Astrid wasn't sure of what to think as they waited outside Tuff's door. 11B, just her luck. She could hear loud music and laughter inside, but was not at all feeling the vibe Ruff seemed to be. The other girl was grinning, her long hair pulled into a ponytail instead of loose as she usually left it.
Astrid pounded a fist on the door, her patience trickling down the invisible drain at her feet with every pulse of the bass inside. She was just about to give up and ditch Ruffnut when the door flew open. Scott Jorgenson, absolute high school heartbreaker, leered at them and stepped to the side so they could come in, his eyes never leaving Astrid's chest.
She tugged the neckline of her top up self-consciously. His gaze didn't shift, even when she left him at the door to follow Ruff into the kitchen.
Bad decision. A girl was laying on the table when they came in, holding her top up so someone could pour vodka into her naval. Another girl, almost too drunk to stand, sucked the alcohol up and pumped a fist into the air. People cheered and someone else took the girl on the table's place.
Astrid rolled her eyes and stepped out of the kitchen. As soon as she had broken away from the crowd, Scott appeared in front of her, that leering grin still on his lips.
"Hey," he said.
Astrid narrowed her eyes at him. Not that he noticed, he was obviously talking to her boobs and not her face. She felt the urge to adjust her top again. "Get out of my way."
"I've really missed you," Scott continued.
"I don't care. Move."
"You must be Google, because I've found just what I'm searching for."
Astrid rolled her eyes. Where did he get that one, the internet?
Scott rested a hand on the wall behind her, cornering her. Astrid's hands balled into fists at her sides. She gripped the sides of her denim shorts to keep herself from breaking his nose. Not that he didn't deserve it, because he really did.
"You know, I have never felt the same way about another girl, Astrid. You are so pretty, and smart, and… uh, nice. You've got a great figure too. Do you work out?"
She couldn't hold back anymore. She growled and saw her own fist crash into the side of his nose, which cracked loudly. Blood spouted from his nose and stained the neck of his Blues jersey. She held her hand to her chest as she watched, feeling oddly content.
"You bitch!" Scott roared, but it actually came out sounding like 'Oo biff.'
A few people turned to look at them. A few gaped at the scene and whispered, while others just rolled their eyes and ignored them. It wasn't the first time that Scott had been punched by one of his many exes. Astrid was just the most recent to gain enough courage to do so.
Astrid looked around the room with livid eyes. Great. It was only her second semester in college and she had already made a few enemies, judging by the glares a group of freshman girls were giving her. She couldn't care less about what they thought of her, but she didn't need them looking at her like she was invading their turf.
She brushed passed Scott and ignored his protest. One of his bloody hands grabbed her arm but she shook it off. She had to Ruff and get out before anything else could happen.
There were four doors, two on either side of the small hallways she had gone down. She pressed her ear against the first door and heard nothing. A familiar smell escaped under the second, so she pushed it open.
Ruffnut was sitting in a circle with her dreadlock-wearing brother and some of his friends, her eyes glazed over. A grin stretched across her face when she saw Astrid.
"'Strid!" she cheered. "You're just in time. We were just about to break out the good stuff."
Astrid wrinkled her nose. "No. We need to go home."
Ruff frowned and leaned against her brother, who had long-since passed out. "Why? I'm having so much fun, 'Strid. You should try having fun. I think you'd like it."
"Because I just broke Scott Jorgenson's nose, now come on! Get up!" Astrid grabbed the other girl's arms and hauled her to her feet. Ruff giggled and fell back down.
"No. I like it here."
"Rachel-"
"Noooo-"
Astrid let go of her limp arms and stepped away from the circle. "Fine. Stay. But don't expect anyone to let you in at three am," Astrid huffed.
Ruff grinned. "Ok, mom."
Astrid shook her head as she closed the door behind her, sealing the smell inside the room. She ran a hand over her face as she walked back down the hall and pushed her way through the growing crowd. Just great. She turned a corner and collided with something warm and solid.
She pushed her against the person's-his-chest and looked up into brilliant forest green eyes.
Shit. That was the first thing to register in her mind. Then she was stepping back, crossing her arms and looking away.
Henry rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Uh, hey."
Astrid crossed her arms. "Hi."
"So… what are you doing here?"
Where had all of that confidence gone? Astrid looked down at her shoes, her mind suddenly filled with bits and pieces of that night in his room.
"I'm here with a friend. We live across the hall," she said.
"What about you?"
"I, uh, live here."
"Oh really? Good, because it's kind of weird to bring a girl back to your friend's room," Astrid said sarcastically. She saw the corners of his lips curl downwards.
"Yeah. Not exactly the most romantic night of my life…"
"Are you saying that it was bad?"
"No! I just… I don't remember much. But it was good-really good -from what I do remember," he said.
"It's so loud in here. I can barely hear you," she said.
"Oh. Do you, uh, wanna-"
"I'm not having sex with you if that's what you're going to ask."
