Ok, due to the positive reviews, I'm going to continue. Remember I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! Enjoy and review. Constructive criticism on how to make to story better is welcome.
In spite of herself, Astrid suddenly grew self-conscious with the boy's persistent staring. She felt the urge to tug at her sagging jeans and worn out pink t shirt that she didn't even like. Her short blond hair was probably a mess, she had barely looked at it that morning let alone brushed it. She looked down and fiddled with her bracelet with a dragon on it. She glanced back at him and he was still staring at her. Astrid felt herself blush but instead of looking away, she defiantly stared back at him. Refusing to even blink she engaged the boy in a staring contest. He seemed to sense her challenge and he stared at her without blinking as well. Finally he broke first and looked away. Astrid smiled to herself with her victory and the green eyes returned to her.
"Snotlout, would you like to share with us today?" Bjorn's voice brought Astrid's attention back to the group.
"Sure, I'm Snotlout, seventeen years old. Turns out I have to have surgery to remove my other eye so I'll be a blind person. I'm not complaining though, things could be worse, even though being blind will suck. But I've got a great girlfriend and a friend and cousin like Hiccup to help."
The boy staring now had a name to come with him.
"We are here for you Snotlout," Bjorn said and the rest of the group practically deadpanned the words. Several other kids in the support group shared their calamities, which Astrid found painful to listen to, but it wasn't anything she wasn't used to. Then Hiccup's turn came. He stood up.
"My name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, might have to write that down." His voice was a little nasally, but it was cute, Astrid caught herself thinking.
"I'm seventeen years old. Over a year ago, I had a just a touch of osteosarcoma. Had to get rid of the cancer but they couldn't save all of me, so peg leg!" Hiccup reached down and pulled his jeans up of his left leg revealing a metal prosthetic as he balanced on one foot. "Anyway, I'm here at my cousin's request." He finished with a smile.
"How are you Hiccup?" Bjorn asked.
"I am spectacular. I'm on a dragon that only flies up." Hiccup demonstrated with his arm extending to the ceiling.
"Would you like to share your fears with us?" This question caused Hiccup to turn and look at Bjorn. Lost in his thoughts for a minute then brought his answer.
"Oblivion." He said simply. "I fear oblivion."
Without raising her hand Astrid stood up. "I'm Astrid. Listen, we are all going to die one day it's inevitable, there is a time for each and every one of us. And there will be a time when no one remembers who we ever were. No one survives forever. And if the inevitability of human oblivion scares you, I suggest you ignore it, or better yet get over it. That's what everyone does, or should do."
Astrid returned to her seat soaking in the silence of the room, contemplating her response. The silence was broken by Hiccup's voice.
"Damn, aren't you something I've never seen before." His smile spread across his face.
Astrid stood outside on the sidewalk waiting for her mother to pull up, which wouldn't be too long before she did. Looking down at the concrete, she saw a shadow walk up next to hers. Lifting her head she saw Hiccup standing next to her, with a respectful distance.
"What's your name?" He asked. Astrid's brow furrowed in a mix of confusion and slight irritation. Hadn't she said her name earlier when she retaliated against his fear confession? And he already forgot?
"Astrid" She said curtly.
"No, your full name."
"Astrid Skye Hofferson"
Astrid Skye, did your parents name you that because your eyes are the color of the sky itself?" Hiccup asked smiling.
"Yeah actually they did." Astrid couldn't help but smile at his observation. She turned her head to him, he was staring at her again, with that wide smile on his face.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Because you're beautiful. And beautiful people should be admired."
"Beauty is incredibly overrated." Astrid smirked.
Hiccup just smiled. "Let's go watch a movie, at my house. Now."
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third you could be an axe murderer for all I know."
"There is that possibility." Hiccup declared looking across the parking lot. Snotlout was standing next to a yellow bug car, kissing a girl with black hair and pale green eyes rather aggressively. "Yes, they have no problem publicly displaying their affection for each other." Hiccup said when he saw Astrid looking at them with wide eyes. She could hear them mumbling 'Always' to each other. "Always?" She questioned?
