Thirty-Seven: Not How I Planned It

Monday came far too soon and Hiccup dragged himself out of bed. His ribs still twinged and he was still bruised but he had worked Sunday afternoon at the Diner as well and completed all his homework, spending any spare time on the internet, reading up everything he could about early pregnancy, dates and times and what to expect. And trying not to feel hideously guilty that he was concealing the whole situation from Astrid...because he knew the girl would be extremely mad about being lied to.

So as he walked into school on Monday morning, he decided to talk to Astrid, to let her know what Cami had said and make sure she was in on the situation. Everyone had told him that the correct thing was to talk to her and though he worried Astrid would possibly kill him for talking to Cami, his heart was telling him the advice was correct. So he hung around close to the entrance, his eyes scanning the throng of well wrapped-up students who were were emerging from the sleety morning. And then he saw her, her baby-blue ski jacket and white woollen hat and scarf familiar from their walk in the park, but as he was pushing through the living stream of students, wincing as he was jostled, a hand grabbed him and hauled him back.

"Hello, lover-boy," Cami purred as he stared at her, her hand clamped on his wrist. There was silence in the Hall and he shook her hand off.

"What?" he gaped.

"What we talked about on Friday...and did over the weekend, babe," she announced loudly, her eyes never leaving not Hiccup's face but the face of the blonde behind him. Astrid's eyes widened in shock and then anger and betrayal at the words.

"What the Helheim are you talking about, Cameron?" Hiccup demanded. "I haven't seen you since Friday and I wouldn't want to see you outside here anyway..."

"But what about our very personal chat in the car park?" she asked obviously, making it sound like far more than just a talk. Unconsciously, his face adopted a look of utter disgust.

"Thor, I'd rather sleep with Snotlout than do anything with you, Cameron," he said in a revolted voice.

"Not what you were saying on Friday, lover-boy," she taunted him. "And is that why we have an appointment at four o'clock today...together?" He leaned close, glaring.

"You were supposed to text me," he hissed. "Not announce it in the damned Hallway..."

"Oops," Cameron said with a smug smile. "Didn't want someone to know we're together?" He stared in her face-then spun to see Astrid standing behind him, a stricken look on her face.

"Oh Thor...Astrid-this is all lies!" he said urgently.

"Our talk and our appointment are very real, lover-boy!" Cameron scoffed.

"Stop calling me that!" he snapped.

"Touchy," she retorted as he searched Astrid's face for any understanding.

"You lied to me," Astrid said in a soft voice. "You said it had just been texts."

"I know-I was stupid!" he protested. "I knew you would be mad that Cami caught me in the car park and we talked."

"Why?" Astrid demanded. "Why did you talk to her? Why didn't you just get in the car and drive away?" He chewed his lip and stared at her. He wanted to tell her-but not in the middle of the Hall. And certainly not with Cami sneering behind him, stirring things. He could see Snotlout laughing and realised the boy was in on the scheme.

"Because...because..." he began, desperately searching for something to say that wasn't too incriminating...but Astrid's patience ran out.

"You know what? I don't care!" she snapped. "What you do is entirely your own business! It-and you-are nothing to do with me anyway!" And she turned and stalked away with Hiccup staring after her. And then reality crashed around him and he turned to Cameron.

"Text me the address," he hissed.

"I thought you could drive me there..."

"Think again-and if I'm not in for the actual scan, I'll make sure everyone on Berkbook knows," he growled and then turned and ran after Astrid. She was already at her locker and he was dismayed to see there were tears on her cheeks. He ran to her side and stood there, awkward but desperate for her not to go. But she blanked him. "Astrid...please..." he begged.

"I don't care," she said, ramming things into her locker with such ferocity that he knew she did.

"I think you do," he said quietly as she slammed the door.

"No, I don't!" she snapped. He swiftly grabbed her wrist to stop her running away and she stilled.

