Chapter 9

So it is a bright and sunny day here in beautiful Florida. Yes, I am now on my family vacation and at my Nana's house, so I get to type! As of right now, this story is at 4,955 views, wow you guys are amazing. I don't own Httyd franchise and please review.

"What's that?" Astrid asked, eyeing Rachael as she slipped something from the back of her belt.

"Oh, this? It's mine," Rachael said, holding up the object for Astrid to see, it was a simple handgun.

"Yeah, I see that, but why do you have it?" Astrid asked, staring at her friend nervously.

"Oh, well, you can't tell anyone, but I'm an undercover cop," Rachael answered, placing the gun on Astrid's bed, before starting to take her clothes off.

"And what makes you think that I should believe you?" Astrid asked, she was in the process of putting her Captain America costume on, the outfit was a tight fit, so it showed off all of her curves.

"Well if I wasn't an undercover cop and was a psychotic maniac instead, don't you think that you would be dead by now?" Rachael challenged.

"Good point," Astrid replied, pulling her hair into the outfit's mask.

"Yeah, besides I haven't been out for work in a while," Rachael shrugged her shoulders as she zipped up the front of her costume.

When both girls were properly clothed for them party, some guests had already started to arrive. Most of them were tourists on vacation with their families so far, but there were also some of the local residents, like the Johnsons whose daughter went to school with Astrid.

As the two girls made their way to the backyard, they bumped into Tony and Freddy, Tony was dressed as Jack Sparrow and Freddy was dressed as Patrick Star. The group walked to the big tent that was set up in the center of the yard. The costumes were simply amazing, most of the elementary school girls were either dressed as fairies or their favorite Disney Princesses.

There were a lot more people under a tent than there was previously thought. Astrid noticed Spencer and his parents by the punch bowl, a petite ginger clinging to his arm, Astrid thought that she recognized the girl as Katherine, a prodigy art student. Heather was also nearby, she was flirting with some guys dressed as what they claimed to be Michael Phelps. Looking around though, Astrid could not find Harrison in the crowd, but she did see Eric.

"Shit," she whispered under her breath, catching Rachael's attention.

"What's wrong?" Rachael asked.

"You know that guy from senior year, he's here," Astrid said making a move to walk in the opposite direction.

Rachael grabbed Astrid's arm. "Dude, don't freak, masquerade remember? He won't recognize you," Rachael encouraged, "hopefully," she adds barely audible.

"Okay, Miss cop," Astrid said, walking back next to her friend.

Rachael hit her. "Dude! Don't blow my cover!" Rachael whisper-yelled at Astrid.

"Sorry," Astrid apologized, rubbing her arm.

"Hey, look, it's your new friend," Rachael nudged her in the arm teasingly.

"Where?" Astrid asked, not looking around, but glaring at her older friend.

"Over there, talking to some blonde, and behind Mr. Jorgenson," Rachael pointed in the direction Harrison was to show Astrid.

"Yeah, but that also happens to be where Eric is, I'm good here," Astrid's voice quavered a little.

"Look, I see the way you look at him, I see a crush in your eyes, plus the dude is totally heads over heels for you," Rachael admitted, shoving Astrid forward a little.

"NO, Rachael, I don't want to go over there," AStrid answered, trying to stop Rachael from pushing her even further away from the boys they were with.

"Oh, come on, it'll be fun," Rachael teased, still pushing Astrid towards Harrison.

"I'm going to kill you," Astrid nearly shouted, her voice lost in the noise of the crowd, her resistance was futile at this point.

"Hey, dude, I forget your name, but here's your friend," Rachael announced, reaching Harrison and leaving Astrid by herself.

Astrid was trying to hide behind her plastic shield, her face turned bright red in the process. Harrison was dressed as Indiana Jones, this made Astrid blush more. The presence of Astrid made the blonde that he was talking to walk off to talk with Spencer, Astrid recognized the girl as Amelia.

"Um, hi, do I know you?" Harrison asked, gesturing to Astrid.

Astrid stared at him like seriously. "What? You mean that you don't recognize my face?"

"Well, um, half of it is hidden by a mask," he pointed to the blue mask. "Maybe if you take it off I will," he offered.

Astrid glanced behind him to see Eric looking in her direction. She looked back at Harrison stiffly, "Actually, I'd prefer not to right now," she said.

"Why? What does it matter?" he asked looking behind himself to try and see what she was looking at.

"Because, I could show you somewhere else, like maybe outside," Astrid suggested, making an attempt to slink away to the tent's entrance.

"Okay then, let's go, lead the way," he motioned his hands in her direction, ready to follow.

Outside the tent, the air was cooler and the lights from the tent stretched across the yard creating oblong shadows. Astrid and Harrison were walking towards the estate's gardens.

"So I think that we've gone far enough," Harrison said aloud.

"Okay," Astrid said, turning back to face him. She pulled her mask back, away from her head.

"Astrid?" Harrison asked astonished.

"Yeah, it's me," she answered.

"I thought that you left Newport, I haven't seen you in a week," he said, grabbing her arms.

"I transferred jobs. I work at glass blowing now," Astrid said.

"Why?" he asked, still holding her arms.

"Because I knew too many people who went to the restaurant, I didn't want one of them to recognize me," Astrid said quietly, looking away from Harrison.

"What's wrong?" he asked, putting a hand on her cheek and facing her back to him.

"It's nothing, it's just that the other kids my age don't like me," Astrid admitted.

"I like you," Harrison said, pulling her into a hug.

I hope that you guys liked this chapter. I don't know when I'll update next, being on vacation and all, so bear with me.
What do you think is going to happen in the next chapter? I know, but what do you think? Please pm or review to let me know.