Odds and Evens (The Big Five)

Hangout

That evening...

Elsa

"So you just yelled at him?" I questioned Merida, sipping on a hot chocolate while she practiced archery. Her, Punzie, Anna and I were at her house, in her archery practice suite; her parents converted the basement into one once she'd perfected her backward-flip shot (after she- jokingly!- threatened to use it on them).

"Well, yeah!" Merida responded, furiously firing arrows at the target on the other side of the room.

"Isn't that, a little, well... Unfair?" Anna asked nervously, curled up in a bean bag.

"I don't- think so!" she retorted in between shots.

"He was just trying to get your attention!" Punzie reasoned- though very, very conscious that Merida was in possession of a deadly weapon.

"And he couldn't think of a better way to do it?!" Merida huffed, now shooting with her hands behind her back...

"I think he was just trying to figure out the best way to get you to like him," I coaxed.

"Well that wasn't the best way! Not at all!" Merida yelled, firing her last arrow. Bulls eye; as expected. She sighed heavily, placed her bow and empty sheath back on their stands, and joined us in the circle of beanbags behind where she'd been practicing.

"Look," Merida exhaled, sinking into a large turquoise beanbag. "This is how I see it: Hiccup had a crush on me. He wanted to go out with me. So he came up with a plan to get me to like him. But this plan involved no individual thinking on his part- none, whatsoever! I was telling him exactly how to fllirt with me. I mean, if he'd gotten dating advice from Jack or something that would be understandable, but you don't get all of your dating advice from the person you want to date! He couldn't even think for himself! I don't want to be with a guy who can't even make his own decisions! Besides, he tricked me! Like I'm some sort of idiot! He probably thought that I would act like some sort of soppy doe- eyed freak when I found out! And I am NOT like that!" Merida convinced angrily.

We all paused, trying to think of a way to console her and change her mind, but it was very clear that she refused to reconsider.

"Well, I guess he could have been a bit more independent," Anna decided. "And you're right, Merida- he should make his own decisions."

"And maybe it's for the best that you didn't fall head-over-heels in love with him when you found out- I mean, that would just be pathetic! Who does he think you are?!" Punzie realised, slurping down hot chocolate.

"Exactly! Thanks for understanding guys," Merida grinned, hugging her knees.

"You're welcome," I answered, flashing a weak smile. "It wouldn't kill you to forgive him though," I tried to reason.

"Yeah, I guess..." Merida appreciated. "Don't worry guys, I won't let something like this wreck our friendship."

"Yay!" Anna cheered, a chocolate covered beam spreading across her face. Suddenly my phone started broadcasting the instrumental for Ariana Grande's "The Way".

"Ariana Grande? Really?" Merida joked, raising her eyebrows.

"Hey, she's not bad," I argued, answering my phone.

"Hey!" Jack greeted from the other side of the phone.

"Hi! What's up?" I asked, fiddling with my braid.

"Are Punzie and Merida there?" he interrogated.

"Yeah... Why?"

"I was wondering if you all wanted to come round to mine after school on Friday,"

"Yeah! Sure!"

"Hiccup will be there though, if that's okay with Merida."

Merida snatched my phone out of my grasp.

"Of course that's okay! We're still friends!"

I grabbed my phone back in time to hear Hiccup cheering in the background.

"We'll see you then," I agreed.

"Awesome! Bye!" he ended, hanging up.

"Sorry Anna, I won't be home Friday evening," I apologised to her.

"It's fine! I'll invite Kristoff over and we can watch Disney movies and play Minecraft!" she pardoned.

"Ooooh, so how is Kristoff?" Punzie giggled, nudging Anna.

"Still just a friend!" she insisted, elbowing her back.

"You sure-"

"Yes!" Anna groaned, exasperated.

"If you say so," Merida smirked. "I think you guys need to head home though, it's getting late."

"Fine," I agreed, standing up with Punzie and Anna. "Don't be too hard on Hiccup."

"I won't! In fact, I'll apologise to him tomorrow, because I might have overreacted a bit," Merida blushed.

"Okay, bye!" Punzie skipped out of the room, Anna and I following.