Always Watch Out for the Quiet Ones

Chapter Three

Astrid's Pov.

What was his problem?

All the way back to class, Astrid had to listen to Snotlout complaining about Haven.

"--stupid! And now I'm going to get in trouble, when he was egging me on!9 And I'm gonna get grounded again, and--"

Astrid tuned him out.

Ruff and Tuff were there, too, Heather walking in the back of the group with an amused smile, but Astrid felt like she couldn't focus.

She played the scene from lunch over and over in her head. Haven's voice, one of the first times she had heard it, had been soft and snarky, somehow, all at once. It was a little rough from lack of use, but somehow that made it more pleasing.

She went over the way he had seemed to panic at hearing his dad's voice, the way he flinched away when she asked about it.

Why?

"Well, this is my stop, guys," Snotlout said, gesturing to math class.

"Sucks to suck, man," Tuff told him.

"You have math, too."

Heather giggled and sidestepped the two boys as they walked into their classroom, starting to playfully argue.

"Well, I have English," she announced to Ruff and Astrid, gesturing to the door just across the hall.

"Better not be late," Alina told her friend. "I was this morning, and she was not happy."

"Gonna get going, then," she said, blowing a kiss over her shoulder and turning away.

"What do you have next?" Ruff asked Astrid when they were alone. The two girls continued their walk towards their classrooms. They knew would be ringing in a minute or two, and many students still hung in the halls.

"Photography," Astrid answered, flushing.

It wasn't that she was entirely embarrassed to be taking the elective, but she knew for a fact that Haven was in it, and she was not entirely wanting to be in the same room as him at the moment.

She thought about how she was already sitting next to him in English, and turned to her best friend, saying, "I'm gonna run so I can be early. Have fun in study hall."

She did not want to be stuck sitting next to the school loser. Even if he was sorta cute.

"I will," Ruff said, flashing a semi-evil smile as she turned away.

Astrid grinned at the back of her friend's head, then raced down the hall. The bell would be ringing soon.

Shriek!! Her shoes slid on the floor as she rounded a corner. Students were clearing the halls. Not a good sign.

She could see the classroom. Almost there, almost there . . .

RING! RING! RING!

Deflating, Astrid slowed her pace. Darn it.

She arrived at the classroom and nudged the door open with her foot, huffing and mostly out of breath.

Second time she had been late in one day.

Several students looked up when she walked in, but Astrid was surprised at how little there were. She spotted Haven almost instantly, closed away from everyone else, alone and hunched over his computer.

"Sorry I'm late, Mr. Finn," Astrid apologized, looking at the teacher.

He flashed a grin. "You're okay. . . " he trailed off, studying her. "Astrid, right?"

Said girl grinned at the recognition. "Yup."

"Awesome. You can go ahead and sit anywhere, but since you're new to this class, you might want to sit next to someone who knows what they're doing."

"Who in here knows what they're doing?" she questioned.

Mr. Finn laughed. "Well, we have a bunch of new students this year. . . I'd say Olivia and Haven know the most, maybe George."

Astrid felt her curiousity pick up at Haven's name; he was experienced at photography?

She looked at Olivia and George, and instantly ruled out the latter option. He was visibly picking his nose and flicking his fingers at the unfortunate people sitting near him.

Olivia was surrounded by the rest of the class besides Haven, about four or five other students, and she shot Astrid a death glare. Almost like, For once in my life these people are paying attention to me, you better not come over here and ruin it.

Which left one option left.

Haven.

Astrid tried to hide behind her hair as she tiptoed over, her face burning. She gestured to the seat next to him. "May I sit here?"

Haven snapped his attention to her; his green eyes widening when he saw her standing there. He must've been so ingrossed in his computer that he hand't even noticed the whole scene she had caused.

In a way, that made her feel good. One less pair of eyes constantly staring, looking for mistakes.

Haven glanced from the chair to her, and all the empty seats around the room, raising an eyebrow in silent question. Why are you sitting next to me?

Astrid fienged a smile and explained, "Mr. Finn said I should sit next to someone experienced. He mentioned your name."

She had been hoping for some sort of reaction out of that, but instead, he simply shrugged and turned away coldly. "Do what you want."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes; he thought she wanted this? Why would she, most popular girl in school, want to sit next to a loner boy like him? This would totally taint her reputation.

Thought . . . up close, his green eyes really wear striking . . .

She shook the thought away. That was no way to be thinking about the loser of the school. The kid who never talked.

The kid who looked like they were afraid of their own father.

The kid who sometimes walked with a limp.

Astrid cringed to clear the thoughts clouding her head. She didn't say anything as she set down her bag and took her seat, trying not to fidget as she thought of something to say.

"Okay, class," Mr. Finn said, and Astrid silently thanked him for saving her from the awkward silence of not talking to Haven. "I know school just started, but we're going to have a group project!"

Already? Man, that was soon, not that Alina was complaining. She loved group projects.

"You'll be working in partners with the person next to you--"

Wait.

"It's due next week--"

Wait.

"---picture of something you---"

Wait.

Didn't that mean . . .

She was working with Haven?