Here's the next chapter. I hope you all are enjoying this story. I'm having fun writing it.
ENJOY! XD
Snotlout was in a good mood. He had been able to pass his first physics test with a B+! It was early in the school year for a major test but he was proud nonetheless. He was very proud of himself. But he would never let anyone know that.
People thought they knew him. Thought he was an easy book to read. They were wrong. He wanted to be more than just a bag of muscles. He wanted to be smart. Yes, he liked football but he wanted to be more than just a football player. His father was the star of his high school team and expected the same thing out of him. He felt he had to live up to his father's glory.
He was putting his books away when Hiccup walked behind him in a distant manner. He watched as Hiccup dodged people subconsciously as he continued to read from his journal. Something in there is making him think of something. He only does that when he's in deep thought.
As Snotlout was about to turn away, he saw two Seniors who, for a reason unbeknownst to him, hated Hiccup more than he did. The Seniors saw that Hiccup was distracted with his journal and wasn't really there; they decided to trip him. One of them stuck out their foot, causing Hiccup to lurch forward and toss his arms out in front of him to catch himself. Due to Hiccup not being quick enough, he landed on his elbows and banged his head on the ground.
Snotlout winced at the thought of the pain he must have felt when his head hit the ground. He watched has Hiccup pushed himself up off the ground and shake his head and turn to look at the two boys.
"Wow," one boy laughed. "I didn't know you could trip over your thoughts."
"You really are clumsy," the other boy laughed. Snotlout knew him to be the leader of his click. "I didn't know your thoughts were anything to fall for."
The leader took a couple of steps and snatched the journal from Hiccup's hand. "Hey! That's mine! Give it back Jason!"
Jason ignored Hiccup and began to flip through some pages. "You have a thing for wolves don't you?" Jason inquired. He flipped through a bit more. "And dragons?" Jason cocked an eyebrow.
The other boy looked over Jason's shoulder. He smiled and laughed. "Is that him on the back of that dark one?"
"I believe so Mike," Jason agreed. He turned to Hiccup who was scowling at the two as he rubbed his reddening temple. "No wonder you don't have a girlfriend. You're in love with yourself. You riding a dragon? Please."
"How egotistical," Mike shook his head.
Snotlout rolled his eyes. Ridiculous. The one thing Hiccup had over him, was creativity. He always liked seeing Hiccup's new dragon designs. Yes, he made fun of them but he couldn't have Hiccup knowing that he liked them.
"You should watch where you're going," the Jason smirked as he threw Hiccup's journal at him. "If you don't stop tripping over nothing, people will think you have two left feet."
Hiccup's head snapped up at the two boys. His breathing increased slightly as his eyes darted around the room. He tried to act normal by picking up the rest of his tussled items off the floor and back into his backpack.
Snotlout saw the panic in his cousin's eyes as the boy mentioned his left foot. "Or maybe you have a fake foot, that's why-"
Snotlout snapped. He saw the hurt and fear in Hiccup's face. Snotlout was no angel to Hiccup but this had gone too far. Snotlout lunged at the leader and threw him against the lockers with a loud bang. Jason was at least a half foot taller than him but Snotlout didn't care. He was the Receiver on the football team, he could lift over a hundred pounds, and he was now in protective mode. His eyes burned with rage as he glared at the older boy.
He could feel the eyes of shock upon him from the small group that had gathered. He could also feel Hiccup looking at him with shock and confusion but he didn't care.
"Don't ever joke about someone having lost a limb," Snotlout seethed. "It's not a fun experience!"
"I wasn't insulting you I was…"
"I know who you were insulting!" Snotlout banged the boy against the lockers. "It's not an amusing insult. That's hitting below the belt. Besides, Hiccup is my nerd to push around and not yours."
"I don't see your name on…"
"He's mine! And if I see you teasing him, hurting him, or even thinking about insulting him, I will show what it will feel like to lose a limb," Snotlout threatened. Any other time, this kind of threat would have been ignored by the older boy but not this time. Snotlout's blazing eyes said that he would go through with it.
"I got it," Jason nodded. "Hiccup's yours. Have fun."
Snotlout let him go and threw glances at everyone who had gathered. They quickly dispersed, fear of having themselves be threatened in the same way. He looked down at Hiccup who just looked at him confused.
