Chapter 25: Back to School.

Hiccup's POV

" No." I say sternly to my dad's plan.

" This is for your own good." He says.

" No. I don't want the bodyguard following me through school. Especially today." I tell him as I look out the car door to see the policeman standing there.

Today is my first day back at school. Just only last week the doctor cleared me to go back after recover for two months. As much as I am not a big fan of school, being stuck in this house has driven me to the breaking point of insanity.

Just when I thought I could have a bit of normalcy again, guess again when my dad insists on the police protect that is station outside our home follow me through the school like a puppy dog.

" I don't want Dagny to hurt you again." He argues back.

" She's not even going to be in school. She's under house arrest." I point out the obvious.

" Her friends could hurt you." He argues.

" You think they follow her willingly?" I argue. " They're only friends because she was a bully to everyone else."

We both glare at each other in our iconic stare down to see who relents. This has been going on since I could remember.

Finally my dad says, " We're running late as is. Compromise. No bodyguard following you around, but he is stationed right outside the school."

I look at him and tell him, " Deal."

" Alright." He sighs. " Are you sure you want to go back in there?"

I look out towards the school and breath a sigh of hesitation.

" Not really." I tell him. " But I got to do it sooner or later, and I don't know if I can last another eternity in the house. I'll be fine."

" Very well." He says reluctantly.

I slowly open the car door and stand myself on the crutches before I hobble towards the school.

" Have a good day!" My dad bellows. I don't respond. Mostly because of my anxiety of being back. Especially now that I'm coming in as a male for the first time since the disastrous homecoming dance.

Though I have to say, I feel more comfortable than I ever was each time I walked through those doors. I'm dressed in jeans with a black t-shirt that is more meant for a male figure and my sweater. The beanie is over my short hair and I'm wearing contacts instead of glasses.

Everyone who usually was noisy suddenly stops as they look up at me.

" Dude. Is that the trans who got Dagny arrested?" A guy says.

My heart starts pacing as I hear more comments about me.

" No doubt. Bitch messed up his leg." His friend says.

" She always was an ugly girl." A girl snickers with her friends.

I look up and I nearly trip on my crutches when I see Ruffnut. Who is wearing a frown on her face. Oh great. She must hate me now.

" Oh." I see uncomfortably. " Hey Ruffnut."

" So you turned to the dark side of malehood." She says.

" Well. I always been male. I just haven't told anyone. I still support feminism if that's what you're concerned." I tell her sheepishly.

" Well it's about time that we have a guy on our side!" She goes suddenly wild. " Ok. It maybe through unconventional methods, but this is the stepping stone to our equality!"

" You realize there is already males who are feminists out there. Right?" I tell her.

" Well not in Berk. It isn't! It's always the same with everyone." Ruffnut says before she turns to a an accent you usually hear in Berk actually. " Wife! Get me a drink or clean up this mess. Or you take care of the kids! Then there's girl! Look after your brother." Before she scoffs, "Makes me want to vomit and feed it to my brother."

" Please don't do that." I tell her feeling grossed out about the idea.

" Hiccup!" I hear a beautiful voice. I look up to see Astrid running towards me.

" Hey!" She smiles. " I didn't know you were going to be back here so soon."

" Neither did I." I tell her as I look around to see people more staring at me and making more comments behind my back.

" Hey." Astrid says and it gets my attention. " Don't let them get to you. What matters is that you're ok."

I take a breath and say, " Right."

" Come on." She gestures. " Let's go to class."

I nod and was about to follow her towards my first class of the day when I suddenly realize it's art.

Mr. Kieser. I forgot about him. I really don't want to see him today. It's not that I don't like him as a teacher. In fact, he's the one that actually knows me compare to the rest of my teachers besides Gobber. I just don't want to see him today.

Astrid turns around and says in concern, " Hiccup. Are you alright?"

" Yeah. Um… I'm... I'm fine." I tell her.

She comes up to me and says, " Let's ditch."

" Ditch?" I say in surprise. " Um… Don't we get into trouble."

" It's just to the Cafeteria. I think Mr. Kieser would understand just this once." She says.

As much as I don't want to do something like this, I can't help but nod and follow Astrid to the Cafeteria instead.

Once we settle at a table in the place, I breath a sigh of relief. I feel a heavy weight in my chest disappear. For now.

" So. How's your dad so far?" She asks.

" Fine." I tell hear. " He's still trying."

" Your leg?" She asks.

" Hurts." I respond as I feel my painful leg.

" Well. How are you? And I don't mean physically. I really want to knows what's going with you." She says.

I scoff. " I feel like I'm all over the place. I hate the trial that's coming up. I hate people looking at me like some science experiment. I'm still trying to register the fact that I won't be able walk the same again. I don't know how I feel."

" It's alright." She says.

" No. It's not. Because it's like living a new life that's stuck in a previous setting. I'm going crazy."

" Well if it's any consolation, I just pissed off my mom majorly." She says.

I immediately feel concern for her, " What happened?"

" I want go into the Marines Corps after high school. She didn't like the idea of it at all." She says.

I can understand her reasoning for wanting to join the marines. She's a fighter and wants to travel the world. A career in the marines makes perfect sense for her.

" Why?" I ask her.

" She wants me to go to Harvard or Princeton. She told me I should pursue less dangerous like professions. It's been driving me crazy." She scoffs.

I decide whether or not I should say how I feel to her. Maybe she might hate me for what I could say, but lying's never worked out for me.

I finally say, " Before the attack and coming clean to my dad, I would've completely agreed with you. But since coming out as transgender, I understand more about what my dad goes through." I start and Astrid raises an eyebrow, " It's not like I don't support you. I do, but maybe you should understand things from her point of view. The marines involve a dangerous line of work, she might be worried about the idea of losing you more than not letting do what you want with your life. Because she loves you and wants what's best for you."

Astrid's hard expression softens and she looks down. She finally quietly says, " Gods. I never thought about that. I always thought of her trying to control every aspect of my life. My dad just simply agrees with her. She's just so stubborn, it's annoying" She looks up at me.

" If you think about it, you're stubborn too. You might've inherited that from her" I tell.

She grins mischievously before she punches me in the arm hard.

" Ow!" I yelp. " What was that for?!"

" For contradicting me." She says before she does something unexpected and kisses me on the cheek. I blush like crazy in response. I can't believe she did that.

" That's for saying those other things as well." She softly says.

" Um…." I try to say recovering from the kiss. " Thanks."

" Where did you get so wise?" She asks me

" Being stuck in a house for six weeks." I say before we both crack up in response when the bell rings at the end of the first period.

" Oh." Astrid notices the time. " I have to go. I would stay but, I have a test in English today. How about we see each other at lunch?" She suggests.

" Uh… sure." I tell her.

" Alright then. See you. You're amazing!" She says as she dashes off to her class.

I let out a breath and say to myself the only thing that is on my mind, " Wow."


Hello. Sorry about lateness. Been busy. I should be done with my major projects in a few weeks. It won't be long hopefully that I'm off for summer and I will be able to finish this story before going back to school. This will most likely be the longest story I have written yet. Once I finish, I can be able to have time for my other stories on fanfiction. Including The Messenger story.

Please Review and See you all next chapter.