna.” The salute made him laugh. It had been a while since he had seen anyone use that particular salute. It brought him back to his middle school days and trying to ferret the truth out of his classmates and their siblings. He did not find the “nudge” awkward at all, but rather just a playful tap from a friend.
Frank gave Anna a wry smile and held up his hands as she tried to hand him back the card. “That’s for you. I have plenty at home.” He supposed it was unusual for a college student to collect business cards, but the practice was invaluable to him as a writer. It was also a nice professional touch to attach to the resumes he had sent out. Unfortunately, it was impossible to order only a handful of the cards, so even after submitting resumes and meeting people at conferences Frank had a hundred or so of the cards left.
“You’re welcome to look, but I’m afraid I’m a rather boring person when it comes down to it.” At least, with anything that did not have to do with one of his stories.
“Thanks!” Anna replied, brightening. Then she shrugged, pulling back the card, and slipped it in her pocket. “I’ll cherish it forever,” she mostly teased. Mostly. But it was probably going to end up pinned to the bulletin board in her bedroom so she could check on it whenever she wanted to.
“What? Don’t be silly. I can’t imagine you as boring.” Anna lifted the last bite of her croissant and stuffed it into her mouth. But then she couldn’t add anything else, because she had a mouth full of food.
“It’s not that nice.” Frank cleared his throat and finished his latte to cover up any possibility that his cheeks were a bit pink. Sure, he had worked hard on the design, but it was unusual for someone to praise it plainly. Hopefully, looking at his resume would help Anna decide whether she wanted to traverse down the nosy path or focus on her writing instead. The two were not mutually exclusive, but a reporter had far less freedom than a freelance writer. Or a mystery writer, for that matter.
“I know a few people who would…” His eyes caught on his watch as he set his latte down. “...be late!” Where had the time gone? Frank chastised himself for not taking more care to look at the clock. Time flies when you’re having fun, huh? He gave Anna a sheepish smile and wrapped the rest of the croissant in his napkin. “I hate to cut the conversation short, but I need to make a run for it if I’m going to make it in on time.” The box of baked goods would just have to wait. Maybe on his way home...or this afternoon. Luckily, as long as he had his work in before lunch, his boss usually let Frank do research or help film B-roll during the afternoons.
“Oh! Okay!” Anna nodded, then lifted both hands and waved him off with a ‘shoo’ sort of motion. “Don’t be late! We’ll talk more later.” And with a bright smile, she watched him go. Then her eyes came back down to the business card, and she gave a dreamy sigh.