A/N: It being the 8 year anniversary of HTTYD's release I am releasing my fic for it. Now I am terrible at updating in a timely fashion so I appreciate patience as I have five published works and dozen other projects in the works that I devote time to as ideas come to me. I appreciate feed back and suggestions for the story to make sure it stays fresh and entertaining.
Astrid awoke to a bright new day on Berk. Spring break was over, and it was going to be everyone's first day at school. She wasn't worried though. She was a straight A student, the most popular girl, and captain of the state champ volleyball team. She had the most loyal friends and the most incredible boyfriend ever. As prom was quickly approaching, she was all too sure they would be crowned king and queen. She knew it was stereotypical, but it was her life and she loved it.
She was just finishing her make-up when she heard a vehicle stop in front of her house. It honked the horn signifying it was her friends coming to get her for school. She glanced out to see her boyfriend's black Jeep Wrangler parked out front.
She scooped up her pack and ran down stairs. She came out the front door and ran to the Jeep. She saw her friends Ruffnut and Tuffnut bickering in the back seat. In between them sat Snotlout trying to separate the twins. Fishlegs, had climbed into the very back and was likely reading one of his comics. Astrid opened the front passenger door and climbed in.
"Morning Sweetheart" she said.
"Morning Babe." Eret said.
Astrid leaned in and kissed her amazing boyfriend Eret. He was a large muscular man. He was the football captain and most popular guy in school. They separated, and Astrid buckled her seatbelt. Eret popped the Wrangler into gear and rolled down the street. After a few turns they were rolling down the highway.
They started to cross the long suspension bridge that ran from one end of Norse Harbor to the other. As they crossed Astrid looked out her window toward their small town. They lived in the small town of Berk. How she despised it. It's twelve days north of hopeless and a few degrees south of freezing to death. It's located solidly on the Meridian of Misery. She longed for life outside of Berk. Some adventure. Some excitement. Not this mundane existence.
Astrid looked down into the waters of Norse Harbor. Fishing vessels and container ships sailed in and out of the harbor all day. The town thrived on its lumber and fishing industry. Outside of those there was nothing in Berk. A dull life in a dead-end town was what awaited anyone who didn't get out. That's why Astrid pushed herself so hard in school and sports. She wasn't going to have anything hold her back from getting out. Soon the Jeep drove off the bridge and up into the hills toward the high school leaving the view of Berk behind them.
Berk High School was about like any school. Simple, plain, and bland. The parking lot was already near full by the time the gang pulled in. Students were rushing inside or chatting up their friends.
Eret managed to find a free space near the back of the lot so he swooped in before someone could nab it. Everyone quickly climbed out of the Jeep. Again, Ruff and Tuff got to bickering and Snotlout and Fishlegs were jabbering about something. Eret swung around the Jeep and wrapped an arm around Astrid's waist and they all started toward the school.
An old 90s Chevy two door pickup truck with a side step bed pulled passed them and into the space just a few down from theirs. On the side were fade letters that read Haddock Lumber Company. The others didn't pay it no mind, but Astrid seemed to. A skinny kid with brown hair climbed out of the cab. Hiccup Haddock. Hiccup was the "odd kid". Every small-town school had one it seemed. He didn't fit anywhere and mostly kept to himself. He hadn't ever been a social butterfly but during their fourth-grade year his mom died of cancer. He took it incredibly hard. It also didn't help that his father, Stoic Haddock, was head of the town council and CEO of the towns biggest lumber company in Berk. So, without friends or a present father, life got hard for him. He withdrew and became an outcast. Now-a-days it was considered social suicide to be associated with him. Part of Astrid felt sympathy for him but never to the point to admit it. As she walked into the building with her friends she put it out of her mind.
The group dispersed to their classes after they entered. Eret left Astrid with a kiss on the cheek as he ran off to his morning gym class and Astrid to her history class.
She dropped off most of her belongings at her locker and went to her class room. She was one of the last people to arrive and she assumed her assigned seat. Just as the bell rang Hiccup rushed through the door with an arm full of textbooks and notebooks. He shuffled down the row of desks next to Astrid and took his seat a few back from her.
The teacher began his lesson for the day. They reviewed Berk history back in the 9th Century when it was a simple Viking village. When the teacher started talking about Berk's great founder and chieftain Stoic the Vast Astrid stole a glance at Hiccup.
Hiccup was the great great great great great great great grandson of Stoic the Vast. The Haddock clan had ruled over Berk as long as anyone could remember. However, Hiccup hardly paid the lesson on his ancestor any mind. Instead he was writing feverously in his notebook.
The class progressed as such and soon enough the bell rang to dismiss them. Astrid shoved her belongings in her back and quickly rushed to get to her next class on the other side of the building. She moved her way through the crowd in the hall.
"Astrid!" someone called behind her. She turned to see Hiccup running after her waving a book over his head. When he got to her he caught his breath and said, "You dropped this in class."
He extended the book to her. She saw it was her brown leather notebook. It held a lot of her deeply personal things. If she were to lose it, her world would begin to unravel.
Astrid eagerly took the book, "Oh my god, you're a life saver. Thank you."
"Don't mention it." He said with a cheesy goofy grin on his face.
Astrid turned to rush to her next class. About halfway down the hall she stopped and looked back at Hiccup who had already turned and started toward his own class. Astrid smirked, she didn't quite know why. Like she was privy to a punchline to a joke not even she knew.