"Always is their thing, like they will always love each other." Hiccup informed taking a cigarette pack out of his pocket. Astrid's eyes widened in shock and anger and… disappointment?
"Are you serious?! Do you think you're cool to do that?" Astrid yelled at him, who looked slightly bewildered. "You had freaking cancer, and now you're going to try your luck and see if you can acquire more cancer?! I'll have you know not being able to breathe SUCKS! It's your hamartia! You're fatal and tragic flaw!" She turned to stomp away from him as she saw her mother's car pull into the parking lot but a hand held onto hers. Yanking it away she spun around to face him.
"They don't hurt you unless you light them, and I've never lit one. It's my metaphor, you put the killing thing right between your teeth, but you never give it the power to kill you."
Astrid froze to the spot, cogitating his words. Her mother pulled up behind her waiting for her to get in the car.
"Mom, I've made plans with Hiccup Haddock."
The ride to Hiccup's house was terrifying, to say the least. His red and black truck jerk forward every time he hit the accelerator and jerked back every time he hit the break. Astrid's head bounced off her seat for what felt like the hundredth time.
"I failed the driving test three times." Hiccup confessed.
"I have no trouble believing you." Astrid responded.
"I'm left footed, so it's really hard to drive with my right foot. And old Prosty doesn't help me feel pressure that well. The fourth time I took the test, the instructor said 'Your driving is unpleasant, but not unsafe.'
"Cancer perk" They said simultaneously, and laughed. Hiccup then hit the brake and jerked the wheel to the left to pull into a driveway, knocking over several trash cans in the process.
Following Hiccup inside the house, she noticed quotes and saying plastered onto plaques, stitched onto pillows and painted on plates. "So called 'inspirations'. Don't ask" was all Hiccup said.
Sitting in Hiccup's room Astrid looked at the numerous basketball trophies sitting on his shelves.
"You must have been pretty good as a basketball player."
"I wasn't bad. I hate it now. One day I was shooting some free throws and I realized that throwing a spherical object toward a hoop was the dumbest thing I could be doing when I could be doing something more fulfilling and worthwhile. But enough about me, what's your story? And not your cancer story, your real story."
"Well…I'm not very interesting."
"You're response in support group strongly says otherwise. C'mon tell me the first thing that comes in your mind."
Ok, An Imperial Affliction. It's my favorite novel."
"Does it have dragons in it?"
"No it's not like that."
"Ok, I will read this horrible book that you somehow favor and in exchange," he got up and plucked a book of his shelf. After writing something in the book he held it up, the cover was black with a vibrant green color, Legend of the Night Fury.
"You will read this amazing story about the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself." He held the book out for her to take, when she reached for it her hands brushed against his.
"Woah." He said taking her hand. "Your hands are so cold." He held her hand with two of his trying to give her some of his warmth.
"They're just under oxygenated." She replied nonchalantly, while she didn't pull her hand back to her surprise.
"Astrid Skye, I love it when you talk medical to me."
"I cannot deny, it has been a true and genuine pleasure making your acquaintance Astrid Skye." Hiccup said as he pulled in front of her house. They had spent a few hours watching movies and listening to music together.
"Same here Haddock." Her smile coming forth without her awareness.
"Can I see you again? Tomorrow perhaps?" There was a hint of nervousness and hopefulness in his voice.
"Eager aren't you?" Astrid smirked.
"Well, I did say tomorrow, I'd much rather see you tonight."
"We are still strangers, I'll call you when I finish this book." She held up The Legend of the Night Fury. "I suspect you wrote your number in the book already."
"And you call us strangers." Hiccup retorted. Astrid just smiled and did something she had not done in a long time, she punched him in the arm.
Don't forget your reviews! And if you want while you are waiting check out my other stories. They are a little dark, but if darkness doesn't scare you or you ignore it I suggest you read them!
Until next time!