Author's note: The beginning of this chapter was really hard to write having never been to a school ball.

Hiccup's perspective

Great, just great, just perfectly great, just absolutely perfectly great, help me, I thought to myself, can there be anything worse than this? The humiliation.

The year 12 ball.

The graduating year had a mandatory "ball" at the end of the year, and, worst of all; we had to get a date. What am I going to do? The ball is in a week. I've got to find a date!

The idea of going up to a girl and asking her to a formal dance was pretty much the most humiliating thing a teenaged boy could possibly comprehend. On the upside, Scott's suspension finished in two days, so he'd be having the same problem as me.

I knew who I was going to ask to be my partner but the question was, how do I ask her? Do I go up to her and blurt it out? Or act casual before making a fool of myself? I wasn't helping myself by avoiding her for the past few days. Oh, let's just get this over with.

I walked onto the school grounds and spotted her almost immediately. I walked over and tried acting casual. It didn't work. She just stared at me.

"Are you ok Hiccup?" Astrid asked.

"Yeah I'm fine," I replied too quickly, my voice octave higher than usual.

"Right. Why have you been avoiding me?"

Astrid, always straight to the point.

"No reason," I said.

She gave me an accusing glare before I continued,

"Ok, Iwaswonderingifyouwantedtogototheballwithme"

"What, how do you expect me to understand that. Repeat, slower."

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to the ball with me?" the back of my neck grew hot with embarrassment.

"Took you long enough, of course I'll go with you!" she exclaimed. I felt the redness of my face slowly dissipate before I exhaled.

"Wait, you knew I'd ask you, didn't you?"

"Yep. Who else did you think I was going to say yes to? Scott? No way. Scott's a jerk who only cares about himself."

"Boy, do I know it," I replied, "What time do you want me to pick you up?"

"It starts at 7?" she asked. I nodded. "K, pick me up at 6:30."

"See you then," I called.

It was tonight that I would go pick up Astrid and take her to the dance. School passed so slowly, it was even more torturous than normal. Maths, PE, Science, English, French. They all went by slowly and painfully. On the upside, exams were over, YES! And I'd passed with flying colours. Dad would be happy.

I'd put on the suit my Dad hired for me the other day and was now trying to tame my unruly hair. It wasn't working, my hair just kept sticking up whenever I tried to flatten it. After 10 minutes, I gave up and went into the living room where my dad was waiting to drive us to the town hall which the school had rented for the night. When I turned 17 my dad had offered to pay for driving lessons, but I declined him saying I should get used to only having one working leg first. I still hadn't got 'round to asking him again.

"You ready Henry?" my Dad asked.

"Almost, just need to figure out how to tie this tie."

He looked at me pitifully, somehow I'd managed to knot the tie into a ball that was currently stuck around my neck.

"Come here Henry, let me help you with that." My dad was one of the town's few businessmen, so he knew how to do this.

"Done. Now come, you're going to be late."

We got in the car and started on our way to Astrid's house, when it occurred to me that my Dad must have done the same thing when he left school with my mother.

"Hey Dad, did you go with Mum to the graduating ball?"

"Aye, that I did son. And she looked beautiful. She wore a long blue sleeveless dress, hair draped over her shoulder in a plait. I miss the days with her, she was always happy and caring and her smile could warm the soul of the coldest person."

It was unlike him to get nostalgic, but memories of my mother sent him back into another time. My mother had always been an advocate for anti-dragon poaching. When I was 3, she went on an expedition to a central Australian dragon rehab center, near Alice Springs, to check up on some dragons she had been treating years before, but she never returned. We were told she took a Jeep out to one of the most visited areas by dragons. Three days passed without her return. Many search parties were dispatched but no sign of her was found. I still miss her.

When we reached Astrid's house in the center of town, I got out and walked up to the front door.

You can do this Hiccup, just knock

I raised my knuckles to the door, but before I could knock, the door opened to reveal Astrid's dad, Garret.

Without saying anything, he shoved me back and closed the door behind him, when he did say "Take care of my daughter if you want to keep your other leg."

Honestly, I wasn't surprised at the harshness of his voice, as his family, the Hoffersons, are descendants of one of the most revered Viking clans.

I nodded my head when the door opened behind him. Astrid came out shaking her head.

"Dad, what did I tell you. Don't threaten Hiccup, and it's only a school ball." She said pointing an accusing finger at her father.

Garret grunted and went back into the house.

I was just staring at her, she was beautiful. She looked just like my Dad had described my mother on the night of their leavers' ball.

