A/N: OK, so I was having a hard time deciding whose story to tell this chapter. I was originally going to go with Heather, and pair her with Fishlegs, like I said I would. But, sorry to gwendalyn, but I think I'm going to pair her with someone else instead. So, still undecided when I wrote this chapter, I had to go with the only pairing that I hadn't yet done - Merida/Bunny (or Peter, as he's called in this fic). Thanks so much to everyone who has read/reviewed/followed/favourited (especially reviewed because I really need those reviews, guys - they really help), sorry for this long-winded author's note, and enjoy reading this next chapter!

Ginger xx

Oh, and I only managed to hit a word count of 1616, but if you are enjoying this, you probably don't care how many words there are... right? Thanks again :)

Chapter Six

Merida DunBroch opened her eyes to see three boys with wild ginger curls staring down at her. Most people would've screamed out in alarm, but Merida had seen this before. She just sighed.

"Mother!" she yelled, "Get the boys out of my room!"

"Hamish, Hubert, Harris!" Mrs DunBroch called.

"You're supposed to take us to school," one of the boys said matter-of-factly.

"Not today, Harry," said Merida, getting up out of bed and shooing her little triplet brothers out of her room.

"Mum said so," said another boy.

"Bertie, scoot!" Merida ushered the triplets out of her room, putting one hand ready to slam the door.

The third ginger boy stuck out his tongue at her and blew a raspberry reproachfully.

"Whatever, 'Mish," said Merida to the last triplet – Hamish. She pushed him out a little further, and then shut the door with a bang. She leant against it and sighed.

Around quarter of an hour later, Merida walked back into her room from the shower in her dressing gown. Her hair was wrapped in a towel, but as soon as she rubbed it dry, it sprung out like a set of loose springs. The phone on the dresser started to ring, and Merida picked it up, holding it to her ear.

"Hey, Astrid," she said, opening her cupboard with her spare hand and looking inside.

"I can't meet you at the gas station today," said Astrid.

"What? Why?" Merida demanded.

"I've gotta go in early to finish my English assignment," Astrid apologised.

"Oh, okay," said Merida. "I guess I'll see you in class then."

"You're not mad, are you?"

"No," said Merida simply.

"Okay, well, I've got to-"

"Wait," Merida interrupted, "What should I wear?"

"What?" Astrid asked, sounding confused.

"I don't know what to wear, Astrid," said Merida, slowly and clearly. "Help."

"I don't know," said Astrid. "Um, wear jeans and a shirt or something. I've gotta go."

"Fine," said Merida as Astrid hung up.

Merida ended up in jean-shorts, a logo tee and a green plaid shirt as she walked to the front door of her house. She pulled on her shoes and a beanie, shutting the door just as she heard her mom call, "Merida!" Merida grinned slightly, and made a run for it down the road.

Merida made it to the gas station, and pushed her bag straps back up onto her shoulders. Ruffnut wasn't there like usual, or her brother and his friends. Merida shrugged and went inside to grab something else to eat before school. She reached up to the dumpling shelf and had almost reached the packet she wanted, when her foot slipped and she went flying. Merida found herself caught in a pair of strong arms, packets of crisps flying everywhere. She looked up into two bright green eyes, and a tanned face full of freckles.

"Sorry," she said, still in the boy's arms.

"It's alright," he replied in a distinctly Australian accent, setting her down again.

Merida couldn't think of a single thing to say. She knew who this boy was, but they had hardly ever spoken, and for once, she felt a strange flutter of nerves. "You dropped all your crisps," she said.

"I know," said the boy, a smile gracing his lips. His nose twitched slightly, and Merida noticed the angular, yet cute shape of it. "Merida DunBroch, right?" he asked, crouching to scoop the packets back into his arms. He stood up again and looked at her.

"Yeah," said Merida, taking a step forward. Naturally, she stepped in a spilled puddle of water, and slipped, falling forwards... into his arms again.

"Peter, how long does it take to get some food?" a voice called, coming closer. "Jack's already bought a doughnut and a drink, and filled up his bike. Why do you have to be so..." The girl appeared round the corner, "...oh."

"Peter Cottontail," said the boy, blushing slightly. "That's my sister."

Merida stepped back again. "Well, I'd better buy these before I trip again."

Peter grinned and turned to his sister. "Thea," he said, "I know you were going to call me slow. Why can't you be patient?"

Thea rolled her eyes. "Aren't going to say bye to your girl?" she asked with a smirk.

Merida felt her cheeks flush when she heard that. She finished paying and stuffed her food in her bag, quickly trying to leave before the two siblings noticed.

"Oh, Merida?"

Merida could've face-palmed right there and then. "Yeah?" she said, turning around.

"Need a lift?" Peter asked, spinning his keys on his finger.

