So…nothing much else to say…so…hi! Skipping now to…
Review Replies:
EagleDragon15: Yeah, that would suck!
RogueDeityMaster: She might talk with him again soon.
MrAndersIversen: Well, the whole point of the story is Astrid wanting to meet this Hiccup and she hasn't done that yet. Glad that you liked the ending. I dunno why I just didn't. Haha.
DeathStrike59: Perhaps in the spring semester.
waveringshadow: He is! Originally, I wasn't going to have that, but…it works for this chapter, especially. Hey, it's cool. I'm just glad you took time to say some words about the last chapter. It's okay to not always comment on every chapter. I understand. I really needed to map this story out a bit. As it was, it was too loose and (I feel) suffering slightly because of it. I need some structured plan when I write. Haha.
willblossom33: I try to update quickly. Sometimes it's harder, but I do try my best.
HiccupHaddockIII: Yes, very stupid professor! Haha. Here's the next chapter.
Carlmike94: I know! I would've hated if that had ever happened to me when I was still a student.
TheVikingStranger: Yes, the teacher meant well, but…it didn't turn out so happily for Astrid. You are right! This chapter right here is a Hiccup chapter. Good guess!
SarnakhtheSunderer: It doesn't sound impatient. I like the idea. What type of confrontation would you like to see?
Chapter 26: Hiccup and Fishlegs
On days such as today when Hiccup had afternoon classes, he preferred to meet up with his friend Fishlegs for lunch on campus. Sure, he only lived five minutes away but it was just so much easier to buy already-prepared food than to go home and make his own…even if the on-campus food was only barely edible. Fishlegs would be getting out of his morning class soon and then they would have about an hour to eat before Hiccup's class began. Hiccup waited outside the building where Fishlegs's class was held so that the two friends could walk together.
Hiccup waited in the shadows of the building. It was his favorite spot. Unless you knew that he stood there and actually looked for him to be there, you would never even see him. Berk University students walked in and out of the building as classes ended and other classes prepared to begin. As he waited, Hiccup engaged in one of his favorite pastimes: people watching. What else was there to do while he waited? Students at Berk University came from all walks of the earth. There were students who looked like criminals and there were students who looked like they should be attending some prestigious Ivy League school. Although, those were the extreme ends of the spectrum and Hiccup rarely saw students who fell into such categories. Observing the students, Hiccup's creative mind created stories about them and the lives they led.
Hiccup had made up several short (and, most likely, unrealistic) stories when he noticed someone familiar. And there's Astrid. She's in such a hurry. I wonder if she's late for class. He felt an urge to race after her and make himself known, but Hiccup held back. No, I can't. She barely even knows who I am. Besides, I'm pretty insignificant in the whole scheme of things on this university campus.
So, instead of running to Astrid and comforting her, Hiccup remained steadfast in the shadows. Hiccup was so intent on watching Astrid rush away from the building that he never even noticed Fishlegs's approach until the bulky boy tapped him on the shoulder. The smaller boy jumped and he could've sworn that he heard Fishlegs laughing at him. "Yeah, yeah…hilarious. You ready for lunch now?"
At Fishlegs's nod, Hiccup led the way to the nearby dining hall. The walk was short and when they arrived, Hiccup allowed Fishlegs to step into the waiting line before him. Hiccup, unlike Fishlegs, did not have a meal plan so he had to pull out some cash. When both young men had paid, they walked together to their favorite table in a secluded corner of the dining hall. Dropping their backpacks to hold their place, Hiccup and Fishlegs joined the lines to fill a plate of food to eat for lunch.
Because he did not eat nearly as much food as his friend, Hiccup filled his plate first and returned to the table to begin eating. He was almost halfway finished with his first plate when Fishlegs returned with his plate piled high.
"You hungry, Fishlegs? There's enough food there to feed a dragon!" Hiccup joked. This was nothing new. He said pretty much the same words every time they gathered for lunch together.
"You know me by now, Hiccup. I need my food," Fishlegs answered, not even phased anymore by the joke.
Then the real lunchtime conversation began. Fishlegs grabbed Hiccup's attention by talking about some new code he had learned in class yesterday and Hiccup couldn't help but feel a little envious. His friend was a Computer Science major, another major that Hiccup would've chosen over Business. Hiccup's father had once suggested that a Computer Science minor would complement his Business well, but Hiccup had never looked into it to see if Berk University even offered such a minor.