He blinked dumbly at her, his face flushed a light pink. "No, I was going to ask if you wanted to go somewhere quiet."
"Oh," Astrid said quietly. "Yeah, that sounds nice."
A lopsided grin stretched across his face. Somehow it made him looked even more handsome as he led her back down the hallway. He opened one of the doors and held it open for her, like she had always seen in those old movies, and she chuckled.
She sat down on the bed, trying to ignore the fact that the last time she had been in the same bed they had both been naked and sweaty, too drunk to care about the repercussions that would follow the next morning.
"So, I saw that you met Frankie."
Astrid's small smile fell. "Sorry about that. I was just checking the time, and then I saw the text-"
He shook his head and sat down in front of the bed. "No, it's not really a big deal. I'm just not a huge fan of your knowing my real name."
"Henry?" she asked. He winced and nodded. "What's wrong with Henry?"
"I prefer Hiccup. I'm not really a Henry sort of guy, and it just kind of caught on, so… yeah. My name is Hiccup now."
"Astrid. But how did you get the nickname Hiccup? Scott used to go by Snot, so is this just the apartment where everyone is nicknamed after an involuntary reflex?" Astrid laughed.
He leaned back on his hands, smiling. "It's a long story."
"I've got time," she said.
Hiccup's smile faltered. There was a strange look in his eyes that she couldn't quite place. He cleared his throat awkwardly and began to pick at a loose thread on his shirt.
"Well, it's kind of embarrassing anyway," he said. He rubbed the back of his neck again- Astrid figured that it was a nervous habit of his.
"I've seen you naked, there's no reason to be embarrassed." Astrid grinned when he blushed and looked away.
"Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't-I had no idea that you lived across the hall from me. If I would have known, I probably wouldn't have-"
Astrid laughed and pulled her legs under her. "No, no, I had fun. But I hope that the next time we meet it won't be for drunk sex or because we didn't have a choice."
"If we meet again? Are you implying that you want to see me again?" Hiccup asked, his tone light and playful. That lopsided smile was playing with his lips.
"Maybe I am."
There it was again. The strange look in his green eyes. It was something like curiosity and regret and happiness all rolled into one. Then it was gone as quick as it had appeared.
Astrid stood up from the bed and pulled out her phone. It was already after midnight, and she really needed to get home if she was going to be on-time for class the next day. Hiccup stood also.
"So, um, do you maybe want to get coffee sometime?" Astrid asked.
Hiccup looked surprised for a moment. Then he seemed to come back to reality and smiled. "Yeah. I would like that. Here, let me give you my number."
Astrid handed her phone over and waited for him to type in his number. He handed it back after a few seconds and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Just text me so I have yours."
She typed in a quick message and clicked the send button. His phone went off on a desk she hadn't noticed before on the other side of the room, and he grabbed it.
"So, how about Tuesday?" Hiccup asked.
"Next Tuesday?"
He nodded.
"I can't. I have to take my car in to get my tires rotated. And then I'm visiting my brother in Colorado… what about the Saturday after that week?" Astrid asked.
"Sure. I guess I'll see you then."
Astrid smiled at him. "Great. I should be going, but text me sometime."
"I will."
Astrid felt his eyes on her back as she pushed her way through the crowd. Her heart fluttered against her ribcage, but for some reason she couldn't find it in herself to be mad at him. She glared at Snot as she passed him and left the apartment.
She glanced back at the shiny brass plate on the door before turning and crossing the hall to her own.
"So you're going out with a guy you picked up at a bar? Isn't there some kind of dating rule against that?" Ruff asked.
"There aren't any rules for dating, Ruff," Astrid replied from where she sat on the couch, her laptop open to a fresh page and sitting in her lap.
"Yeah there is. Like, you shouldn't let a guy put anything in your drink if you don't know him. Everyone knows that."
"That's called common sense," Astrid deadpanned.
"Whatever. Speaking of hot guys in bars, any chance you could talk to Eret for me?" Ruff asked, rolling onto her stomach on the floor to look up at her.
"What, why?"
"Because he is gorgeous and he's in your Mythology class. He's my future husband, Astrid, do this one little favor for me. I swear that I'll be there when you and your nerd hookup get hitched," Ruff pleaded.
"Hiccup and I are not getting married-we're not even really friends," Astrid said.
"Friends don't get drunk and do each other."
"You tried to kiss me once when you were drunk," Astrid pointed out.
Ruff groaned into the carpet. "It was one time. But come on, talk to him for me. I'll let you be my maid of honor if you do this for me."
Astrid sighed and shut her laptop. "Fine. But what's in it for me?"
"I'll buy you and Hiccup a box of glow in the dark condoms. You can get freaky all night long."
Astrid threw the pillow her laptop had been resting on at her. "I already told you that we're just getting coffee."
Ruffnut rolled her eyes and raised an arm to deflect the pillow. "Yeah, yeah, I'll believe it when I see it." She sat up and padded into the kitchen, mumbling under her breath. Astrid narrowed her eyes and leaned forward to grab the pillow, which she hurled at Ruff as hard as she could.
