Finding Hiccup - Modern!Au ✔️

thirty one

So Mum's bought me a phone. That was step one. I've got Astrid's number off Heather. That was step two. Now I need to call her.
I input her number and stare at it for a while. I try to imagine how I'll start the conversation. I write down some useful words and phrases I might need. (Dr. Gobber's tip.) I visualize a positive scenario.
But I still can't bring myself to call her. So instead I text.

𝗛𝗶, 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝘆. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗛𝗲𝗻𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿. 𝗜 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁. 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗢𝗞? 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁? 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀, 𝗛𝗲𝗻𝗿𝘆.

And I'm expecting no reply, or at least a long wait, but the phone buzzes straight away and there's her response:

𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗲. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻?

I hadn't thought about that. When? It's Saturday evening, which means we've got all day tomorrow.

𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄? 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲? 𝟭𝟭 𝗮.𝗺.?

I press 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗱, and this time there's a bit of a wait before she replies:

𝗡𝗼, 𝗹𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗯𝘂𝗰𝗸𝘀.

A jolt of panic goes through me like white fire. Starbucks? Is she nuts? Then a second text comes through:

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘄𝗮𝘆, 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁? 𝗜𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁?

But...but...but...
Starbucks?
Tomorrow?
My fingers are trembling. My skin feels hot. I'm breathing in for four counts and out for seven and trying to channel Dr. Gobber. How would he advise me? What would he say?
But already I know what he's say. Because he's said it. I can hear his voice in my head, right now:
It's time for some bigger steps.
You need to push yourself, Henry.
You won't know till you try.
I believe you can cope with it.

I stare at the phone till the numbers blur in front of my eyes, then type the text before I can change my mind.

𝗢𝗞. 𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲.