Valhalla High (A Magnus Chase Fanfic)

Dance Dance Revolution

December 15

    Somehow, my group had to go on the first day (I'm pretty sure it was because Jack volunteered us). We were wearing the best matching outfits we could: grey pants and dark green tops, though everyone's fit was different. We'd done most of our practice over the past few days because of the whole OSS thing and I was pretty sure every group was going to get a higher grade than us purely because they had more time to practice.

At least we weren't going first (we were second). The first group to go consisted of Sam and three other Valkyries. They were dressing in matching floor-length white dresses with fake swan wings on the back. They danced to "Ride of the Valkyries" and unsurprisingly, they did really well. The whole class clapped and cheered when they were finished.

"Maybe we should just play it ill," I told Jack as the group before us went back to their seats.

"Nonsense," Jack said. "We'll do great."

"Great as in greatly embarrassing?" I asked. "I can do that."

Jack sighed. "Just follow my lead and remember what we practiced."

We got up to stand in front of the class. Jack had brought his own speakers and he brought it out and connected it to his Chromebook. He pulled up Ella Eyre's "Together" and we got into our starting formation. Jack and TJ were in front, while Alex and I flanked them.

Coach Thor pressed play. Jack, TJ, and Alex started dancing, but I realized something was wrong right off the bat. After a few seconds, so did they. The speakers weren't playing the song we had chosen, but some recording of "Ring Around the Rosie."

So I did the natural thing: I grabbed Alex's hand. She realized what I was doing and grasped Jack's hand who grasped TJ's hands and he grasped my other one. Then, we skipped around in a circle until it came to the part where we "all fell down." The recording ended. The class looked at us in a mixture of curiosity and amazement. Then, "Together" started playing.

We were a bit startled, but we jumped into our positions and started dancing. Honestly, I was so full adrenaline that I wasn't thinking of my embarrassment or fear right now. I was too caught up in the fluid movements I was trying to execute. We finished up our dance routine with a final twirl and I must say, I had never been so glad for a semester to be nearly over.

       "Bravo!" Coach Thor said. "You guys did amazing despite your technical difficulties and I really liked the first dance. It took me back to my childhood."

    I met Alex's gaze and mouthed, "So much for having to choreograph our own dances." We returned to our seats and the next group went. I was so relieved to be done with the dance that I actually found myself in a good mood the rest of class.

     It was only when we had to change out that my worries returned. Luckily, Halfborn stationed himself right outside the bathroom stall where I was changing out in. No one wanted to bother him, so no one bothered me.

     In history class, we were getting ready for our final.  "It will be in the same format as the AP exam in the spring," Odin said.

     We all groaned and he continued, "So today we're going to review for the final with a game of Kahoot."

      I grinned. We all came up with cool usernames. I was "The MC." Sam was "That Stunt Pilot." Halfborn was "Berserking Bad Boy." Mallory was "Dagger Queen." TJ was "Tyre's Right Hand." Jack was "Blades Before Babes." Hearthstone was "The Empty Cup." Blitzen was "Fashionable and Furious." Odin had a bit trouble figuring out who was who at first and it was all part of the fun.

     After that, we went to AP Calculus. Saga was also prepping us for a final, but instead of Kahoot, we played Jeopardy! The class was split into four teams and mine won (in no small part due to Sam and her tutoring).

Lunch was a casual affair until Mallory suggested we sneak outside to eat. There was a courtyard near the cafeteria with a table where staff sometimes went during breaks. "But it's December," I pointed out. "It will be freezing."

"Exactly," Mallory said. "No one will be there."

"Can't argue with that," I sighed.

Luckily, I had my coat stuffed in my backpack, so I was fine. We snuck outside and sat didnt on the table. "Now we don't have to breathe the same oxygen as Utgard-Loki," Halfborn beamed. "My girlfriend has great ideas."

"I'm bringing that up next time you say my ideas are bad," Mallory replied.

Halfborn shrugged. Lately, the two of them had been fighting less, though bantering was still their love language. It made life easier, for sure, not having to worry as often if they were together or on break or wherever else.

    I noticed Alex was shivering. She had worn a green sweater today, but it just wasn't cutting it in the Bostonian cold. I unzipped my coat. "We could huddle under it together for warmth," I suggested. "Like penguins."

    "We're not penguins," Alex said.

     I shrugged my coat off my shoulders. "You can have it then," I said wrapping it around her.

     "No," she said, taking it off. "You can have it."

    I shook my head. "I'm known for withstanding the cold," I said. "I once had to wait outside for a bus while it was snowing for half an hour. I was wearing just my sweater and jeans and I didn't even get frostbite."

    Alex rolled her eyes. "You were complaining about the cold just five minutes ago."

     "Well, I changed my mind," I said.

    "You don't have to be so gallant Magnus," Alex said.

     "I'm not doing this to be a martyr or anything," I said. "I just want to do it."

     "That's what all martyrs say," Alex replied.

     TJ cleared his throat and I realized everyone had gone quiet and was staring at us. Blitzen and Hearthstone were signing to each other. Hearthstone caught my eye and signed that we should just share the coat. "We'll do what the elf said," Alex decided.

     I didn't complain that I had come up with the idea as we shared the coat. It was a bit big on me, but not large enough for both of us to zip up. Still, with Alex pressed up against me, I had never felt so warm.