Merida clenched her jaw. No boy made her embarrassed, ashamed, and awkward in the same day. Or the space of ten minutes. "No," she said stubbornly, "I'm good, thanks."

Peter shrugged. "Alright," he said, before walking out of the gas station with his sister and his best friend Jack Frost.

By the time Merida finally sat down in class, she was tired, angry, and feeling pretty much humiliated. The only thing that kept her going through the rest of the day was the reminder from Ruffnut that trials for the baseball team were after school.

"Are you going to the trials, then?" Ruffnut asked, leaning back on her chair.

"The trials?" Merida asked, breaking out of her thoughts. "Oh, yeah, of course. Are you?"

"Yeah," said Ruffnut, and then she sighed. "My idiot brother's going too, so my mom's giving us a lift home."

"Tuffnut?" Merida asked. "Is he any good?"

"He's alright," Ruffnut replied, though she knew that was an understatement. "Do you need a lift home?"

"Uh, no, I'm walking home with Astrid, I think," said Merida.

"Okay," Ruffnut shrugged.

Later that day, Merida slammed her lunch tray down at the table beside Astrid. "I can't believe it's mash today," she grumbled.

"Someone's in a bad mood," Astrid remarked, putting down her glass.

"Well, yeah, you would be too," Merida huffed.

"Why?" Astrid asked, raising her eyebrows, "What happened?"

"It doesn't matter," said Merida.

"Alright then," said Astrid, an amused smile sitting on her face.

"If you're so happy, why don't you just go ask nerd-face out," Merida snapped. "He'll tell you everything, I'm sure."

Astrid turned a dark shade of pink. "What?" she burst out.

Merida sighed. She wished she hadn't said that. "Astrid-" she began.

"Eat by yourself, DunBroch," said Astrid, standing up. "I'm done."

Merida sat there for a while, scooping mashed potatoes into her mouth sullenly.

"All your friends gone or something?"

Merida looked up to see the smirking face of Peter Cottontail. "Yeah, actually," she said.

"Ditched you or just gone?" Peter questioned.

"It's none of your business, Cottontail," Merida replied, stabbing her fork into her plate.

"Alright, alright," said Peter, but he still had that laugh in his eyes that made Merida angry. And when he added, "Keep your hair on, DunBroch," that was the last straw.

Merida stood up, picked up her plate, and shoved the contents into Peter's face. "Stay out of my way, rabbit," she snapped, stalking out of the cafeteria.

Merida was still thinking about the entire lunch incident later on when she was sitting on the changing room bench tying up her sneakers. School had finished, but she was staying later for the baseball team trials. She had pretty much lost heart by now though.

"Merida, right?" Elsa Arendelle looked down at her.

"Yeah, that's me," Merida replied.

Elsa sat down beside her, retying her braid. "I heard you put your lunch in Peter Cottontail's face," she said.

"That's right," Merida sighed.

Elsa gave a faint laugh. "You gonna try and beat him in the trials?"

"Maybe," said Merida.

Elsa got up and walked to the door. "You coming?" she asked.

Merida nodded, a streak of competition running through her. "Yeah," she said, heading for the pitch.

The trials passed fairly easily. Merida was good, as always, and she was pretty certain of a spot on the team. But she wasn't sure she wanted it anymore, not if Peter was going to be there too. After Merida had pitched a few balls, she returned to the benches with an encouraging comment from the instructor.

"Well done, DunBroch," said Astrid sullenly, getting up to go next.

"Good luck..." Merida hesitated, "...Hofferson." And then, after she'd said that, Merida knew her and Astrid's friendship was over.

"The names of those who have made the team will be put up in the gym tomorrow!" everyone was told. And with that, Merida scooped up her bag and walked out.

"Hey, DunBroch!"

"Leave me alone, Cottontail," said Merida. "I'm not apologising."

But surprisingly, when Merida met his eyes, he was grinning.

"I like what you did with the 'rabbit' thing," he said, running a hand though his sweaty hair.

"It was simple," said Merida. "You know – cottontail rabbits?"

"I know," Peter smirked.

"Whatever," said Merida, turning to walk on.

"Hey," Peter called, and Merida slowly spun back around.

"What?" she asked tiredly.

"Need a lift?" Peter asked, leaning on the handlebars of his bike.

Those three words brought all the anger from the day back to Merida and she shook her head stubbornly. "No, I'm good thanks," she said.

"If you're sure..." Peter got on the bike and started it up.

"Shouldn't you be wearing a helmet with that thing?" Merida called over the growl of the engine.

"I only do that when chicks ride with me!" Peter yelled back, smiling devilishly.

"That's dangerous!" Merida shouted, the only thing she could think of.

"I know!" Peter gave her a glance which could only be described as flirtatious, and drove off.

Merida huffed, swallowing any thoughts about the boy, and started to walk home.