Chapter 22
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I sit in the kitchen, eating breakfast, Uncle Finn standing by the coffee maker, waiting impatiently for it to be done. "You know, you could sit down. Standing wont make it go any faster," i say, spooning up some Frosted Flakes.
He rolls his eyes. "I can hope can't I?" I laugh, putting the spoon in my mouth. I jump when the door bell rings. "I'll get it!" my uncle says, happy to have something to do as he waits. I furrow my brows, wondering who would show up at my house so early. But, when i hear the familiar voice from outside, I'm not surprised.
"Good morning, sir," Hiccup says, when Uncle Finn opens the door.
"Hello, Mr. Haddock. Please come in."
I wave with my hand as I try to finish chewing my food so I can speak. "Hey," I say, choking the flakes down.
"Morning," he smiles, sitting down across from me.
"Yes!" My uncle cheers when he notices the green light that tells us the coffee is finally ready.
"What is he so happy about?" Hiccup asks.
I smile. "Coffee's ready. He's been staring at it for the past fifteen minutes," I laugh.
"Ok. Who wants coffee? Everyone. Good," Uncle Finn says, not even giving us a chance to answer. He sets the mugs down in front of us, along with the little wire baskets full of creamers and the container of sugar cubes.He retrieves the coffee pot as well and sits down. He pours the brew, smiling at me like he knows something I don't. I stare at him confused. "Go ahead," he instructs. Hiccup grabs four sugar cubes and drops two of them in each of our mugs. He's smiling too. I furrow my brows, lost.
"Three creamers?" Hiccup asks. I nod. He pulls back the little tabs and pours them into my cup. I pick up a spoon and stir it, watching him do the same thing to his drink.
"How did you--?"
"I had coffee with your uncle once and he said I made mine the same way you like yours," he says shrugging. I laugh, shaking my head. We finish and head to school.
***
"So are you coming to practice?" Hiccup asks, as we grab books from our lockers.
"Do I really have a choice?"
"Nope," he says, smiling.
"Haddock!" a familiar voice calls from down the hall way. Hiccup glances up, hearing his name. Heather marches toward him, furious. "Where the heck were you Friday night?! I had to dance with your stupid friend. It was supposed to be our night, and you ditched me for that ugly Astrid girl. Where's the little tramp anyway?" she hisses.
My hands ball into fists. I slam my locker door shut and step out from behind Hiccup. "Why you little--" I say, launching myself at her. Hiccup catches me around the waist, holding me back the best he can. I claw and kick at her, fighting to get free. "Say that a again, so help me. I'll tare your eyes out and shove them down your throat. I'll rip your tongue out and shove it in your ear. Come on! Fight me! I'm ready. Bring it!" I scream at her. She backs up some so that she's barely out of my reach. I push Hiccup away, so that I can breathe, because he's holding on to me too tightly.
He glares at heather dangerously. "I told you we are over. And, I don't appreciate you talking to her that way."
"But, Sweetie... "
"Heather, go away."
She looks past him, at me. "I'd watch your back if I were you. You don't know what I'm capable of," she hisses at me.
"Do you really want to mess with me" I ask, crossing my arms . We stare each other down, before she turns, flicking her braid in my face as she leaves. I clench my fists, my arms now glued to my sides. I take a step in her direction, but Hiccup grabs my wrist, stopping me.
"She's not worth it," he says, bringing me back to my senses. "Lets go to class."
***
I sit in a white van, waiting for Jack and Hiccup to finish loading the rest of the instruments into the back. "Are you guys nervous, or is it just me?" Punzie asks, playing with her long, blond hair.
"No. I'm freaking out!" Merida shrieks, fanning herself.
"I hope we do well. I think the crowd will be impressed," I encourage. We hear the boys close the back doors and climb in. Hiccup takes the wheel, me in the shot gun seat, the others in the back rows. The drive is three hours long, so we brought books, music, and cards to keep us entertained. "Do you know where you're going?" I ask Hiccup.
"That's what iphones and GPS are for," he says. I roll my eyes, pulling out a book as we begin to leave the drive way. "Ready everyone?" Hiccup calls.
"Woohoo!" we cheer in excitement. That wont last long because the nerves will over power the excitement the closer and closer we get. After a while, Jack and Merida play Go Fish, Punzie listening to music. I drift off to the sound of the tires on the pavement.
***
I stand on the stage alone, a bright spotlight beating down on me. I raise the microphone to my lips, preparing to sing; the on-going crowd waiting patiently. As soon as I open my mouth, I fall. I hit the ground with a loud humph. The darkness entraps me, the opening I fell through, closes, preventing even a speck of light from shining through. Suddenly, the crowd cheers; their screams irrefutable. That is until I hear music being played. Hiccup's voice blares through the speakers at an ear splitting voltage. I sit on the ground hugging my knees, listening to the song Hiccup wrote for me at the Homecoming dance, Tiffany Blews. When the song ends, the crowd erupts into hysterical roars. Silent tears slither down my cheeks, at the sound.
"Who do you think you are?" I turn my head at the sound of Jack's voice. The lack of joking in his words haunts me. This is the boy who laughs at the word dodo still. He's easy going, and funny.
"Why did we let her in the band? She doesn't belong on stage. She's not one of us," Merida joins in. This was the girl that told me I looked beautiful in every dress at the store that day. She helped my confidence. I can't see their faces, but I can make out a hint of white and fire-y red hair and four blue eyes.
"You don't understand the amount of work we did to get where we are today. What we did to get gigs in restaurants and add meaning to our name. What did you do? Sit on your bed with a guitar and a notebook for twelve years, fiddling with the strings? And you think that is worthy enough to get a record label?" Punzie hisses from the opposite side. This is the girl who is always happy. She was always excited to see me. She always made me feel WANTED. I find her by the clean shine of her blond hair. And her green eyes.
But the eyes that scare me the most, are Hiccup's bright emerald ones.He is standing silently, behind me. I realize they have circled around me. A shaft of light appears around me, my friends still standing in the pitch black. I hear Hiccup step forward a little. A small stripe of light crosses part of his face. "Asty," he coos, like he's about to tell me bad news.
I scramble to my feet and run to him, my arms wrapping around his ribs. He reciprocates the gesture. "Hiccup, please don't."
He clears his throat. I stare pleadingly at him, wanting him to take me away from here. A sad expression rests on his face, and I know that wont happen. Not today. "Hiccup, please," I repeat, my hope slipping completely away.
His face changes to stone cold, and I know he has slipped away from me. "Astrid. You can't be in the band anymore," he says. This is the boy who loved me. The one who said I understood him. The one who comforts me and wont ever let me give up, always thinking I can conquer the world. And now, he's telling me I can't. I can't.
"But-- Hiccup. You--"
"I don't WANT you in the band," he corrects, all emotion gone. "I don't WANT you here."
I drop to my knees, hugging his legs, too weak to stand any longer, unable to handle it all. "Why? What did I do? Please, just tell me what I did wrong. If you tell me, I promise I wont do it again. Just give me a second chance. Let me prove myself to you," I wail.
"You didn't do anything. I just don't want this anymore, and I can't move forward with you in my way." He unpries my arms, bends down kissing the top of my head, and walks off, the others leaving me alone on the cold, hard ground.
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