"Um…thank you," Hiccup said.
"Don't mention it…ever," Snotlout turned his back. He didn't want his cousin to see the thoughts running through his head. He knew that Hiccup could read a person well by their face and he wanted to avoid any awkwardness. "No one messes with you but me. I had to protect my interests from competition."
With that, Snotlout walked away, leaving Hiccup still on the floor. Snotlout heard Hiccup say something along the lines of 'ok' as he got up and continued walking to class. Unbeknownst to him, Astrid saw the whole thing and was smiling at his act of protectiveness.
Astrid laid on her bed thinking about the day's events. She loved how Snotlout defended Hiccup. Granted, his excuses weren't the best but he did stop the teasing. He's a nice guy. He can be caring but he's not… Her thoughts trailed off. She liked Snotlout as a friend but dating him was just not the same. She hated it, but it was a necessary evil.
She was startled awake by her phone vibrating loudly on her night stand. She ignored it though, already knowing who it was. I don't want to talk to him. She closed her eyes and tried to block out the repeating vibrations as several more messages arrived on her phone. She squeezed her eyes shut even tighter when she felt her throat getting soar and tears beginning to build.
No! No crying. He's not worth it!
Her eyes snapped open when the alert sound changed. It was audio of Ruff's laugh, which was a strange laugh indeed. Astrid forced herself to roll over and grab her phone, eliciting several gasps of pain from her clenched mouth.
Astrid unlocked her phone to see six messages from her father and one from Ruff. Ignoring her father, she opened the one from her friend.
Ruff: Tuff and I are going to the park to prank some kids. You want to come and film us so we can put it on Vine?
Astrid's mouth went up slightly at the crazy antics of the twins. They had so many followers on Vine and were considered one of the most popular Viners on the internet. And that was all due to the fact that they weren't afraid of trying anything.
I can't. Astrid texted back. Her mind raced as she tried to think up a lie. She could be seen now. She was a mess. She was in pain. I have homework to finish and some chores to complete before I go to bed.
Astrid sent the text, hoping her friend would buy it. She needs to. If she doesn't, she come over and force me to go and that would be horrible.
Ruff: What! Lame! Homework is for lame people who want to be book smart. What kind of chores?
Astrid chuckled lightly at Ruff's reply. She knew Ruff was kidding. The twins always do their homework. Granted, they do it quickly at home or in the morning before school starts but they do well enough to pass and be on teams.
I have to weed my mother's garden. I've kind of let it go a bit these past couple days. Astrid sighed at the thought of her mother's garden. She loved getting her hands dirty and growing fresh vegetables for the family to eat. Astrid's heart panged with sadness remembering.
Ruff: Alright. Well, we'll see you at school tomorrow. Can't believe it's the last Friday of this month. Whoo-hoo! One month down, nine to go! Uuuggghhh!
Astrid could hear Ruff's shoulder's slump and her face fall into a disappointed expression.
Alright. See you. Scare some kids for me.
Ruff: Will do!
Astrid placed the phone down on the night stand and fell back on the bed, once again groaning from the pain in her body. She had no idea how she was going to make through practice tomorrow. Or make it through her 'date' with Snotlout.
As she laid there, her phone kept taunting her. The longer she laid there, the more she felt guilty of avoiding her father's texts. She tried to think of something else to occupy her mind and decided to run through the facts needed for tomorrow's test in history.
Once again, her mind was interrupted by her phone vibrating on the night stand. She sat up in surprise, completely ignoring her crying body. She looked at her lit up phone to see seven missed texts. She reached out to pick up her phone but then stopped.
I could just say that I was asleep and that I didn't get his texts until tomorrow. She sighed and shook her head. He'd say 'that's no excuse. You should have replied to me.'
Reluctantly, she picked up the phone and slowly unlocked it. She hesitated once more before she opened the missed messages.
About earlier, you didn't talk to me very well and we miss understood each other. Astrid rolled her eyes. Didn't talk to you? There was no talking. You were drunk!
(2) Answer me. We need to talk.
(3) Where are you? Why aren't you responding to me?
(4) See? This here is why you have strained our relationship. You refuse to apologize for what you did, you ungrateful little bitch!
(5) This behavior is uncalled for! I feed you, give you clothes, and you live in my house. You will respect me and respond!
(6) Ungrateful brat!