Fishlegs rambled on and on about his Computer Science classes and it almost felt normal, but Hiccup had known Fishlegs long enough now to tell when something was amiss. It felt as though Fishlegs was holding back, that there was something that he wanted to say, but couldn't for some reason. Finally, Hiccup couldn't take it anymore. "Okay, Fishlegs, what is this about?" Hiccup noticed the other boy's confused look and so he elaborated. "I've known you long enough now to know when something's up. What are you not telling me?"
Pushing his finished plate into the center of the table, Fishlegs took a steadying breath. "There's no getting past you, is there, Hiccup?" Hiccup nodded and Fishlegs continued. "If you must know, it's about Astrid."
Hiccup's eyes widened at the familiar name. Quickly, he shushed Fishlegs. "Not here," he whispered. "She goes to school here. She could be in this room right now. We need to go somewhere more private. Come on, let's get rid of these plates and then we'll go talk in the Computer Science Lounge."
The Computer Science Lounge (affectionately known as "The Nerd Lounge") was an open space located in the building that housed the Computer Science major classes. Most days "The Nerd Lounge" was empty. Sometimes some of the Computer Science major students would take a break there, but they were usually too engrossed in their handheld gaming devices to notice their surroundings.
Hiccup led the way to the conveyor belt where he dumped his used plate and watched as it made its way into the dish room where work study students would wash it and place it back out for another hungry student to use.
Together Fishlegs and Hiccup walked to the secluded Computer Science Lounge. As expected, it was empty. The boys plopped down on one of the couches and Hiccup wasted no time in reviving Fishlegs's story. "Okay, so what about Astrid?" Because Fishlegs and Hiccup both worked for the hotline (which is how the two friends had originally met), they had talked before about Hiccup's most interesting caller.
"Well…first, um…I probably should've noticed, but she's in my Science class. Today was pretty hard for her. The professor kinda…called her out."
"Called her out?" Hiccup hunched forward a little more so he was closer to Fishlegs who sat across from him. "What do you mean?"
"The professor welcomed her back and…well, it was supposed to be this nice gesture, but I could see Astrid tense when it happened and she was uneasy throughout the rest of the class and then when we were finished, she bolted out real quick."
Resting his chin in his hand, Hiccup thought back to when he had seen Astrid earlier. She had been in a hurry and he had just assumed she was late to class. So she wasn't trying to get to class…she was trying to get away from class. "Is that all you have to tell me about Astrid?" Hiccup asked.
"Actually no. Um…you know that night when you had class?"
"Uh…yeah, how could I forget?" Hiccup answered. "It's torture. Every Business class I have to take for this stupid degree is torture." Shifting back on topic, Hiccup asked, "What about that night?"
"Astrid called on that night…and I talked with her."
Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" He couldn't imagine his friend holding up well under the pressure that was a conversation with Astrid. "And how did that go?" Dropping his joking tone, Hiccup asked seriously, "Why did she call the hotline?"
"How did it go?" Fishlegs replied with a question of his own. "Haddock, you can talk with her! There was too much pressure. She probably wanted to talk with you anyway!" he almost whined, causing Hiccup to smirk at his friend's reaction. Becoming serious again, Fishlegs answered Hiccup's second question. "She called because she said she was feeling stressed from all the make-up work she has to finish before final exams."
Hiccup, intrigued by Fishlegs's story, asked then, "Did you help her?"
"I gave her advice, but I don't know if she took it. I dunno, Hiccup, that call with Astrid…it kinda made me question myself. I don't know if I'm a good Angel. I'm not much of an advice-giver."
Hiccup laughed, but it was meant to be comforting. "Nonsense, Fishlegs! You're a great Angel. Astrid is just hard to please. She's stubborn. Trust me, I know."
"If you say so…"
"I do say so!" Hiccup looked down at his watch and groaned. "I guess I should get going. Wouldn't want to miss another super exciting business class!" he, his voice dripping with sarcasm, told Fishlegs.
As Hiccup placed his backpack onto his shoulders and started walking toward the College of Business, he couldn't stop thinking about what Fishlegs had told him. I only have two nights where I attend class and have guaranteed nights off from working the Hotline. Astrid has avoided calling for so long and…of course she'd call on one of the few nights when I'm not there! Why does this always happen to me? Why do the Gods hate me so much?
First, I apologize for the lame chapter title. It's 3AM, I'm tired, and I have to get up tomorrow and call back a school (one of the ones I really want to work for!) about an interview next week. I'm sure I've said by now how much my telephobia affects me. These are all reasons why this ending might feel rushed as well.
Next we skip to…Final Exams…and some other things…and it's back to Astrid next chapter.
Thank you all for reading and supporting Your Own Personal Savior!
Posted: July 16, 2015