Let's Give it a Year

Chapter 9

It had been 2 hours, and Astrid still hadn't returned.

Hiccup was starting to worry. He had been waiting at their table for hours, waiting for Astrid to return so that they could both push through this evening together. But Astrid was nowhere to be found.

As the night dragged on, and the true party began as the tables were tidied away and the floor cleared for the evening disco, Hiccup felt his stomach lurch and chest tighten. He was beginning to panic. It surprised him how long it took him to panic, but now that he was feeling it, he was desperate to leave.

Finally being able to squeeze himself away from the party, the disco kicking into action almost immediately as raucous, drunk men began to fill the dance floor. Hiccup emerged into an empty hallway, finding his way to the bottom of the stairs that led to the upstairs rooms, where he would be conveniently staying the night.

"Hiccup?" A familiar feminine voice called out to him. Hiccup whipped his head around and came face-to-face with Heather, turning his back on the staircase behind him.

"Heather? What are you doing here? I didn't think you were invited." Hiccup questioned, a look of confusion passing over his features. Heather shrugged with a small smile.

"Well, I couldn't miss your big day, could I?" Heather replied cheerfully, placing a gentle hand over her chest.

As her eyes looked up at Hiccup, she spotted another figure making its way down the steps behind them. They were wearing a beautiful white dress that flowed down their figure but didn't reveal too much about them, their blonde hair seemed ragged and untidy as they carefully made their way down the stairs. Heather noticed a peculiar expression dusting their features, the figure's eyes coasting along the floor until they reached Hiccup and his secretary.

Smiling wickedly to herself, Heather focused her attention back on Hiccup and wrapped her arms around his neck. Pulling him close, their noses met but Heather could not pull any closer as Hiccup held her shoulders away from him.

However, from behind, they looked much closer than they were. Astrid, who had been making her way down the stairs, suddenly felt all her willpower and bravery seep out of her like a waterfall and she angrily stomped her way back up the stairs. She couldn't believe that she was willing to trust Hiccup and help him out through the night, believing that he was alone during the party.

Instead, Hiccup had found his own fun and was busily making out with his secretary right in front of the reception. It was like someone had just stabbed Astrid in the heart as she made the short journey back to her hotel room.

Knowing that she wouldn't be going back down any time soon, Astrid squeezed and ripped her way out of her wedding dress, not caring if it tore or ripped in any place, she just wanted to get out of the infernal contraption. Once she was out, Astrid found herself some comfortable clothes and decided to have a soothing and relaxing bath while the evening was still young.

Hiccup was busy anyway.

"Heather, what in Thor's name do you think you're doing?!" Hiccup questioned his secretary angrily. He never raised his voice often, but back at the bottom of the stairs with the blaring music in the background, Hiccup felt the need to express his anger.

"What? It's not like that marriage is actually real. And we both know that I'm much better for you than her."

Heather flipped her hair over her shoulders suggestively, showing off her neck to the young man before her. Yet, Hiccup felt a small amount of bile seep into the back of his throat and he was forced to, once again, push Heather away from him and maintain a secure distance from her.