(7) I won't be home to late tomorrow morning sweetie. Don't wait up for me.
Astrid's heart was racing. Her nerves were shot. She wanted to cry so badly but refused to give him that satisfaction; even if he didn't know about it. She couldn't understand what she had done to be treated like that, why he treated her like that. She didn't like it.
Maybe I am ungrateful. Maybe he's right. I should text back something. Try to repair this damage. She grabbed her phone and typed.
Sorry I missed your texts. I was in the shower. See you tomorrow then.
Once she sent it, she slowly got up and went to the bookshelf near her window and slipped her hand behind it. There she felt a book and pulled it out. She looked at the symbol printed on the front and smiled at the curled up blue and yellow spiked dragon.
She sat down on her bed and opened it to begin writing in her personal journal, her mind wandering to a happier time as she wrote about her horrible day.
Astrid watched as the shops went by her window. She wasn't excited but at the same time she was. How could an eleven year old not be when moving to a new place? It wasn't that far of a move but it was enough to where she wouldn't be able to see her friends.
I'm sure Camicazi and Heather will miss me. She thought. I miss them. I wonder what kind of friends I'll make here.
The truth was that she was worried. She had a hard time making friends. It's not that she was shy or anything but the exact opposite. She wasn't afraid to show people who she was. And she was a girl with a bit of a temper. Not very many kids her age liked hanging out with a girl who could snap at any minute.
Her mom pulled up into the driveway of their new house. Astrid got out and looked at the two story, white, suburban house. Well, it would be suburban if she was in a large city. She looked at all of the other houses and saw they were pretty much of the same color and design. But the house across from hers was different. It had a more brown color with a green trim. Also, while everyone's front yards were cut cleanly, theirs was full of bushes and trees. It wasn't over grown or messy, but it looked like a personal forest.
I wonder what the backyard looks like.
"Astrid!" her mother called. "Stop starring and help us unpack the car."
"Ok," Astrid said as she opened the side door and began to grab her things. She took them inside and up to her room. Her room was almost set up. Her bed, drawers, and desk were there with a bookshelf that stood empty but the basics were already set up. All she had to do was unpack all of her boxes. She threw her suitcase on her bed and sighed.
I don't want to unpack right now.
With that she walked down the stairs and through the door. She was about to leave the driveway when her dad asked, "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to walk down the main street."
"No you're not," he said. "There's unpacking to do and I'm not-"
"Oh calm down dear," her mom interrupted. "It's a new place full of new things. She's excited. Let her go. Besides, the only thing we have to unpack for tonight are our clothes and bathroom stuff. We don't need her for that." She turned to Astrid and smiled. "You go and have fun. Be back by 5. Dinner should be ready by then.
Astrid smiled back and started to walk away when she heard her mom say to her dad, "Oh stop grumbling! She'll be fine!"
Astrid walked down the street and turned the corner to the main street. She remembered seeing an ice cream shop somewhere but couldn't remember where it was. It was a bit chilly out but ice cream sounded good nonetheless.
She walked past a grocery store but stopped and back pedaled. She began to enter but decided to just stand in the doorway thinking that maybe she should ask for directions to the place.
I don't want my first impression being one of uselessness. I want everyone to know me as someone who can take care of herself. I don't need anyone.
"Um…excuse me," a soft voice said behind her.
She turned to see a boy with green eyes, auburn hair, and a face full of freckles standing behind her. "What?"
"I need to get in. Can I please get past?"
Astrid looked at him and he seemed uncertain and a bit scared talking to her. Am I intimidating? Already?
"Sorry," she said as she stepped aside, trying to soften her expression as to not scare a potential friend away. But from the look on his face, she figured she could already scratch him off the 'possible friends' list.
The boy past and continued to walk in as Astrid continued to stand and argue with herself to ask for help. She was too into her mental argument that she didn't notice the boy had stopped and walked back to her.
"Are you lost?" he asked.
Astrid jumped and looked at the boy standing in front of her. She furled her eyebrows and said, "Don't startle people like that. And no, I'm not lost."
"Are you sure? Looks like you were trying to decide to ask for help."
Astrid's look went from one of anger to one of surprise and shock. "How? How did you know that?"
"I do it all the time," he said. He then looked at her more closely. "Are you new here? I don't recognize you."
