Valhalla High (A Magnus Chase Fanfic)

Pray for a Blizzard

November 27

Going to school after Thanksgiving Break was kinda hard. It had been nice to take a break from studying and spend time with my family and friends. Over the weekend, my father took me out on his banana-colored boat and we caught up. I'd also had time to text Alex and over-analyze our near kiss. How much had I messed up and was there any way to repair the damage I'd done? Would Alex now think I didn't like her or would she not like me because I'd not read "How to Nail the First Kiss" on WikiHow beforehand?

At least schoolwork might help keep my mind off that. There were finals before Winter Break, so I knew our teachers would be piling us with projects. I went first to my AP English class. Odin was assigning us to read Pride and Prejudice. "Next semester we'll start a unit on plays," he told us. "I'm also assigning a two to three page essay due before Winter Break. The topic is: Is Pride and Prejudice a great literary work or a chick flick?"

    Jack raised his hand and Odin called on him. "Why can't it be both?" Jack asked. "Are romances now relegated to just 'low culture?'"

     Odin smiled. "I see a good essay in the makings there. I'd love to read it."

    The whole class groaned and Jack looked a little embarrassed. After class, I caught up with him. "You made a good point," I said.

He shrugged. "Too bad Odin didn't change the essay topic or better yet, not give us one. We're going to have so much homework before Winter Break. I'd better start praying for a blizzard."

"You don't need a blizzard," Alex said, coming up to us. "You just need to expedite the unveiling of the newest smartphone model. I heard Odin stayed in line overnight for the first iPhone."

We all laughed because that sounded like him, enduring because he believed that suffering was the only path to wisdom. I didn't agree with that. Personally, I'd learned plenty of things without pain — and sometimes through pleasure — like falafels are tasty, Doctor Who is a great tv show, and how to say "I love you" in ASL. Then again, my AP classes sometimes felt like torture, though I wasn't sure if they'd made me any wiser.

     In Ceramics class, I was moving onto the bowl for my mother. "I still cannot believe you're making it look like a flying squirrel," Halfborn said, shaking his head.

"Modern problems require modern solutions," I replied.

"I cannot see anything modern about that," Halfborn said, gesturing to my bowl.

Right now, it just look like a long oval. I was working on the tail and then I'd attach it and work on the body. As my hands flew, I listened to Mallory and Halfborn argue about what they should do on Christmas. "A longboat contest," Halfborn declared.

"We don't have any longboats," Mallory said. "It any boats at all."

"We could build them ourselves," Halfborn said.

Mallory snorted. "Neither of us are shipwrights and besides, where would we get the necessary supplies and tools? We don't have the time nor the money nor the skills to make a Viking longboat."

Halfborn groaned. "My deepest wish is broken. All I want for Christmas is to best you in a boat race."

     Remembering this past weekend, I chimed in, "Perhaps you two could have a boat race."

    The two looked at me and I plunged on, "My father has boats — including some canoes. I could ask him if we could borrow them. You two could be on a team together and race me."

    "Two against one?" Halfborn said. "That wouldn't be fair."

    Alex nodded. "You're an honorable man, so why don't I join Magnus' team?"

    TJ smiled. "Sam and I would best both of you."

    "Just you wait," Jack said, "and see how great Riptide is. She and I will cream you all."

    I stared at them, stunned at how quickly everyone adopted my idea. "Alright," I said, my mind whirling. "I'll talk to my father and see what we can do, but how about we make it the day before Christmas? I know some of you might have other plans."

    "We don't," Sam answered for us all.

    I shrugged. "Christmas it is. I'll invite Hearthstone and Blitzen too."

"The whole squad," Halfborn said, grinning.

"We should come up with like a group name," Jack said.

"The Vikings!" Halfborn suggested.

"Our whole school is the Vikings," Mallory pointed out.

"Then the Berserkers," Halfborn said.

"What about Floor 19?" TJ suggested.

"From the Maximus Chaos books?" Sam asked.

TJ nodded. "I don't know why, but the characters in the series really remind me of us."

"I think the same," I said.

"What your favorite book?" TJ asked me.

"Definitely the last one," I said. "Boat of the Deceased was the perfect combination of romance, humor, adventure, and mythology."

"I really liked the scene where John was praised by Maximus," Jack said.

"I liked how Maximus defeated Loki by saying how much he loved his friends," Halfborn said. "It was so wholesome."

Mallory sighed and rolled her eyes. "Berserkers — they're always the sensitive ones."

Halfborn scowled. "I can't help that I feelings unlike you."

Mallory stuck out her tongue. "You just admitted you like me."

They continued to squabble and the rest of us exchanged bemused expressions. "I swear," Sam said, "sometimes I cannot tell if they're flirting or fighting."

"That's a mood," Alex said. "Hey Magnus, you need to work on your pottery. It's all fired up and ready for you to glaze it."

I met her eyes. "Three coats, right? So I'll have to come over there separate times?"

She shrugged. "Or an all-day thing. Would this Sunday work for you?"

I nodded. "Looks like someone is eager," TJ teased.

I blushed. "Making pottery is really interesting."

"Is that why you've been talking instead of working?" Sif asked, coming over.

Halfborn mouthed "busted" to me and I ducked my head, spending the last half hour of class trying to get some progress made.