"Ow!"
Astrid grinned to herself as she turned around and opened her computer. That was, until the pillow came flying back and hit the back of her head, making her drop her laptop out of surprise.
Astrid jumped up from the couch and chased after the taller blonde. Ruffnut, having longer legs and being on the lacrosse team, reached her bedroom just seconds before Astrid did and slammed the door shut. Astrid banged her fists against it until the other girl's laughter subsided and her hands hurt.
Astrid lowered herself into a crouch as the ball descended above her. Her arms were sore but she forced herself to keep them straight as she lunged for the ball. Her scream bounced off of the walls of the gym as she sent the ball sailing back over the net.
A shorter blonde-haired girl on the other team-the Bog Burglars, a longtime rival to the Berk Dragons- jumped up and spiked it back. It slammed to the floor just in front of Astrid's feet.
Astrid grit her teeth and looked back at her team behind her. She nodded and a few nodded back or smiled. She turned around and glared at the blonde girl who had scored. The girl smirked and flipped her hair as she high-fived one of the other Bog players.
The whistle blew, signaling a five minute break.
"Hofferson!" her coach called, his blond brow knit over blue eyes.
Astrid jogged over to Gobber. He tossed her a water bottle and she caught it. She closed her eyes in relief as she took a long drink from it.
"What was that out there?" the burly man asked. He looked almost comical holding his tiny clipboard with the silver whistle around his neck.
"I didn't have enough time to get in there. She spiked it."
"Yes, I saw that. But you can't let them get to you- especially not Cara. She'll use that to her advantage and step all over you," Gobber said, laying a hand on her shoulder.
"Which one's Cara?" Astrid panted.
"Short blonde. Team captain. She's known as Camicazi for a reason you know. She's dangerous for our team." Gobber took the water bottle back and pointed out the smirking blonde with unruly curly hair. Astrid wondered if she had ever even tried to brush it. "Take her out and this should be a good game."
Astrid nodded. "Got it. Take out the ringleader."
Gobber smiled at her and clapped a hand over her back. "That's the Astrid I know. Now get out there!"
She trotted back to her spot and got into position. She watched as the girl behind her, Heather, sent the ball flying over their heads in a powerful overhand serve.
Camicazi grinned and said something to the redhead next to her. The girl nodded and stepped back into her place. She blended back into the sea of purple and red uniforms, the dark smile on her lips unseen.
The ball soared over the net, falling right toward Camicazi. She jumped up, only for the redhead to step in front of her and bump the ball over the net. Camicazi fumed, her blue eyes burning into the other girl. She shoved her back.
"Remember your place, Lindsey!" She growled.
The redhead, Lindsey, quirked an eyebrow at her. She took a step forward so that she towered over Camicazi by nearly half a head. "Don't tell me what to do, shorty. We all know that I would make a better captain than you."
Someone must have caught the ball, because Astrid never heard it hit the ground. She didn't look around to see who had though. It was far too interesting to watch The Great Camicazi blow up at one of her teammates for getting in her way of victory.
"Oh really? I'd like to see you try." Camicazi's fist connect with the other girl's abdomen, which made her groan in pain. Lindsey grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled. Camicazi yelled and twisted out of her grip, then elbowed her in the face. She used her lower gravity to throw Lindsey to the floor.
The rest of the Burglars stood back as they watched their captain fight with the bigger girl. Camicazi was clearly winning, but Lindsey wasn't going to give up anytime soon.
Gobber's whistle startled the whispering girls. He held his clipboard at his side as he rushed over. "Girls! Stop actin' like a couple of muttonheads!"
Camicazi sneered at Lindsey as Gobber pulled her off of the other girl by her arms. She shrugged his hands off and marched out of the gym, her blonde hair flouncing. A few girls cringed when the blue double doors slammed shut behind her.
Gobber looked around at the others. "Go home, all of you. Hopefully we can pick up next week without any interruptions." He narrowed his eyes at Lindsey, who rolled her eyes and followed the rest of her team.
Astrid smiled at her teammates as she jogged past them to catch up with Heather. The dark-haired girl's jade eyes lit up when she saw her.
"Hey, haven't seen you in a while," Heather said.
Astrid stopped to pick up her bag from the first row of the bleachers. She took a sip of her water bottle and put it back in the bag before slinging it over her shoulder. "You're never home."
"I'm a busy woman." Heather pushed open one of the doors and looked back at Astrid, her black ponytail swinging. "You know what that's like what with your job at the diner and school."
"Yeah. It's just been a long time since we last had a chance to talk like this. I kind of missed it." Astrid followed Heather across the parking lot to her car and slid into the passenger side. She tossed her bag in the back and reached for her seatbelt just as Heather was getting in the car.
"I did too. How about we get lunch before we head back? On me."
"Great." Astrid smiled at Heather as the other girl pulled out of the parking lot and turned onto the road. Buildings and cars shot by, and Astrid once again found herself marveling city's beauty.