"Please…"

"Let go of my arm or I'll break your wrist!" she said evenly and he recalled her confession about her anxieties after Dagur's attack. He let her go and obviously took a step back.

"Sorry," he said swiftly. "But Gods! Will you please hear me out-or do you want Cameron to keep laughing that you were so easy to prise away from me?" She looked up and glared at him, her eyes still red-rimmed. She angrily swiped the tears off her face.

"I thought you were smarter!" she hissed.

"So did I," he said sadly and his shoulders slumped. "Look...she ambushed me in the car park and she told me something that meant I had to talk with her."

"You lied! You said it was just texts!" she accused him viciously and he flinched. He rubbed his forehead in dismay.

"I was so stupid-because I was scared to tell you," he sighed. He shook his head, closing his eyes. "She claimed she was pregnant-and that it was mine. And I know...I know it has to be a lie, a ruse to come between us...but she was threatening to interfere with the School Board and try to get you thrown out if I didn't at least acknowledge her..."

"Of course it's a lie!" Astrid exploded...and then she paused. "It is, isn't it?"

"Well, I was sleeping with her for over a year and she was on birth control," he explained. "I think most people knew we were together. But I haven't been near her since the night before my parents' will was read...and I suddenly became penniless and unattractive to her. That was almost two months ago. I mean, she would have come to me earlier if it was true...so why would she suddenly say something hours after she promised to split us up?"

"You should have told me!" Astrid growled. "This was what was troubling you on Friday night?" He nodded.

"I'm a total mutton-head...but I insisted she had a scan so I could prove one way or the other...and I didn't want to upset you because I was afraid you would go mad at the thought of her and me..." She folded her arms.

"Why on earth should I care?" she snapped. He stared at her...and shuddered.

"Because I care!" he said suddenly. "Because I like you and I know you don't feel the same but I am kind of ashamed of how stupid I was..." He swallowed. "I was really...well, I thought it was in love with her. She was my first. And then I find out she was cheating on me with my own cousin...and when she dumped me...Gods, it was like being stripped naked in front of the whole school, having my heart torn out and stamped on by someone who was laughing at my pain. And talking with her just brought it all back..." He turned away. "So...sorry...I should have said...but I'm stupid and now I know no one cares." He turned and darted away, back along the Hall.

But before she could follow, the bell rang and she stared after him in agonised indecision-before she grabbed her things from her locker and raced to class.

Hiccup was absent from the morning classes and Astrid raced to find him during the break, sending Kristof and Fishlegs to check the boy's washrooms-but coming up dry. In the end, she headed for the library because it was the last place she hadn't checked. It was snowing outside and there was almost a gale blowing-so not even Hiccup would be outside, nursing his misery. She walked confidently through the deserted space-because few students came here unless they really needed to-and found him curled up right at the back, amid the oldest volumes of the Berk Encyclopaedia. Sighing, she slumped down into the sagging chair by him. Despondently, he looked up.

"You're a complete and total idiot," she told him tartly and he nodded.

"As you say," he mumbled, still staring at his knees as she glanced around: the area was little oasis amid the stacks, dusty and fusty and smelling of old books but private and quiet.

"So...you like me?" she asked him thoughtfully and his emerald eyes flicked up.

"You noticed that," he said tonelessly. "Um...completely the opposite to the way I had planned to let you know. I think an argument by your locker didn't even make the long-list, let alone the shortlist of options..."

"Why do you like me?" she demanded.

"Because you're beautiful and brave and kind and-and you were so generous in giving me a chance, in coming back for me and in offering me kindness when my parents had died when no one else knew what to do," he said in a quiet voice. "And because you are a far better person than anyone else I know. And I know you aren't interested in me that way because I keep messing up and and annoying you...I'm a total idiot and all I do is screw up while you-you're going places. You're smart and will get straight As so you graduate with Honours and I guess some pro soccer team will scout you out...so I don't deserve you anyway..."

