"Do you come here a lot?"
"Me and my friend Jack love this place. I recommend the classic double bacon cheeseburger."
"Can't go wrong with a classic I suppose." She giggled.
"Exactly." Hiccup smiled leading her to a booth.
They both slid in on opposite sides of each other. A waitress quickly came around and brought them some menus before disappearing to assist other customers so they could have some time to think.
"Alright back on track." Hiccup thought. "She looks happier than before, everything seems to be looking good. I've just got to play it cool…"
As Hiccup scanned the room, his eyes fell dead upon a boy. This boy wasn't particularly handsome nor was he ugly, he'd gotten alll this from one quick glance. He would have had more time if his eyes weren't glued on the guys hair. Hair that fell on his head like some rag doll who had been tossed and thrown around by some toddler. It was even more appalling to realize that the guy, was him.
His own reflection projected on the window of the diner.
"Goodness how did this happen?" He thought to himself.
He glanced over at Merida who was starring hard at the menu weighing her choices. Her hair had also been thrown by the wind when they were walking, but since her curls were wild from the start the wind only enhanced her beauty.
"I'll be right back. I'm going to the restroom."
"Alright."
Hiccup quickly headed to the bathroom to fix his hair and whatever else might have been wrong that the window reflection hadn't showed him.
(0.0)
Merida eyed the menu. Everything looked delicious. She couldn't wait to come here again, she could just imagine what Rapunzel would say. "You and Hiccup have got your own little romantic spot." She mentally rolled her eyes while she thought about it, but found herself smiling.
This whole night she had been a bit confused. Hiccup had been acting so different from his usual self. One minute he was cute and funny and the next he was giving off the feeling of some typical flirt. She'd been ready to call it quits, but now he'd seem like normal, well normal in the sense of that night in the park.
She heard Hiccup slide back in the seat.
"Have you tried the breakfast hamburger? It's got bacon, egg, and a thin layer of grits spread on the buns. It sounds so different I have to try it." She said putting the menu down.
Only to her surprise the person sitting in front of her wasn't Hiccup. It was another familiar face at the worst possible time.
"Hi." He said with an annoying drawn out smile. "Miss me."
"Gaston." She breathed quietly.
"How have you been?"
"Good. Great. Gaston listen…"
"What are the odds we would run into each other here?"
"That's what I'd like to know. Shouldn't you be in Beaumont? What are you doing here?"
"Just passing through. Me and couple a fellas are headed south to fit in a couple hardcore training sessions before the season starts."
"I see… but now isn't the time for catching up. I'm on a date."
"You? A date? Interesting. What's this guy like?"
Merida just smiled which put Gaston in a foul mood. "He's seems...nice."
"Nice. I'm nice."
"Gaston stop, we've moved on. I've moved on. And I'd like for you to move out of that seat.
(0.0)
Hiccup approached the table with a bit of uneasiness. He'd finally got his hair the way he wanted, trying his best not to stay in the bathroom to long. Didn't want her getting the wrong idea. He'd even thought of some conversation topics, a joke that he thought was funny, but none of that would've worked because now some eight foot Adonis with a cleft chin and wavy black hair was sitting across from her.
First Colin and now this guy. He couldn't catch a break. It's like the odds of the world were working against. Big surprise there.
"But really don't you think would have a much better time with me"
"Oh for heaven's sake. How many times was this going to happen in one night."
Hiccup walked over to the table, trying his best to be imitating and dominate male-like.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing." Merida answered fast.
"Gaston." He said holding out his hand as Merida let out a huge sigh. "You must be Merry's date."
"Merry?" Hiccup questioned.
"Gaston, Hiccup. Hiccup, Gaston." Merida said.
Man déjà vu was cruel mistress.
"Gaston's a friend."
"I'd say I'm more than a friend." Gaston turned to the boy. "We use to date. I'm her ex-boyfriend."
"Briefly date. Like forever ago."
"Why am I not surprised? It's the same with that Colin guy." Hiccup thought. "Merida obviously had a type and I'm not it by far. Why would she go out with me when she has guys like this competing for her attention? This is one big joke, and I'll just end up being laughed at."
"So you two go to high school together?"
"Yeah. Hiccups really smart, he's top in the class."
"Is that so Hiccup. Do anything else besides study. Play any sports."
"Gaston played football for Blue Ridge in high school. Now he plays college ball at Beaumont." Merida explained.
