Home is were the heart is

VI - girl talk

  [Astrid POV]

After yesterday's race I've been so stressed up over that I couldn't even sleep well. I looked at my bed side clock, for what it feels like the 10th time this morning, 8:30am this is clearly too early to wake up on a bloody Saturday.

- Grrrr – I growled in frustration covering my face with my pillow. I heard my bedroom door opening and the light sound of my cat's paws. – look who also woke up early – scratching her behind the ears as she purred – good morning to you too Stormfly

With this she jumped out of my bed and got out of the room

- Time to get up!

I got up and change on to some sportswear, black legging with a white t-shirt and a blue hoodie. I tight my sneakers and went to the kitchen for breakfast to find Stormfly and Trouble, my brother's Husky, lying by their plaits waiting for their breakfast too. I smiled at the site of those too, never have I ever imagine that a cat and a dog could get along so well. After eating I went to grab Trouble's leash.

- Want to go for a run boy? – the dog barked in response shaking his tail

I grabbed my keys and cell and we were out the door. After a little stretching I started running with Trouble by my side. I ran for a good mile and a half all down to the way to the beach where I let Trouble run freely without his leash and sat on the sand.

I was looking at the sea when a dog knocks me to the sand liking my face.

- TOOTHLESS!!!! STOP! - I heard Jane's voice over that large black dog. I manage to sit up and pet the dog underneath his head and I heard Thunder bark – sorry – she smiled petting Thunder behind his ears for his delight

- It's ok – I smiled back – is it yours?

- Kind of... I borrowed him from Harry his name is Toothless

- Toothless??

- Harry thought it would be a funny name since he bitten him – I laughed "it sounds like Hiccup to do something like that"

- Hi Toothless – I said to the dog, still scratching his head and he liked my face again – he is beautiful – I admired his amber eyes and soft black fur

- Harry brushes him every day – she smiled – and what's your name fluffy? – she asked scratching Trouble's torso

- Trouble – she looked at me with a lifted brow – my brother named him that because he usually doesn't get along with people nor other dogs and somehow manages to always put him in trouble at the pound. So he brought him home and he has been with us for 2 years now haven't you boy? – he barked at me

- He seems friendly to me – she said sitting beside me, while Trouble and Toothless started playing, I shove my shoulders

- I think he knows who likes him and who doesn't... - she agreed – so couldn't sleep?

- Nop, that guy wouldn't let me – pointing to the dogs in front of us, I laughed

- Why didn't he woke Harry instead?

- Because my brother sleeps like a rock. Not even an 81Ib dog can wake him up – I smiled trying to picture it – and you? What's your excuse? – She looked at me with knowing eyes.

- Couldn't sleep – I shove my shoulders

- Why? Something wrong?

- I guess I'm a little pissed off by the fact that your brother beat me - she laughed

- Oh that...

- What?

- Don't take me wrong but you never had a chance - I smiled "probably" - you're a good rider and you have improved since the last time we raced but so has he – she looked at the sea – and even after the crash the only thing that kept him going thought all that therapy was hopping to ride again... You remember what it was like for him – she looked back at me, with those green eyes, so similar yet so different from her brother's – he was the miss fit, the shadow behind The Great Simon Haddock

- I do

I did remembered hearing Stoick wish his son was more like Scot, his tall, beefy nephew, Rugby captain and my ex-boyfriend "gosh how did I agreed to that, we were nothing alike... and that's why it didn't even lasted 2 months"

- Racing was the only sport he was actually good at, great in fact – she continued and I had to agree

- I know, but what pissed me off the most was that for a moment there I thought he was going to let me win and that would have truly been unbearable – she looked at me in silence for a moment and cracked laughing

- What a great way to ask a guy out

- I wasn't asking him to go out with me! – ok that just sounded way more high pitched than I would hope for, she lifted an eye brow at me – I was just trying to get him to race! – crossing my arms around my chess, she laughed

- Astrid we both know you're a terrible liar

- What do you mean?

- I mean you got him to race when you said he couldn't do it and then you made the bet

- We were trying to get him to enter the team! – she narrowed her eyes at me

- And you offer to go on a date with the winner – she smirk

- That...that... - "shit! I did!" I was save by the sound of my cell phone ringing, I pick it up – hi?

- Where are you? – I recognized my brothers voice

- At the beach why?

- Dad'll be here any minute to pick us up

- Shit I forgot about lunch

- I Figured – I swear I could hear him smiling on the other side of the line – common, I'll tell him to meet us there

- Thanks Joe

- Now hurry up missy, you know how he feels about punctuality – I could actually picture my dad saying "punctuality is a virtue of the kings" I rolled my eyes

- On my way! – I hung up and whistle to Trouble – I have to go – jane smiled back at me

- Guess we'll be going to... Astrid – I looked back at her – don't fool yourself and if you ever need someone to talk to – she smiled and with that we went our separate ways