AN: Huh... this updated took a bit longer, sorry. Had a few other updates to make first and then the holidays were pretty busy here.

. o O o .

Chapter 8

Heather knew Astrid well. She knew that Astrid was ambitious, and that it pleased her to be successful, especially when she'd worked hard to earn that success. She knew that Astrid was honest, and would never spread lies or make things up just to have an excuse for anything. And she knew that Astrid was stubborn. Once she'd made up her mind and made a decision, that decision couldn't be changed easily.

And so she left when Astrid didn't want to talk or reason anymore.

But that didn't mean that she would give up just like that. The idea of Hiccup and Cami being a couple was… was ridiculous! Surely, Heather couldn't have been that wrong in interpreting the signs… right?

Right! All this was just a misunderstanding, it had to be. And therefore, it could be solved.

Once back in her car, Heather pondered over what to do for a few minutes, then drove to where the spring dance was held – a remodelled barn that had once belonged to the mayor's family and now regularly served as location for all kinds of events. Luckily, she'd gotten ready before looking after Astrid, so her appearance already suited the occasion, even as she didn't feel like partying and dancing at all. Hiccup and Cami? That simply couldn't be true…

Once she'd entered the main dance hall, her eyes wandered searchingly over the crowd. She didn't expect to be successful by scanning the dancing couples, and one quick glance proved her right. The only ones of their friends who were dancing were Dagur and Eret, as always earning some funny looks and not caring a bit, and Scott and Ruff, who probably had accepted his invitation out of a mixture of pity and masochistic curiosity. So Heather went on, letting her eyes wander over the people standing near the food tables or sitting around the many tables all over the room until she finally spotted who she was looking for.

Hiccup and Cami stood to the side of the room, apparently engrossed in a conversation. Justin, who usually was an inseparable part of their tight group, was nowhere to be seen, but that wasn't really surprising. An event like this wasn't exactly his taste, and under normal circumstances, not even Hiccup would show up here. It didn't mean anything that it was only these two standing alone there…

Swallowing and her eyes firmly on the wild blonde in her bright red dress and the dorky brunette with an elegant jacket – that admittedly suited him quite nicely – Heather weaved her way through the crowd toward them. Cami was the first to spot her as she approached, and a mischievous gleam filled her eyes that made Heather gulp. She nudged Hiccup and nodded toward her, and there was an undeniably hopeful look on his face before it dulled visibly once he saw her approaching them alone.

"Hey, Heather," Cami greeted her with a bright grin. "Where's your friend? I know someone who's getting a little nervous." Hiccup whimpered at her words, throwing Cami a pleading look. But it hadn't taken those words to make his state of mind obvious. He was constantly shifting his weight from one uneven foot to the other, and fiddled with something in his hands, the same small box she'd seen him holding during lunch already, as it seemed. It wouldn't have needed Cami pointing it out to see that he was a mental wreck. So truthfully answering Cami's question – and crushing his hopes by doing so – felt almost cruel.

"She… she's not coming," Heather replied hesitantly, and decided to keep her eyes on Cami for this conversation. She didn't need to see how Hiccup's expression fell in disappointment and hurt.

Cami, however, grew suddenly very serious, even scarily so. "Why?" she asked in a cool voice that made Heather gulp again – even though for another reason this time.

But Heather wouldn't let herself be intimidated, not when it was about her best friend. Not even by Cami. "She said she saw you two last night," she said in as firm a voice as she could muster. She looked carefully for some form of reaction, understanding or possibly even a flicker of guilt, but there was nothing. Only blank confusion. So she added, "In front of your house. You were… embracing and kissing." Heather still didn't believe that could be true. But she wouldn't make Astrid sound like a lunatic by reciting her words with an air of doubt. That much Heather owed her.

At first, there was only more confusion on both their faces, mixed with a heavy dose of surprise. Then understanding lightened Cami's eyes, just as Hiccup groaned loudly.

"So it was her after all?" he all but whined. It earned him two pairs of questioning eyes, so he quickly added, "I-I thought I saw a shadow running away, a shadow that looked like Astrid. But I didn't believe it really could be… Thor, but what she saw wasn't… It wasn't what…" He broke off, agitatedly running his fingers through his hair, and Cami continued in his stead.

"He was hugging me goodbye and I gave him a friendly peck on the cheek. That's all."

Heather nodded. She'd expected it would be something like that. But she still had to make sure. "So you're not a couple then? He didn't say how happy you make him and that he can't imagine a life without you?"

"Well," Cami began hesitantly, just as Hiccup groaned again. "He did say something along that line. But let's be honest, aren't those words true for everyone? Without me, all your lives would be so boring." She winked, then went on a little more serious, for her standard, at least. "But no, we're not a couple. He's not exactly my type." She winked again, this time with a more meaningful expression, and Heather would have loved to continue in that direction.

But first, she had to finish this one thing. "So, your type is not the 'I'm making a fool of myself by running through a crowded room without looking left or right'-type?"

Cami blinked, then glanced in the direction Heather was looking. Just in time to see Hiccup bolt out of the barn in full speed. "Oh damn," she muttered, then snorted in amusement.

"What?" Heather asked, a little worried. "He's… he's not going to do something stupid, is he?"

Cami gave her a strange look, filled with mischief and fire. "Something stupid? No. But maybe something crazy." Heather cocked her head, so she went on. "He put in a lot of preparation for tonight. I doubt he'll let that go to waste just because of such a misunderstanding."

. o O o .

There he goes... xD