"A college guy. Figures." He thought.
"No. I'm not much of a sports player."
"Really? I know for a fact that Merida love sports especially football."
"And football players." He mumbled, but not low enough for either of them not to hear.
"What?"
"Exactly. So Hiccup, it draws the question as to what someone like you is doing here with her seeing as you not even close to her type?"
"Hey Gaston!"
"You know I'm not exactly sure, this dates been a bust."
"Hear that Merida. When are you going to learn that you've got to stop messing around with these little boys and get a real man."
"And let me guess Mr. big football player Gaston. That man should be you."
"You got it you skinny string bean of boy Hiccup."
"Maybe I should go." Hiccup decided.
"No." Merida said getting up. "I'll leave. I can see me being here is just getting in your way. Gaston we broke up with no intention of getting back together. And Hiccup I'm not sure why I even asked you out tonight at this point. You're obviously not the guy I thought you were."
Merida walked out of the diner, without giving a second thought to either of the boys. She'd been giddy about tonight, unbelievably excited…and now… she felt stupid and ashamed that she had actually hoped for more.
She quickly made it to her car, fumed all the way home about those two idiots three when she remembered Colin, and stomped all the way upstairs. After throwing herself onto her bed, she quickly got up and stomped back downstairs into the kitchen.
After all she hadn't eaten.
She saw her three brothers seated at the table about to eat their desserts.
"Hey ya wee devils." She said grabbing the last slice of apple pie in the fridge.
The three boys simply smiled.
"How was your day?" She asked.
They all held up their hands. Harris and Hubert holding up thumbs up and Hamish giving a slight side to side wave of his hand.
"Well Hamish I can guarantee you had a better day then me." She sighed.
They all stared at their sister and her faraway look. All the boys looked at each other and looked at Merida holding up their dessert plates for her to take.
"Thanks boys, but you go ahead." She said sitting down with them. "Eat your cream puffs. I'll eat this pie and then head off to bed."
If there was one thing the boys hated, it was to see Merida sad or upset.
"I'm fine really, don't get all worked up. It was just a bad date, with a guy who wasn't worth my time. I'd much rather spend my days with you three anyway."
Harris patted Merida on the shoulder has she took a bite of her pie.
"Who needs Hiccup anyway."
(0.0)
"Merida guys are idiots, and sometimes they don't realize that maybe they should keep their mouths shut. Their words get jumbled up and left is right and right is left, you know." Rapunzel said.
Merida had explained to her in detail what had happened on her date, if it could be called that. In what world do you run into the guy you just had a date with and an ex-boyfriend? But it wasn't just any typical ex-boyfriend it had to be Gaston. Talk about the bad luck in the universe.
'That guy just makes me wanna…" Rapunzel thought.
She wanted to hug her friend, squeeze her tight, and shove some ice cream in her face to make her smile.
"So now what?"
"Now what? Now nothing. We move on and forget about it because I couldn't care less."
Couldn't care less?
Rapunzel had been friends with Merida since what seemed like forever. They were friends with a bond so tight Rapunzel considered her sister. So when Merida said 'she couldn't care less' she knew that wasn't true. She'd seen the way she smiled when she talked about him, talked to him. And let's not forget the way he looked at her, like she held the key to his heart.
"Listen I'm not defending him, but maybe you should talk to him without any exes or Colin's. Just the two of you."
"And say what." Merida demanded.
"I don't know maybe…"
"Maybe we drop it."
"But Merida."
"Rapunzel. We are dropping it."
Merida was stubborn so her drop it was definite, but Rapunzel was dangerously determined. And her determination was sure to beat out Merida. Merida wanted her to drop it, fine, she wouldn't bring it up to her anymore.
But there are always two sides to a story. So if talking to Merida wasn't going to work she'd just have to go around the mountain instead of trying to push it.
She'd go talk to Hiccup herself.
Rapunzel had a gut feeling about him, she knew Hiccup wasn't a bad guy and that he genuinely liked her friend. So she'd hear from him herself about their "date" and then truly decide whether this was something to drop.
First thing first, I've read the comments (I'm always reading actually) and I love it you guys are awesome. As far as the story is concerned things have got to get worse before they get better...I suppose. Plus I always figured that Merida's type would be Gaston-like considering outward appearances which is why I chose him. But I don't think she's the shallow type. Anyway thanks for commenting and reading, hope you enjoy. xoxoxoxo.