"Sorry about that Hiccup, he can get a little over-protective. Uhh, Hiccup, you in there?" she asked, waving a hand in front of my face, snapping me out of my reverie.

"Uh yeah, sorry. You look good," I replied

"Thanks. Should we get going?" she asked gesturing to my Dad still sitting in the ute.

Oh god, had he just witnessed Garret threatening me, then me staring at Astrid? Help me!

"You look good Astrid," my Dad said

"Thanks," she replied

This is going to be one awkward ride

We reached the town hall five minutes later. Disco lights were flashing and the music was blaring as we entered the hall.

Astrid spotted Ruff with, no surprise, Fishlegs. Fishlegs had always had a crush on Ruffnut, but it appeared he'd finally asked her out. Good for him.

Astrid's perspective

Hiccup and I walked over to Ruff and Fishlegs, who were currently smooching in the corner. Ruffnut had always had a crush on Fishlegs, but it appeared they'd finally got together.

I pointed them out to Hiccup, who was already snickering into his hand. I elbowed him and that shut him up.

"Looks like you two finally got together," I said to the apparently new couple

"Yeah, funny thing is, we both asked each other at the same time!" Fishlegs said to us

"Hey Astrid," I heard from behind me. By the scowling look on Ruff and Fishlegs face, I knew I wasn't going to like the new arrival. I was right.

Heather

Heather and I had always had a rivalry going. I was captain of the school soccer team and she was the captain of the netball team. She also liked Hiccup, but he didn't know it. Worst of all, Scott was standing next to her. Great.

"What do you want Heather?" I asked

"Oh nothin', just came to say Hi." She sneered at us then walked off. But as Scott followed her he said to Hiccup, "How's the leg healing, runt."

Scott turned and followed Heather to the front of the hall.

"God, I hate them!" I said under my breath

"You and me both, sister. They're even worse than Tuffnut!" Ruff said

"Speaking of Tuff, where is he?" I asked

Ruff simply pointed to a bench by the door. Tuffnut was sitting there with hugging a case of beer, muttering something about a chicken being his one true love.

"Right, he's drunk again isn't he?" Hiccup asked Ruff

"Yep, I'm surprised they let him through the door."

"Oh, they didn't. I saw him sneak in through the back door." Fishlegs pointed out

"Oh, great, my brother's a stowaway," Ruff sighed before going over to her brother and kicking him in the shins. There was a yelp then a glaring contest between the siblings. Eventually, Tuff gave up and went to the stage.

"Well, looks like she sorted that out. But is it a good idea to leave drunk Tuffnut alone a party, won't he get himself hurt?" I asked Fishlegs who nodded and headed off to talk to Ruff.

The next hour was spent eating, talking, and watching Hiccup make a fool of himself trying to dance. Who knew you could trip yourself up while trying to do the moonwalk.

"Well, one thing that has come out of tonight is that I know you can't dance for the life of you. Please stop so I don't die of laughter!" I laughed while Hiccup picked himself off the ground.

"Hey, don't judge…"

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG

"FIRE," someone in the distance screamed, "Everyone outside! NOW!"

People started screaming as they filed out of the hall. Most people were asking where the fire was, and they had a point, there was no visible smoke and no smell. Hiccup and I exited and ran into the center of the neighbouring field. We were joined by Fish and Ruff a moment later, both looking for Tuff. Apparently, no-one had seen him exit the building and he was probably still in there.

After five minutes searching, we heard someone laughing hysterically from the door of the hall. That's where we found Tuff.

He was doubled over with laughter, leaning against the door frame.

"Oh my gods. You should've seen your faces when I pulled the fire alarm!" he gasped for air and continued laughing.

"That was YOU! You could've injured someone!" Hiccup scolded Tuff. The headmaster heard our shouts and came over to see what the problem was.

"What's all this about?" he asked

"Tuffnut here set off the fire alarm because he's a drunk imbecilic moron," I told the headmaster

"Well congratulations Tuffnut Thorston," Tuff looked at the headmaster, a perplexed expression on his face, the headmaster continued, "You've earned 3 weeks summer school. Yes, I know your graduating but that won't stop you from showing up."

Tuff sobered up and stood, heading back over to his car and driving off.

Hiccup turned to me after Fishlegs had taken Ruffnut home.

"Well, this was fun," he looked down and rubbed the back of his neck, "I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date during the next few weeks, you know, if you want."

Hiccup asking me this surprised me, and before I could stop myself, I answered his question.

"Yeah"