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Read, review, and enjoy chapter 9 of A Penny For Your Thoughts!
Toothless rested his head on my lap and he seemed to be listening intently.
"I didn't exactly tell her, but I didn't make it hard for her. When the doors opened she even defended me! But, after that it went back to normal: I couldn't talk to her, she wouldn't talk to me. I still had a full conversation, at least I have one life accomplishment." I explained. Toothless faked offense at my last statement: his head jolted up and he started me down, looking from his leg to me.
"You're right Toothless. Two life accomplishments." I smiled. Toothless leaned over to lick my face then jumped up and bolted to the closed door.
"You want to go outside?" I asked. Toothless jerked his head toward the door then barked furiously.
"Okay, okay, Bud, calm down!" I quickly opened the door, confused, and Toothless sprinted, as best he could, out the door, down the stairs, and to the back entrance of Gobber's house. I furrowed my brow while while I ran after him. I made my way downstairs and found Toothless scratching the door, I opened it and he took off.
"Toothless wait!" I yelled, but his incredible speed did not falter. I followed him to the woods, stopping at the tree line momentarily to wonder where Toothless was headed. I kept after him, not wanting to loose him, and found him in a small clearing. I entered the clearing and a wave of painful memories hit me. I quickly pushed them away and made my way to Toothless.
"Uh, Toothless? Why did you lead me here?" I asked, very curious. Suddenly something small and hard hit me in the back of my head. I gasped, whipping around and bringing a hand to the back of my head. Toothless immediately switched into protective mode, growling and falling into a battle ready stance.
"It's okay Toothless, it didn't hurt." I reassured him, though I was distracted. I looked into the thick of the forest to find the thrower but saw no one. I searched the forest floor to find what hit me and found only a single penny lying on a patch of thick moss. I knelt down and picked it up, turning it around in my fingers and furrowing my brow.
"A penny for your thoughts?" Someone asked. I knew that voice, I jerked my head up and saw Astrid leaning against a tree with her arms crossed. I jumped up, startled, and stepped in front of Toothless to keep him still.
"Astrid! W-Wjat are you doing here?" I sputtered out. Astrid flicked her head, her bangs flowing out of her face, then sighed.
"I couldn't leave this alone, Hiccup. I asked Gobber where you might come to be alone and he told me you are always around the forest." Astrid explained. I noticed she was holding something black and a wave of anxiety washed over me. After I stayed silent, my eyes traveling anywhere but her sheepishly, Astrid must have figured I wasn't going to talk. She pushed herself off of the tree and uncrossed her arms, revealing what she was holding: my father's gun, the very same one I took and almost used. Toothless' growling intensified at the sight of the gun and he looked ready to pounce. I sighed deeply; Astrid was smart, I couldn't lead her astray any more.
"Okay, fine, I'll explain, just not here. And please hide that somewhere before Toothless loses it." I begged, placing me hand on the back of Toothless' neck to calm him down. Astrid went behind a tree to bury the gun then came back over to us. Toothless stopped growling but was very tense as she approached.
"Where are we going to go?" Astrid asked in an alarmingly non-hostile tone, putting her hands on her hips. "Your house?"
"No!" I nearly yelled, throwing my hands out. Astrid seemed surprised at my sudden outburst.
"I-I mean, I'm sure there is somewhere else we could go. My house is just so… house-like… and we don't want to have to go there… right?" I sputtered out, shrugging my shoulders and rubbing my neck. In the middle of talking it hit me that Astrid Hofferson actually wants to go some where with me. It may not be because she wants to spend time with me but that didn't stop me from losing it just a little. Astrid raised an eyebrow and I knew she was trying with all her might not to just leave me here.
"Okay, we can go to my house then." Astrid decided. My heart nearly stopped, but then I remembered why I was going over to Astrid Hofferson's house. I sighed, this was not going to be fun.
When we arrived at Astrid's house after a silent, very awkward walk, she stopped before opening the door. She glanced at Toothless then gave me a slightly apologetic look. I, once again, sighed deeply.
"My parents aren't big animal people." Astrid explained. I nodded, scratching Toothless' head.
"Wait out here, Bud." I instructed. Toothless looked up at me with a protective gleam in his eyes.
"Don't worry Toothless, I'll be right out." I promised. Toothless licked my hand then laid down on the front porch. Astrid pushed open the door and I followed her in, closing the door behind me.
"Why don't I give you the tour?" Astrid suggested. I nodded, still unable to bring words to my mouth.
