Chapter 7 - A Start Of Something New
A/N: Please know that I haven't got the slightest clue of how the americal educational system works and I basically just made things up (again). Also, can a girl and a guy be roommates in college? Probably not ... but it was cute, okay? Don't judge me D:
Oh, and the [stuff in those edgy brackets] are my thoughts and comments which make the whole thing seem totally silly, I hope you don't mind! :D
It had been a really good start so far. After her arrival she first had gone to the common room to receiver her keys and a map, then a short stop at the marquee to get the university card. Astrid had decided to sit down first a little bit, her ankle started hurting again - the fracture had healed good alright, but that occasional, dull, uncomfortable pressure stayed.
So now she sat under a great oaken tree on the big yard of the building, feet streched out, face up to the sun, just enjoying the warmth - until, out of all sudden, she heard a loud "ARK!" and something crushed violently onto her lap, almost knocking her over.
A yelp escaped her mouth as she quickly grabbed the benches edge to hold herself up. Her mouth already open for a sharp remark, then then she saw a guy's completely bewildered face in front of her. Quickly, he scrambled to his feet. "Oh God, sorry, sorry, I didn't-"
"HEY!", a voice yelled behind him. Both Astrid and the young man turned around. "Get back here so I can finish you off, Hen!"
Astrid found herself staring at the anger-scrunched face of a bulky bloke with dark, slightly greasy hair. The lanky male who had crushed into her, snorted and brushed the dust off his green shirt. "You wish."
Finally, Astrid managed to pull herself out of her stupor and stepped forward, next to the lanky guy. "What's wrong with you?", she hissed and decided to ignore the guy next to her giving her hand signals that clearly meant 'Please don't'.
"Ooh, look, have you found yourself a girlfriend, Hen?", the bloke snarled and Astrid already opened her mouth for a comeback, but suddenly the man next to her grabbed her hand and dragged her away from the scene.
They stumbled inside and didn't walk, until they reached the corridor of the library. Astrid was still fuming silently. "Please don't tell me this whole college is full of brainless brutes like that!"
He grinned lopsidedly at her and they came to a halt and he handed her her bag. "Chances are high, but I sure hope you don't think I'm one of them ...?"
Astrid looked up to his face for the first time taking in his appearance and noticed his sparkling green eyes, the freckles, the strong jawline - and his bleeding lip matching the black eye.
"Oh my - you're bleeding!", she cried out and tried to examine his wound but he flinched back.
"Ouch, wait, pain, pain in my face-"
"Sorry, sorry-"
"Wait, let me-" His hands wrapped around her wrists, holding them away from his face. His fingers were long and thin, but surprisingly strong; also, ice-cold and she flinched at his touch. He shot her a crooked grin. "It's okay. I'll live."
"You have to get some medical treatment for thi-"
He rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, more pain - love it."
Okay, now she was really confused by the toothy grin he shot her after that sarcastic remark and she stopped, half-snorting, half-laughing.
"You're weird", she admitted but only received a grin and an outstreched hands as an answer. "I'm Henry."
She chuckled at shook his hand. "Astrid. Er, nice to ... meet you, I guess?"
Henry laughed and they continued walking. "Oh yeah, sorry for uh, crashing into you, by the way ...", he streched out his left leg, "keeping balance isn't really one of my specialities ..."
Astrid was surprised she didn't notice the peg leg before. "Wow, how did that happen?"
Henry laughed again. "You won't believe how many people I've told this story so far - lost it in a fire when I was fifteen. My stupid cat just didn't want to come out of the house."
"Did you make it?"
"Well, apparently, yes ..."
"No no, I mean the cat."
He stopped and chuckled. "Oh yeah, Toothless made it out alright, with all his limbs intact." From his light-hearted answer and the easy smile, Henry didn't really seem to mind his missing limb. Astrid pulled on the hem of her shirt, trying to distract herself from his grin which she found far more charming than she really wanted to. "So ... who was that guy?"
Now his grin had something awkward to it. "Oh, that, er, that was my ... cousin, actually ..."
She gasped and stopped walking, staring at the man in front of her. "What?!"
"Jup. We're not the, uh, greatest relatives, but hey, he's not the jerk he could have been!"
She huffed incredulously. "Oh great, give him an award! He tried to beat you up, Henry!"
"Wow, when you say that it almost sounds special." Another crooked smile.
"What?" You're confusing. And strangely attractive ... in a strange way.
Henry shrugged. "It's kinda usual for us to get into fights, though ... I'm usually the one who ... gets to be hit. My guess it he secretly wants to be a boxer someday and already considers himself some kind of Rocky Balboa or somethin' ..."
Astrid blinked, then huffed at his careless attitude and yet another toothy grin. "You are a strange little man."
He just grinned at her. "So, what about you? First day here, too?"
The girl gasped. "What? Wait - you're a Freshman?"
"Uh ... y-yes ... why?"
She blushed. "Oh, sorry, you just look so ... soo ..."
"Old?", he suggested.
Her cheeks darkened a shade more. "Uh ..."
