Fate~ Hiccstrid Modern

Chapter 1: Where did he come from?

Astrid Fearless Hofferson. That's me. With blond hair, blue eyes, and a little bit on the competitive side. Okay, not a bit. A lot competitive. It's just, I know I can crush them under my foot. I'm not meant to lose. But the war I'm fighting right now isn't my team and I. It's just I. Just me. And for some reason I'm stuck in a tie that I really don't mind being in. So what. But for you to understand I'll have to start from the beginning.

The first day of Junior year at Berk High School for artistically and athletically inclined students. Strange, I know. For some reason someone thought it was a good idea to have artists and athletes in the same building, but, hey, it worked. So I was in the athletic department, volleyball was my thing. It was awesome working with people that love something as much as I do. Sadly, the boys in this area are not date-able whatsoever. But I really don't care.

In this school, you have one artistic thing and one athletic thing. First two hours were athletic and the next were artistic. But when I walked in, I knew something was going to be different this year.

I wasn't really that good at anything artistic, so I stuck to the music department as a singer. That's like all I can do. So, I walk from the door of the school to my newly assigned locker. I place the combination in and smile as a small, white piece of paper falls from the top of my locker to the bottom.

Since the start of middle school, every first and last day of school, I've been getting notes in my locker. On special days too. No, not just holidays, but important days for me. Like: game days, birthdays, important news days. Any important event and there will be a note. It was amazing. I don't know who it was, but I wanted to try and talk to them this year. Yes, I understand that a secret admirer was supposed to be secret. But can't a girl, or violent tomboy, have a crush. Even if she doesn't know the guy.

Oh, and this guy is crazy good at not being caught. He knows when I'm lying, which is insane because I'm a great liar. I've tried for years by lying to everyone about "important days'' that aren't real. He never put a note in my locker on those days. But he would put notes in my locker on days that I didn't tell anyone about. Like when I was going to Florida for the National Freshman Volleyball Team tournament. It's where a bunch of great volleyball players all around the world would get together and play with people they didn't know. It's so cool. And this "secret admirer" gave me a congratulations note.

Even though I never met the guy, I wish I could meet him. So, this year I'm going to try. I was going to write a note to him and place it on my locker. Hopefully, he'll know it's for him.

So, when I opened my locker and saw the note fall from the top, I was overjoyed.

I pick the piece of paper up and open it. In neat handwriting was a well written letter to me.

Dear Astrid Hofferson,

I wish you the best of luck this school year. I know you don't know who I am and I wish that you did. I wish I had the guts to talk to you in person. To look into those brilliant, beautiful, blue eyes and say everything I've been feeling for the past years. I wish I could say this in person, but Happy 7th year Anniversary of these notes. I made you a little gift. Something that'll make you think twice about who I am. You see, I have a challenge for you. I know how much you love a little competition so here's the deal. If you can find out who I am before Christmas, you can have anything you desire. If you don't, when I get the guts, I get to take you on a date.

So, about that gift. It's in the gym, by the far end of the bleachers on the right. There it's wrapped in your favorite color. I hope you like it. It took some time, but it worked out. I only wish I could have captured all of its beauty. The gift is and always has been the apple of my eye. The most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Something that is beyond anything else and anyone's comprehension. To me it's simply breathtaking. And I would give anything to be the lucky man standing next to it.