Chapter 14

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Astrid was sat in the dark corner of the library. She was deeply involved in a book, covered in DNA and virus strands of different kinds. Ever since she had seen Hiccup's drawings, she's become obsessed with them, but it was more like fascinated. She took from her bag another drawing of DNA and compared it to the ones in the book.

"Amazing..." She breathed. As she compared the pictures a lock of hair fell from behind her ear and in front of her face.

"What's amazing?" A familiar voice called out from the darkness, Astrid looked up. Hiccup noticed the lock of hair in front of her face. He sat beside her and pushed it behind her ear, then looked at what was in front of her. Astrid just sat there in shock. Did he just do that? Why didn't she flinch like normal whenever a guy touched her without her permission? It flustered her, more than she'd thought.

"Oh, err... Err, it's-er-it's n-nothing..." Astrid stuttered. What was happening? She never stutters. What is this sorcery? Hiccup chuckled at her stuttering.

"Cat got your tongue?" He joked, but Astrid just smiled and gave him a light punch on the arm.

"What cat?" She retorted, causing the two to giggle like kids. 

Astrid had never felt this comfortable around anyone before, I mean there was Kristoff, but it took her at least 2 years to actually act like herself around him. But with Hiccup it felt like a natural reaction, to just be herself.

"So, you got anything else we need to do?" Hiccup asked as he took the drawing from the book and looked at it closely, as if there might be a diamond somewhere on it. Astrid looked back at the book and then her bag. She wanted him to keep drawing, but they did need some theory for this project.

"Well, I guess we should do an essay or poster of some kind to go with all of this. But I mean, we could do something else if--" Hiccup placed the book on the table and leaned back on the couch. Stretching his arm over the back of the couch.

"I like your idea best." He said looking deep into her eyes. The couple sat in silence for a few seconds, neither realised that their bodies had unconsciously drawn closer together. Astrid had leaned herself back onto the couch and under Hiccups arm that was stretched over the back of the couch. He was looking at her in a way she'd never been looked at before, it seemed like a look of respect and admiration.

Hiccup stopped himself when he noticed how close they were getting. He pulled away quickly and stood up. Astrid's cheeks began to turn red as she realised what could've happened and avoided eye contact with Hiccup. Hiccup just looked at the floor as he saw Astrid look back at the book, and away from him.

"I'll, err... I'll get some o-other books for us then... Yeah?" Hiccup announced as he walked away from the awkward scene. Astrid just nodded in response, Hiccup nodded back at her gesture even though she couldn't see it.

What was happening? Astrid never usually let's that kind of thing happen. If any other boy did that to her, they'd get a broken jaw faster than them blinking. But somehow with Hiccup, she always allowed it to happen. She didn't even flinch when he'd touched her, she always flinched whenever someone touched her. Especially in that way.

Astrid just shook her head, when she noticed that Hiccup had not come back and decided to see whether he was okay.

Astrid left the dark corner of the library and into the rest of the vast book-filled room. She walked around and through the endless labyrinths of bookshelves and genres. But as she reached the Science/Biology section of the library, she found it to be empty. To be honest the entire room was empty. In a panic, Astrid ran to the receptionist near the door to the library.

"Miss, did you happen to see an auburn-haired boy leave her. Goes by Hiccup." Astrid looked at her with a worried look. The receptionist nodded in response.

"Yes, he left just a minute ago." Astrid sighed. Of course he did. She had to look for him. She had to apologise. She didn't things to be weird between them, she wanted to be friends as much as she hoped he did.

She quickly left the room after gathering her things and went in search of Hiccup. Astrid had been walking the corridors in search of Hiccup. Where was he? She then heard a commotion coming from the field, as she looked out of the window. She felt her heart drop as she instantly ran out the door and onto the field.

***

Hiccup felt his heart beginning to pound out of is chest. What the hell just happened? Was he seriously about to kiss Astrid? What was he thinking? He needed to get out of there. Instead of heading towards the book shelves labelled: Science/Biology, he quickly exited the library but not before giving his goodbyes to the receptionist. Despite his confusion and frustration, he was still a gentleman.

Hiccup quickly exited the school and onto the field. He knew Astrid would never go there considering only the outcasts and 'bad boys' go outside. He'd seen and knew their routine. he needed to find Jack he needed to have some sense kicked into him, quickly.

Well, it seems the gods answered his prayers as a football(Or soccer ball if you're American) hit him on the side of the head. It didn't hurt considering he could take a punch, but it still took him by surprise. But what he didn't expect, was what happened next.

"HEY!" Hiccup turned to look at the boy shouting to him. He was a lot closer than Hiccup had anticipated. "What do you think you're doing, asshole?!" These guys sure liked their insults. Not that it was insulting.

"I'm standing here." Hiccup retorted.

"Oh, so you think you're a smart one. Hey, guys! We have ourselves a smart one. And arrogant too!" Suddenly the rest of the guys friends joined him. Usually, any normal person would turn and run. But not Hiccup, he had a death wish.

"Has no one ever said anything back to you befo-Ooofff!" Before Hiccup could finish his sentence, one of the boys punched him in the gut, hard. Hiccup tried to look tough and as though it hadn't affected him, but in truth he was in a lot of pain.

"Not so chatty now are ya, big mouth!" Another said and punched him square across the jaw. Hiccup fell to his knees.

"I think he needs another lesson. Or two!" Then two boys suddenly started kicking him and punching him, keeping him down. Hiccup had never been beaten up before, and now knew what Jack and his crew must've gone through, but probably not as bad as this. Just before Hiccup could black out, he heard a goddess-like voice call out from all the commotion.

"STOP!" The kicking and punching stopped as the sky was suddenly revealed. He could hear voices but not what they were saying. Hiccup wearily opened his eyes and saw Astrid in front of him with a tear in her eye as she looked at him.

And then everything went black.

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