And guess who's back? :) So I got this idea when I was in PE, and I started thinking about how each HTTYD person would be in a gym class. Yes, I used myself as a character...except, well, I'm cooler! ENJOY!
There are 3 classes of kids in every gym period: the jocks who revel in showing everyone else up at humiliating games; the kids who do okay and attract no attention, positive or negative; and the run-from-every-ball, not-athletic-in-the-least, fall-every-two-feet kind of kids.
Lindsay knows she's in the last class.
She failed each of her fitness exams, epically so if the case of the flexed arm hang. Really? 8 seconds on upper body strength alone? Yeah, right.
Most of Mr. Vandleheiur's 3rd period gym class is in the second class. There are maybe five idiotic jocks, and of course, the group she has privately nicknamed the Vikings.
Her reasoning for this nickname is simple. Up until ninth grade, they went to Berk County School District…home of the "Vikings." It fits them: tough, lean, athletic, not that bright, and not so charming in the demeanor department. They transferred to this district when their school closed down and ended up at Lincoln High, home of the "Dragons." Ironically, the two schools used to be rivals. Well, are. Like two sides of war on one island.
There is one massive guy named Scott Snout, called by the discreet AP nerds "Snoutlout" (but not to his face). Doubtful that he even knows what a lout is though, or that it's an insult. Lindsay has despised him since the day he tried to pick her up by complimenting himself. She called him an insolent toerag and an obscene sexist and he just blinked and said thank you. There is an overweight, smart guy Lindsay knows they call Fishlegs, a weird name if their ever was one; he is in some of her classes, and she is polite to him. Even has smiled once or twice. Then there are the unforgettably LOUD twins, whose names are really Thomas and Rhonda…but no doubt because of the constant fighting thing, they are dubbed "Ruffnut" and "Tuffnut."
Then there's Astrid Hofferson. For a girl named after a flower, she sure isn't delicate. She is the best volleyball player Lindsay has ever seen; actually she is the best at almost everything.
Lindsay very strongly dislikes her.
Oh, wait. There is someone else.
Hiccup Haddock.
He came with the Vikings, but he is the anti-Viking.
One, he actually has a brain and uses it. Two, he is like a bone, he's so thin. Three, he is a Viking outcast. They don't talk to him. They just make fun of him. It makes her so angry, but she's terrified they'll hit her if she says anything. They're a little violent—okay, a lot.
Hiccup is in every accelerated class she is. They haven't ever really talked, but he keeps to himself. She, as is her somewhat Sherlockian habit, has observed him and taken notes in her ever-present composition book. She's not a stalker or anything; she uses people as a basis for her characters, and Hiccup is a perfect choice because he is unusual, not another identical cheerleader.
Her notes go like this:
-Quiet. Shy. Awkward, around girls especially. Obviously, no past girlfriends then.
-Klutzy. Jams his knee under desk almost every day in English. Continually stubbing toe. Almost never complains of the pain. Probably doesn't want the attention.
-Completely in love with Astrid Hofferson. Obviously, like other teenage boys in that respect.
-Occasionally seen small-talking with Fishlegs, until others come along.
-Extremely intelligent. Can be noted daydreaming in Algebra 2, but always receives 100s. Obviously very advanced in math, science.
Then there was the one obvious from their first PE class:
He has no athletic ability.
No one wants Hiccup on their team for sports; he can be counted on to miss any shot directed his way. He's Lindsay in male form, really.
Today in gym is hell of all hell, volleyball, on two person teams. She watches Hiccup's face go glum as Astrid and Snoutlout are paired together, and the other Vikings get the one odd numbered group. Poor guy.
She is not surprised when Vandleheiur puts them as partners for volleyball; get two klutzes together, less casualties inflicted on the normal kids. Hiccup starts as Vandy calls his name; he was obviously distracted. Vandy gestures vaguely to the net in the corner and tosses Hiccup a ball, which he promptly drops. He stoops to get it, face flushing. Lindsay makes her way over to him; they trudge to their corner net silently. Hiccup eyes the ball like it is a ticking bomb. "Um, you want to serve first?" he says just as she says, "I'm Lindsay."
He blinks. "I knew that," he answers. "Um, three seats back in Al 2, you're right next to me in biology…"
"I just wanted to be sure. I mean, we both suck here, so I bet Vandy will put us together a lot…"
"Um, do you know my name?" he asks incredulously. I. Am. Talking. To. A. Girl. Sucessfully!
"Of course. I mean, it's difficult to not notice. No offence."
Hiccup allows a cautious smile. "My real name's Harrison. My mom nicknamed me 'Hiccups' when I was a baby because I always had them, and then the s dropped and it sort of stuck…"
She grins, a surprisingly kind flash of teeth. "I like it. She must be one original lady."
"Um, she was."
"I'm sorry." It seems inadequate. I'm sorry your mom's dead! Bet you've never heard that before!
"She was original," Hiccup says. "Her own name was Vallarhama, but everyone called her Val."
"At least she didn't end up marrying old Vandleheiur over there," Lindsay jokes. "I mean, Vallarhama Vandleheiur? Then your name would be Vladimir and we'd all be calling you Vampire by now." Okay, not her best joke. But it relieves the tension.