"Yeah," she said. "New and lost. How pitiful."
"Not really," he said. "It's comes with the territory I think."
Astrid looked at the boy. He didn't run away in fear when I snapped at him and he's still here talking to me. He's even making me not feel so bad about asking for help. Astrid smiled and said, "Thanks."
"No problem," he said. "So do you need help finding something?"
"I was looking for the ice cream shop," Astrid said. "I saw one coming in but didn't take note of where it was."
"Oh! You mean Gobber's Ice Cream Forge," the boy said. "I'll take you there."
"Really?" she asked.
"Yeah. Ice cream sounds good. I just have to get something real quick," he said.
"Ok. I'll be right here," she said. He left and before she knew it, he was back.
"You ready?" he asked.
"Yep."
Astrid and the boy walked out of the grocery together and headed down Main Street. Astrid didn't care if she was walking with a stranger because in all honesty, she could easily break his arm. But the real reason was that this boy wasn't turned away by her snapping at him.
"So…" the boy asked breaking the silence. "Do you want a tour on the way to Gobber's?"
"Uh, sure," she shrugged. "Why not?"
"Alright," the boy smiled. "Well, for starters, welcome to Berk-"
Astrid started laughing because the boy had changed his voice into one that sounded like a tour guide at National Park. "You're funny," she said. "Please keep going."
The boy continued with the same voice as Astrid grinned brightly the entire time. "We have just passed Viking Grocery. You can get your eggs, meat, and pretty much anything in there. To your left is Jo-Ann Fabrics for all of your sewing and patching needs. To our right is an, I don't know what you call it. A um, home decorating store? Anyway, at Helga's you can get anything from door signs to ornaments there."
He continued to show her the different stores and restaurants they passed. They passed a pet shop, a sit down restaurant, several more unique stores, and several offices that was dedicated to grownup stuff like taxes.
"There's even a Wal-Mart," he said as he stopped walking. "But that's on the other side of town. Too far to walk."
"Really?" Astrid asked surprised. "I thought it was too small for a Wal-Mart."
"Nope," he said. "Berk is small but not that small. Anyway, here we are." He pointed to store behind him.
They walked in and waited in line, which was pretty long.
"This place is popular," Astrid said.
"Yep," the boy said. "Gobber's the best with ice cream. He makes it himself. That's why the line is long."
"Must be expensive."
"Not really," the boy said. "He keeps it low because he knows that the kids come. Besides, he's more into the enjoyment of it all. This isn't his main business. Anyway, you said that you're new."
"Yeah. Just came in today," Astrid said.
"What street do you live on now?"
"Why? You want to stalk me?"
The boy's eyes went wide and his eyes darted. "No! No! I'm just curious."
Astrid laughed at his panicked reaction. "I was kidding. Um…we moved in on Chieftain Street."
The boy did a double take and looked at Astrid in shock. "You're the one who moved in across the street?"
"What? You mean you live on Chieftain too?"
"Yeah. I'm across from you. That's weird that I bumped into you."
"You're the house with the bunch of trees and stuff?"
"Yeah," the boy said as he rubbed his arm. "My mom likes giving birds and other animals a safe place to live. If you like the front, you should see the back."
"Well," Astrid said. "If I'm going to keep running into you, I guess I should know your name."
The boy smiled and said, "My name is-
Astrid's trip down memory lane was interrupted when she heard a familiar pop of a car. She quickly ran across her room and turned her lights off. A second later, she watched as car, in much need of maintenance, pulled up into her driveway.
Lying bastard. She seethed as she watched her drunken father waddle out of the car. He swung the door closed but didn't notice that it had swung back open. She grinned happily. I hope something gets stolen. Like the car.
She quickly jumped into bed and pulled the covers over her shoulders and wrapped them tight around herself. She waited as she heard him enter the house, stomp up the stairs, and his dragging feet stop at her door. Her heart raced as she heard him open her door and turn on her light. She let out a few fake groans and moved a little, giving the illusion she reacted slightly to the light. He mumbled something and turned off the light and left the room.
Astrid relaxed and let out a breath of relief. Her heart rate began to slow down as she set her phone alarms for school the next morning. I have a lot of pretending to do tomorrow.
I hope no one was confused about the transition between the flashback and the current events. If so, please let me know and I will try to help distinguish the difference in the future.