She gaped. After years of being taunted by the gang about her looks, her poverty, her lack of friends...being told with absolute sincerity that the handsome young man facing her wasn't worthy of her liking him was very disorientating.

"Hiccup...you're a sarcastic fishbone and a mutton-head with a temper, a predilection for making poor choices and no experience in a proper relationship but..." And she stared at his slumped shape. "And I find I like the auburn-haired, green-eyed, sarcastic fishbone type." He looked up, eyes suddenly shocked. "Especially if they came with an uber-cute mutt."

"I knew the dog would come into it," he sighed, warily looking at her. She was still looking serious but her azure eyes were twinkling.

"You better believe it," she told him and scooted her chair closer. "Look, Hiccup-I know Cami is lying because she was smiling. She was talking to me, trying to bait me. And I was annoyed you didn't tell me...but I can understand, I guess, that you're ashamed about what you used to do with her-and what she was claiming. You are an idiot but I can understand you...just about."

"I was going to tell you this morning..." he mumbled ashamedly. "I mean Gobber told me that telling you was the only thing to do-and he's a two-limbed meat-headed lunatic! Thor, if even he could see it, then I was really off the mark!"

"No argument here," Astrid told him, punching his shoulder. He winced.

"Ow! Still tenderised here," he protested. She smirked.

"Just to remind you that you shouldn't annoy Astrid Hofferson!" she told him and he sighed.

"Well, at least you haven't told me to get lost," he sighed. "Are we still friends?" She gaped.

"Hiccup-I just told you I liked you too!" she said in a low voice and he stared and then reran the conversation. His eyes widened.

"Oh. OH!" he mouthed and then a small smile lifted his lips. "Um...wow. Though I guess Toothless is the deal-breaker?"

"Too right-I want full joint walking rights," she smirked. He grinned.

"Whatever Milady wishes," he said in an amazed voice. She stared at him and swatted his shoulder again.

"No-whatever you want as well," she told him sternly. "Hiccup-I like you and if this is to go anywhere, you have to be honest...and if you don't like something, tell me!" He grinned.

"I am sure Toothless will love having walks with you as well..." He took her hand and stared into her face, her heart fluttering very slightly at the astonished joy in his face. "I-I didn't think anyone would ever care again..." he mumbled and she tightened her hand around his.

"Of course I care, mutton-head," she scolded him. "And we aren't going to let that witch come between us, are we?"

"No, Ma'am!" he said smartly. "Um...the bell did go some time ago..." She sighed.

"I heard-but this was more important," she told him and his eyes widened. Then she rose. "Come on-we'll be late for English...but we might as well face the music together." He rose, still holding her hand, a smile lifting his lips.

"You know-that kind of sounds like a date," he murmured. She smiled and lunged forward, pecking a very swift kiss on his blushing cheek.

"Don't push your luck, Hiccup!"

He leaned in a pressed a chaste kiss on her cheek with a wry smile.

"No, Ma'am!"

oOo

His stomach was fluttering with butterflies as he arrived at the office of the OBGYN up at Berk Clinic. The shiny brass nameplate read Dr Gerda Karlsdottir MD FACOG and he swallowed before he pushed the door open. Checking with the receptionist, his heart sank when he saw that Cameron wasn't even there yet and he wondered if she would show-or if this was another elaborate ruse to waste his time-and his money-while she was enjoying herself laughing at him with Snotlout. The others in the waiting room were diligently filling out the checklist of medical information and he looked around, seeing all couples-three male-female couples and one pair of women, huddled together in exactly as much muffled excitement and anticipation as the heterosexual couples.

His leg was bouncing in anxiety as he kept staring at the door. The clock was already reading five past four and there was no sign of the girl as the nurse at the desk looked up.

"Cameron Bogthorpe?"she called and Hiccup looked round in defeat. She wasn't coming. And just as he rose to leave in defeat, the door burst open and she came panting in, her face flushed from the cold.

"Here!" she called. The nurse looked up.

"The doctor will see you now," she said.