The front door of Astrid's house opened up into the living room, including a leather couch and love seat, a glass coffee table, a TV on a stand, and had family pictures lining the beige walls. Through an arched doorway to the right was a modern kitchen with polished steel appliances and a small round table with four chairs and a bouquet in a decorative vase. Through a door in the back of the den was Astrid's parents room, I wasn't allowed in there for unmentioned reasons. In the back left of the room was a hardwood staircase leading up to another beige hallway lined with pictures of Astrid throughout her years. There were three doors in the hallway: a guest room immediately in front of the stairs, a bathroom halfway down, and Astrid's room at the far end of the hallway.
Astrid led me down the hall to her room and opened the door, revealing a small, bland room consisting in a blue bed, a closet, and a shiny wooden desk. Astrid settled on the edge of her bed as I stood awkwardly in the doorway. I had always dreamed of the moment Astrid would want to talk to me, but now all I want is for her to leave me be. Astrid gestured for me to sit down in the chair pushed under her desk. I timidly walked into the room and seated myself, still very tense. There was an uncomfortable silence as we each waited for the other to speak.
"Uh…" My hand brought itself to the back of my head as I studied the room uneasily, hoping Astrid would get the message that I had no idea what she wanted from me.
"You just have to answer one simple question: why?" Astrid instructed.
"It seemed like the best option." I answered simply. Astrid's eyes widened and I felt the least I cold do was to justify me answer.
"Let me explain. It all started when my mom died. I was just a baby when it happened, but according to Gobber my dad didn't handle her death too well. Gobber said Dad started becoming harsh and hateful. He acted like nothing was wrong at work, he had to be strong for his people, but at home was a different story. Gobber had to take care of me, before I could do it myself, because my dad didn't acknowledge me.
"Then, when I was old enough to go to school Gobber decided to get a job at the school to keep an eye on me without alarming my father. You see, they had what you might call an aggressive disagreement about my father's methods for raising me, more precisely the lack thereof: he was ignoring me. Gobber was right, after all, but my father was angry… very angry. I still don't know if it was just what Gobber said that set him off or if it was the past five years' anger coming out. That night was the beginning. That night… was the first time my dad hit me." I relayed, my eyes glues on the floor. Astrid gasped and I heard the bed creak with her movement, but I couldn't bring myself to look her in the face. I took a deep breath, shifted slightly in my seat, and continued.
"He would go to work before I woke up for school, he would come home late at night, never acknowledging me. The only time he wouldn't look right through me was when I initiated contact. I would ask him a harmless question or simply say hi and he would erupt on me.
"How could someone do that to their own son?" Astrid interrupted. I forced my eyes up to hers, noticing strong emotion etched across her features.
"He didn't think of me as a son. Recently, he told me all he thought of me was a reminder of his beloved wife and the reason he lost her. I don't know what he meant by that. Anyway, you know most of the part of the story at school, not much better." Astrid looked to the ground, guilt and shame evident in her eyes.
"About a week and a half ago, I got in a fight with my father, and thats when I… tried to do it. And I would have… if it weren't for Toothless. He stopped me and gave me the friend I have always needed.
"That's…" Astrid couldn't seem to find the right words. I sat uncomfortably in the harm staring at the gray carpet, wait for her response.
"Hiccup, I-" Astrid began but I shook my head.
"You don't have to say anything." I assured Astrid.
"Hiccup I'm sorry. I had no idea." Astrid apologized. I shouldn't have been shocked by her answer, but I was nonetheless. I felt myself relax, physically and mentally.
"What are you going to do now?" Astrid had many different emotions swimming through her azure eyes as I peered into them. I was taken aback by her question, I hadn't thought about what I would do next.
"Just what I always do: let my dad calm down for a few days then go on my way." I answered, shrugging my shoulders.
"No, I'm going to help you fix your relationship with your father." Astrid announced. I had a feeling she would say something like that but I still had to try to talk her out of it.
"I don't know if that is such a good idea…" I advised.
"Well I do. We'll start tomorrow and have the whole weekend since the trip was cut short." Astrid planned.
"That's not really necessary, I mean, we could just… not." I suggested. Astrid rolled her eyes, sliding off her bed and crossing her arms.
"I'm not going to win this one, am I?" I realized.
"Nope." Astrid answered, starting out of her room. She waved for me to follow and led me to the front door. She opened it, revealing a very enthusiastic black dog. I stepped out to greet him, rubbing his neck.
"I'll see you in the morning then. Meet me here and we'll go to your dad's office together." Astrid ordered. She shot me a small grin then closed the door. A metallic clicking sounded, the door being locked, then a moment later the light in the main room went out. I turned in the direction of Gobber's house, only then realizing hoe late it was. I exhaled deeply.
"We'd better get to Gobber's and get some rest. I've got to be back here bright and early. I can't wait." I explained, feigning joy. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
