THREE:

Hiccup was watching out for Astrid because he knew how hard it was to lose someone. Not that they were friends or anything-no, he had been rebuffed by her on enough occasions to get the message that she really didn't want anything to do with him. After all, until the fire, he had been a prize asshole.

He shifted his weight slightly more onto his right leg, bending his left leg slightly at the knee and feeling a sharp twinge in his stump. He probably was still an asshole-just one down a leg and pretty much all of his former friends. Leaning back against the wall of the main hallway, he cast his emerald gaze over the trickle of students who were relatively early for school and sighed. It had been dispiriting to watch his former friends plot to befriend Astrid-a girl they had demeaned and isolated until three minutes earlier-simply on the basis of who her Uncle was.

He rested his bag down on the floor and sighed. Astrid had been an outsider, for Berk High was fed by several Elementary and Middle Schools and while he and his friends had all arrived as a group, Astrid had only known a handful of people when they all started. And pretty much a week or so after the year had begun, her father had become ill and died. He could recall how Atali had moved in and taken over the Popular girls while he had been in with the Jocks. And his quick brain and well-off family had meant he hadn't lacked for friendship anyway. He was the one who had suggested putting Astrid in the dumpster when she had refused to help the boys with their homework-he had purposely never offered himself-and he had regretted that throwaway comment every day since. He had instantly told the guys that it was stupid and not to do it-because it had been mean and horrible and honestly, he had never expected the idiots to actually go through with such a mean thing.

But they had. And while he believed that his friends were good guys, who joked and gamed and went out for pizza like normal teens, they also acted as if they were owed an easy ride by the world. There was very much a 'them and us' attitude that was common to many sports teams and while Hiccup had been on the Athletics team, he had been friend material. But after that night...well, he suddenly became 'them' and found out just how rigid the guys were in their view of the world.

He sighed. It had come as a shock to Hiccup when he had escaped from the fire, having rescued his faithful mutt Toothless, that his friends had come round once, realised the extent of his injuries...and bailed. He was no stranger to hardship-his mother had left his father and little Hiccup when he was a year old as well-but the isolation had hit him hard. His father travelled almost constantly in his role as Managing Director of Berk Co, the organisation he ran that was dedicated to advertising their small town and attracting in business and investment. His godfather-the two-limbed meathead that he was-wasn't that suitable to cheer up the lonely boy and when he had returned to school, he had definitely joined the Outcast ranks.

But he wasn't alone. Beyond the Jocks and Populars and the Cool and Emos there were the outcasts, many of them nerds. Hiccup was willing to admit he qualified easily as a nerd and had found two good friends. Finlay Frederick 'Fishlegs' Ingerman was a husky blond lad with strangely short legs, a kind heart and a passion for botany that was probably wasted on northern and largely snowy Berk. He was exceptionally bright and excelled in Math, Biology and Geology. Tyler 'Tuffnut' Thorston-who was Raquel's twin-was probably a certifiably crazy prankster with surfer-dude long blond dreadlocks, a long face that was incredibly mobile and a passion for art, interior design and Chickens. He was also the inventor of at least three new explosives that had demolished various parts of the school or-when necessary-bullies' cars.

But Astrid had intrigued Hiccup for a long time and he knew she was brave, determined and organised. As their names were adjacent in the register, they had worked together more than most on various projects through the years and even when he had been a popular ass, he had always done his best and pulled his weight in the task. Since he had become an outcast ass, he had hoped she would warm to him a little but it seemed that the drag factor of his former deeds was a little too much.

And of course, he had a crush on her. That was the worst thing of all, because he could do nothing about it. He had found himself mesmerised by her blue eyes, her brief smile and her grace from sometime late in Freshman Year but being an idiot, he had stuck with his idiot friends and not spoken up for her. He had stood by and let her get persecuted and he hadn't lifted a finger. So why should she see him as anything other than an ass now? He had squandered his chance and though he was still mesmerised by her, why should she want anything to do with him? She probably thought that it was karma that he had been ejected by his friends and treated to the kind of isolation she had once endured. If she did speak to him, it was probably through pity.

But Hiccup was stubborn as well and he had promised himself he would have one last try at winning her friendship. He was going to declare himself at Valentines' and ask her if she would want to come to the Prom with him. And if she didn't, he would finally have to accept that there was no hope and try to explain to his heart that there was no use in pining after someone who would never see him as anything but the selfish idiot he had previously been.

Suddenly, he straightened up. A familiar blonde shape was walking along the Hall, the blue ski jacket familiar-though she had taken off her beanie and her golden hair, braided over her shoulder, gleamed softly in the artificial lights. She was dressed in her familiar brown mid-calf boots-though polished-and she was in an above-knee brown tartan skirt, thick brown tights and what looked like a sky blue top. She looked amazing and as his breath hitched, he saw the Popular girls swing into action, surging forward to greet her. Her expression fell and she looked as if she was preparing herself for another unpleasant encounter.

