Let's Give it a Year

Chapter 4

Astrid couldn't keep her mind at ease the next day, her head swirling with thoughts from the night before as she sat behind her desk, staring off into space. For some reason, the conversation she had with Hiccup had sent her mind off into some unknown direction and she couldn't find her way back.

"Why is this bothering me so much?" Astrid wondered to herself, her words falling from her lips helplessly as she snapped herself out of her trance.

Staring down at her desk, organising the files that were strewn haphazardly across its surface, and opening up her laptop for the first time that day, Astrid set to work. The day passed by slowly, her mind constantly distracted by the events from last night, and her ears replaying the words she had heard from Hiccup.

"Well, hello there Miss Hofferson." A strange, spine-tingling voice called out to Astrid from down the corridor.

A man in his late-fifties to earlier sixties was walking down the corridor towards him. He had a bright, unnerving smirk plastered across his features as he raised a hand in a small wave at Astrid. His hair was balding slightly, but what was left of it had a brown tint to it, with a few straggling hairs of grey scattered and clinging to his scalp like salt and pepper seasoning. His face had many wrinkles around his eyes and below his cheekbones, the skin slightly sagging off the bone there, and when he smiled, the skin seemed to stretch sickeningly over the bones and allow them to protrude out from his face like a dislocated bone.

Astrid felt a small shiver run down her spine as he sent her a smirk and gave her a little wave, as though she were a child. Trying to act professional and not give any hint that she was creeped out by his gestures, Astrid gave him a warm, friendly smile and bowed her head at his entrance.

"Hello there, Mr Brighton."

The man before her smiled brightly at her, his feet stopping dead before her desk and his body leaning down towards her. However, his gaze was not focused on her face, and Astrid noticed his eyes drifting elsewhere over her body as he leaned down towards her.

"My my, you really have grown up into a beautiful young woman." He complimented her with a creepy smile still covering his features. Astrid tried to seem flattered by the compliment, instead, she felt sick and unnerved.

"Thank you," Astrid looked over at her calendar and noted that he had a meeting with her father at that exact moment. "Do you want to head on in, I believe my father is waiting for you," Astrid explained, a professional look remaining on her face as she tried to not show any hint of reaction to his creepy compliments.

"Oh, do I have to leave so soon? I was beginning to enjoy your company." As he said that, his hand reached out and caressed her arm that rested on the desk. The contact of his skin upon hers made Astrid flinch and withdraw her arms quickly and instinctively. "But I guess I'll head inside if I really have to."

"Okay, just head on in." Astrid gestured to the door to Thorald's office, desperate for Mr Brighton to head inside.

Mr Brighton smiled devilishly and slinked off into Thorald's office creepily. As he opened the door and alerted Thorald to his presence, Astrid heard a yell of welcome and surprise at his visit. But he was clearly glad to see the inappropriate and disgusting man entering his office.

"You know," A voice called out to Astrid making her raise her head, "You shouldn't let men talk to you like that." Astrid looked up and her eyes were met with a beautiful emerald pair of eyes that were staring at her as though she was the most precious gem in the world.

Or at least they weren't looking at her as though she were their next meal.

"Well, I didn't hear or see you doing anything to stop it." Astrid spat back, causing the auburn male to let out a soft chuckle at her words.