"Astrid, were you going to say to me that I look old?", he pushed and tried to catch her gaze, hopping around her to do so. "N-no ... maybe."
Henry sighed dramatically. "And that's what one has to hear at the tender age of nineteen! I don't believe it!"
"Oh, stop being such a drama-queen, Henry."
He laughed and did a playful bow. "I prefer foolish, thank you very much."
Astrid chuckled and his gaze became softer. "So, what about you?" The girl beside him wriggled a finger at him and grinned. "Oh, nu uh, mister, we're not finsihed here! Nineteen, huh? Took a little longer?"
Henry smirked. "Yeah, I had to repeat a year after the whole leg-thingy. But let's be honest here, it did me good - repeating, I mean. My grades were, heesh! But after that they got better; not to say very good, if I do say so myself ... Is your curiosity satisfied now?"
She puckered her lips and threw him a thoughtful look. "Hm, well, I'm seventeen and honestly, I can't believe how anyone as much of a dork like you can be two whole years older than me, I am deeply distressed."
Henry laughed and ran a hand through his already shaggy hair, only to clutch his hand to his chest and sighed dramatically. "That crushed me deeply. I am hurt to my very core that you would think that of me. But now that I'm older than you, I must now take care of you.", he said theatrically, striking a dramatic pose.
"What-"
"Don't worry, I will protect you, little one ..." and he tried pulling up the zipper of her jacket. Laughing, she pushed him away. [Woah, okay, that was hella weird] "N'aw, c'mon, stop!" [What am I even doing?]
Frankly, Astrid really was surprised she didn't find herself completely weirded out by this whole situation. They had barely known each other for a couple of minutes, and yet everything seemed so ... familiar. She felt more like talking to a long time friend than to a stranger.
They arrived in the Great Hall and Astrid pointed towards the staircase that led to the dorms. "You know, I think I'll go and unpack my stuff now ..."
Henry smiled warmly at her. "Hey, we should totally grab a coffee together sometime."
Astrid nodded and smiled back at him, hoping he meant it and they really would go out on a coffee someday, because they wanted to, and not because it was what you said.
"Sure thing!", she replied, "see you around, then!"
"Bye." He actually waved her goodbye. Astrid tried to bite back a smile as she turned around and climbed the stairs.
A couple of minutes later, she was actually finished unpacking and decided on a short lie-down, with her dorm room door open, though (to signalize 'Hey, talk to me, I am a super social cool person!' of course).
What she hadn't expected to be in the room though, was the cat.
It just sat on top of her empty suitcase when Astrid opened her eyes and looked at her with the most adorable green eyes. "Hey there little bud, did you get lost?"
The cat let her pick it up and eagerly purred, rubbing its head on Astrid's arm. She laughed. "Are you even allowed to be here? Well, I'd better find your owner, huh?"
"I don't think that's gonne be necessary ...", a familiar voice said behind her. Astrid shot up, her icy blue eyes wide with disbelief at the sight of the person standing in the door. An auburn-haired, freckled, awkwardly shifting, one-legged guy, to be exact.
"Henry?!", Astrid exclaimed and wasn't sure if this was a question or a statement herself. "This is ..." "My cat you're cuddling with, yup", he laughed and ran a hand through his hair, stepping closer. He grinned at her and quickly, she got up.
"I don't even know how he ended up here, he just suddenly appeared in the room and ...", she trailed off at the sight of his partly amused, partly embarassed expression. "...wait."
Slowly, Henry started nodding, his eyes following every inch of her face.
"We're room ... oh my God, this is so awesome!"
He would have almost choked on his own breath. "Wait, what?"
Astrid beamed at him, hands clasped together. "Isn't that cool?"
"Admit it, you're after the cat", he smirked and Astrid grinned wickedly. "Mh yeah, well, maybe a little bit."
"Ha! Toothless, what did I tell you about charming peeps just like that? Without my permission?" Toothless just meowed at him from Astrid arm's and flicked his tail.
"So if I was your target for a date you'd totally let him loose on me, wouldn't you?", Astrid chuckled and watched him ruffling Toothless' black fur. Henry grinned at her. "Yeeaah, pretty much." [He's lying. Totally. He's just trying to be cool but fails]
Astrid laughed and slumped down on her bed, wriggling her toes. "Sooo ... we're ... gonna hang out from now on?"
Henry laughed and looked up. "Well, I remember you saying yes to a totally vague 'let's grab a coffee sometime together' date as friends under totally unintentional circumstances?" [Was that even a sentence?]
Astrid grinned, got up and linked her arm with his. "I'm on it - but you're paying."
He did a playful bow (again). "Why of course, that's the only gentleman-thing to do, right?"
"If you call yourself gentleman one more time I am so gonna set Toothless on you."
"Challenge accepted."
What am I even doing with my life? This is just sad ...
Okay, so let's say I figured something out ... I read that a couple of colleges have accepted the whole guy-and-a-girl-as-roommates-thingy and just decided that Berk University is one of them. Peeps there can still apply for a single-sex dorm, though, if they want to. Sheesh, that was weird.
But despite that weirdness, I'd be really happy if you cuties left a comment! :D