Hiccup chuckles politely, then holds up the ball. "So, should we eat this, or…?
Lindsay studies it. "Nah, not yet. Needs pepper."
Hiccup's amazed. She responded to his humor! Is this girl at like other girls? She peers around him and snorts at Vandleheiur. "Of course. Grading us on participation, and he can't even be bothered to stand up? I refuse to humiliate myself." She sits determinedly on the gym's floor. "You can sit too if you want," she adds. "But you don't have to. If I get busted I'll use my debate team skills to get out of it."
Hiccup sits down gingerly. She smiles like he has just pleasantly surprised her. "So, you know where I sit in all of our classes, or...?"
Hiccup reddens; she laughs. After a second, he tentatively joins in. He is vaguely aware that this was how people normal talk to each other.
"So, if your mom is, um, deceased, do you live with your father?"
"Yeah, when he's home." Hiccup can't believe what he just said. He does not discuss his family problems. He doesn't want to send people to therapy. Heck, this girl is probably the first person he's even mentioned his dad to since elementary school.
She opens her mouth and starts to ask something, but stops. "So, um, have you started our science project?"
"Done."
She grimaces. "I really ought to…but a ten page lab report? Gah."
"Not as bad as our English project."
"What? Four poems? They don't even have to rhyme."
"English…is….not my favorite subject."
She shrugs. "It's the easiest one for me. Well, maybe history is…it's pretty close…but I want to be a writer, so…"
"I've noticed you writing before."
"Really?"
Hiccup feels self-conscious, like he's been caught stalking her. "In math."
"Eh, what can I say? I don't really care for Algebra."
"But it's so—"
Lindsay will never know what Algebra 2 is, because at that exact moment a volleyball whams through the air between them; they both dive to the floor, slamming against the tile. Their arms fly to cover their heads.
Lindsay waits until her heart rate starts to slow before she comes up cautiously. "Jesus Christ! What was that?" Her eyes narrow like a cat's. "Oh, of course." Hiccup follows her eyes to—
Astrid Hofferson stands at the edge of her court, her hands outstretched impatiently. "You want me to get up to throw your ball back that you lobbed at us? Uh-huh, that'll happen." Lindsay crosses her legs resolutely, never breaking her gaze from Astrid. Hiccup stares at her, astonished. "What? You can't just let her push you around!"
What? You can't? Hiccup thinks.
Astrid cocks her head, eyebrows raised in confusion. She slowly crosses their court and picks up her ball. She stops as she came back, planting herself squarely in front of them, and giving them her best intimidating look. "Oh, do you want our heads too? You seemed to be aiming for them," Lindsay says sweetly.
The lines of Astrid's body seem to pulsate; rage flashes in her beautiful ocean-eyes. "You—" Her hand clenches into a fist. Lindsay stands, deliberately. Her heart sounds like a Congo drum. She hopes she won't get suspended; she'll never make up the work.
Vandy, for once making himself useful, happens to look up. Astrid scowls; she isn't stupid enough to punch someone with a teacher looking on. She bares her teeth and flounces off to where Snoutlout is waiting.
Lindsay sinks back to the ground, an impossibly large smile making her eyes glow. "I can't believe I just did that," she says just as Hiccup blurts out, "I can't believe you did that!"
"You have no idea how long I've wanted to though," she says breathlessly. "Seriously, I haven't been this happy since the Steelers won the super bowl."
"You don't seem like the type to follow sports…"
"What, are you crazy? No, I bet they would win and I ended up winning $250…but God, I've wanted to actually say something to her for years. This is great!"
Hiccup, abruptly, guiltily, laughs. "You just told off Astrid!" He can't believe he's laughing at the girl he's idolized since 2nd grade, but he can't believe he's just made a friend either.
"I did," she agrees, laughing with him. For an immeasurable moment, they are suspended in time, floating in a happiness rare in gym class.
Astrid happens to look over, and feels a protective, angry irritation at Hiccup Haddock, laughing with that Lindsay girl. He's my stalker! Unconsciously, she finds herself beaming the ball them. Again.
"DUCK!" Lindsay screeches. Oh, she's not just going to be a little sarcastic this time. That was on purpose! She lunges for the escaping ball, scrambles up and connects her hazel eyes with Astrid's blue ones.
She tosses the ball into the air, waiting for gravity to take effect and push it back down. She focuses on her anger. Her fist connects with the ball with more force than she's ever exerted in a gym class (and that includes the chaos of freeze tag in sixth grade). The volleyball rockets back to Astrid and she—
She drops it. It's too strong for her.
Vandy grants Lindsay an uncharacteristic, "Good job!" before returning to his Sports Illustrated. "Because that's the only time you've ever seen me hit a ball," she mutters.
Astrid gapes at her like she's turned into a Martian. Lindsay waves and smiles. She turns back to Hiccup, still smiling, and says, "So, out of pure curiosity, what made you fall so hard for that girl?"
It's a strange thought that Hiccup's least favorite class brought him an actual friend. But he's not complaining.
Reviews make my day, so write them!