A/N: This chapter's a little shorter than I thought, but I actually quite like it! I hope you enjoy :)

Astrid looked at herself in the mirror; she had locked herself in her room ever since Heather's announcement to the whole school had left her in tears for three weeks.

She had ended up that evening getting dressed in to her comfiest clothes and snuggling up to Stormfly's fur, crying.

Hope you're okay Astrid x

Ruffnut had been knocking on her door everyday to check on her, but Astrid had refused to open her door to anyone; she felt safer being shut away from the world, and who could blame her when the whole school had the fiasco still fresh on their lips.

"Come on Astrid, you've got to come out sooner or later, for one I'm pretty sure you haven't eaten much…I have a whole pot of ice cream with your name on..well half a pot of ice cream anyway…"

"Ten out of ten for effort Ruffnut, but I'm not in the mood." Astrid sighed, this had to be the seventh time Ruffnut had knocked on her door that day. She was getting to the point in her life where she was one phone call away from phoning her parents to pick her up this evening; she needed a break and clearing her head for a few days could help that, especially away from the toxic atmosphere that was lingering around the school.

He was still mad at her, he couldn't look her in the eye when everything tumbled out in the air at the dance. And that was three weeks ago.

She hadn't been to class either apparently. Although he had noticed in the classes they shared the empty seat where she would have been left empty and tidy.

Hiccup had become more angry at the fact she had kept this from him for so long, was he just a game to her? or did she truly like him?

Everything was up in the air at the moment, and the Christmas holidays were almost upon them; he looked back at his phone for the millionth time expecting a message from her, but nothing.

"How could she do this?" he asked Toothless, who stretched out on the bed, awake from his masters voice. Hiccup had been like this for weeks, and he had no idea how to answer any of the questions he had lying around his head.

Although after the dance, and after the sudden disappearance of Astrid the room had filled with an icy chill from Ruffnut who had her say and left to find Astrid that evening; he didn't even bother to go after her, and he felt so bitter about the fact that she had done this that he gained a frown over his thoughts again.

"Why are girls so…so" he sighed, having no idea how to speak, Toothless rubbed his head on Hiccup's leg, hoping for his owner to calm down as well as feeding him.

Astrid opened her door, Ruffnut had sat outside her door refusing to move until she had come out and opened the door. Astrid's own stubbornness had rubbed off on Ruffnut and she couldn't be prouder, although now was not the time.

"About time," she heard the blonde mumble, she looked up and saw Astrid's pale yet puffy face.

"You look like shit Astrid."

Astrid rolled her eyes, Ruffnut was never the one to be nice about things like this, always blunt and straight to the point.

"Thank you for the compliment."

"No problem. I have to say though, I've missed you in class, and hanging out with us.."

"I'm sure Hiccup doesn't." she mumbled, she would have cried at the thought, but she had dried out her eyes with the intense crying she had done for the last three weeks.

Ruffnut stood up and hugged Astrid, surprising her from her thoughts, but none the less she returned the hug, holding tight and thanking her best friend for being by her side.

"I'm sorry for being so shit,"

"Don't be stupid. If anything this is all Heather's fault." Ruffnut's words were spat, venom still dripping over the thought of Heather and her smug face that evening.

"True. But anyway, I've decided to go home for the weekend."

Ruffnut's face said it all, she looked at Astrid and her head fell, she was going to be the only girl with the boys and have no one to talk girly stuff about - even though they rarely did, it was more the fact of when Snotlout would make a fool of himself…

"But who's going to play Snotlout bingo with me?" she pouted, Astrid allowed a small amount show of a smile, she was going to miss the blonde, but the Christmas holidays began next week, all she was doing was having an extra week before everyone else.

"I just need to get away from this place. My dad's on his way to pick me up as we speak. I just," she sighed, "I just can't be around where there's so much hate and rumours flying in the air.."

Ruffnut nodded, understanding her, it was a fair enough reason to leave Berk Academy right now - but she was going to miss Astrid so much.

"I'll text you every day idiot. You're making this look like I'm breaking up with you and running to the other side of the world," she joked, punching Ruffnut lightly in the arm.

"God if you're going to hit me at least put effort in. Maybe this break will be good for you, get you to work on your punching skills."

They both giggled for a brief moment. Astrid felt thankful for having Ruffnut with her right now, she knew the guys still wanted to be friends, and they had all been texting her hoping she was okay - but they weren't Hiccup and that was the saddest part knowing he was still angry at her.

"I suppose you still need help packing, after all Astrid Hofferson has a shit ton of clothes.."

"As much as I want to say you're lying and I've done the packing, I would be telling you a great big lie." Astrid smiled weakly.

It was seven thirty by the time Mr Hofferson had arrived to pick up his daughter. It was rare when he had a phone call from her in tears, and both him and his wife knew something was up - after all Astrid never cried.

"Hi dad," Astrid held a small smile to her father, but she knew from his face he was scanning her for signs of crying.

"Astrid." he hugged her, and she let her tears roll down her face quietly. Ruffnut had helped her with her suitcases - all three of them.

"Remind me not to help you pack and carry ever again Hofferson!" she called as her father was lifting them in to the car,

"Noted." she wiped the last tear from her eye before pulling out a small box from her hoddie, it had been delicately wrapped in silver paper and a white bow sat on top of it.

"I was going to give this to you before we broke up, but seeing as I'm out of here before you…"

Ruffnut smiled, pulling out a gift herself for Astrid

"Hey, It's a good job I know you well Astrid." the both of them hugged before Ruffnut watched as her best friend got in to the car and drove out of the Academy

"Lucky bitch." she smile, walking back in to the building.

An hour after Astrid had left Ruffnut heard the sounds of knocking coming from Astrid's room. She was confused, Astrid had taken everything she needed; school work, Stormfly, her laptop and chargers, what on earth was that sound?

"Do you mind keeping it the fuck down?!" she shouted, opening her door and seeing Hiccup outside of Astrid's door.

"Astrid isn't opening up…"

"Yeah, you're going to be there for sometime. She's not even in there."

Hiccup looked at Ruffnut, trying to tell if she was lying, but you could never tell with the crazy Thornston twin.

"Really?" he's eyebrow raised. Ruffnut nodded,

"An hour ago, she won't be back until next year…"

"You're kidding me, right?" his voice slowly gaining a higher pitch each time he spoke; Ruffnut shook her head,

"She's had enough, called her parents to come and get her and left crying with three and may I add three heavy suitcases and Stormfly.."

Hiccup felt sick, he was coming over to see how Astrid was, he wanted to make sure she was okay - after all he hadn't spoken, seen or texted her since the whole fiasco had hit him square in the face.

And deep down a part of him missed Astrid and her voice and how even in when she's 'dressed down' in her joggers she is still the prettiest girl he's ever seen.

"I..I.." he was stuttering, he had a whole speech prepared for her and here she was, gone. At least he had the whole of Christmas to work on it he thought to himself, as well as the pile of homework his teachers had given him to do..

"I'll just come back next year then." he sounded defeated and Ruffnut sighed, Heather had caused a hurricane of shit and it wasn't going to be sorted for a while.

'At least Astrid is safe for now.' she thought.