"Hey, Astrid," Heather said brightly and smiled at her. Warily, Astrid smiled back.

"Hi, Heather," she said.

"Are you okay?" the raven-haired girl asked, her tone concerned. Astrid paused, analysing the words and shrugged.

"More or less," she admitted.

"How's your Mom?" Ruffnut asked her. Astrid frowned.

"Um...why are you asking?" she replied suspiciously and the blonde girl gave a small shrug, her thick braids swinging as she fidgeted.

"We may not be friends, but we all have Moms we love-and we can all understand how worrying it must be to have your Mom taken ill," she offered, her tone a little hurt. Mentally slapping herself, Astrid forced out a small smile.

"Sorry-it's just...you know..." she said weakly by way of reply. Mindy nodded.

"Look, thinking about what had happened made us all reconsider how we were behaving," she piped up. "And only total bitches would capitalise on the news that someone's Mom was very sick."

You are all total bitches, Astrid though silently but she nodded anyway.

"That's...really kind," she said slowly. "She's improving...slowly. She's still in the Intensive Care Unit...but she's stabilising."

"Why are you here?" Heather asked her with a roll of the eyes. Astrid shrugged.

"She wanted me to go to school and then come to see her in the afternoon-so she wouldn't feel that her illness was affecting my schooling," the girl admitted. Atali chuckled.

"Moms," she commented. "They all put their children first-even when they're so terribly ill. Is there anything we can do to help?"

Astrid did blink at that and for a second, she was on the verge of sniping back that they should have behaved like this after her Dad died...but she was fed up of being alone, fed up of being whispered about and sneered at and generally treated like dirt. So she was willing to give things a chance, the hope that maybe-just maybe-they meant it.

"Um...nothing at the moment, I think," she mumbled.

"Are you on your own at home?" Heather asked with concern. "I mean, I know you're eighteen but it's hard to be alone at a time like this..." Astrid smiled then for the tone and the words were the Heather she knew, the friend who had hung on through everything-even though it had been in secret.

"It's okay-my Uncle is staying with me," she reassured her and Heather hugged her suddenly.

"I'm glad-otherwise I was coming over," she had whispered.

"We would all have volunteered to come over," Atali amended. Astrid lifted an eyebrow and a flicker of her old defensiveness rose up again.

"And this isn't a ploy just to have your own tame nerd?" she asked pointedly-but Atali laughed out loud.

"Gods, no-that is what Hiccup Haddock is for," the red-haired girl announced scornfully and instinctively, Astrid glanced down the hall and saw the the tall, auburn-haired shape leaning against the wall. He had clearly heard the cruel words and Astrid saw him turn away.

"And all he's good for," Mindy added cruelly.

"Whatever," she murmured, feeling mean. Hiccup had been trying to be a friend since Junior Year and she had rebuffed him because she blamed him for how he had behaved when he had been a popular jock...suddenly their situations were reversed. And by rights, she should correct the girls about their dismissive attitude but did she want to reject the chance to spend more time with her friend Heather, with the chance of maybe keeping the friendship that she had treasured when all others had gone?

Atali checked her gold watch and sighed.

"Two minutes to the bell," she said. "We should get going," She smiled at Astrid as Heather slipped her arm through Astrid's.

"I think we're in Health Class together," she murmured and Astrid nodded as the others waved and headed off for their respective classes.

"Is this for real-or just some other cruel joke?" she murmured softly as the raven-haired girl sighed.

"I know we haven't treated you well, Ast...but they mean this," she said. And then she smiled. "And it will be nice to spend more time with you without having to worry about other people causing problems."

"But why...?"

"I think the Mom thing really struck them," Heather said quickly as the bell rang. "C'mon. We don't want to be late." Astrid nodded and the two sped up, not glancing back and seeing the tall auburn-haired shape watching them as they vanished into the throng.

oOo

"Unbelievable," Hiccup muttered as he sat at lunch at the cramped table in the far corner of the canteen, poking his fries disinterestedly.

"What?" Fishlegs asked with his mouth full of burger. He was wrapped in a huge brown knitted sweater that made his bulky shape look even larger and was eating seriously. Hiccup sighed.

"She's fallen for it. Hook, line and sinker," he said despondently.

"Who?" Fishlegs asked thickly, reaching for his low-calorie soda.

"Astrid," Hiccup explained, absently tearing a french fry into pieces. Fishlegs swallowed and doused more ketchup on the remains of his burger.

"Hofferson?" he checked.

"No, one of the other seventeen Astrids in our year," Hiccup shot back sarcastically. The husky boy looked at him.

"No need to be rude," he replied sharply. Hiccup sighed.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "But you know I've been talking about her since we got to know each other and...ugh! I just can't believe she fell for it." Fishlegs sighed.

"Well, Heather was the only person who kind of talked to her and treated her okay...intermittently..." he reminded Hiccup.

"Hey-I did as well," Hiccup protested.

"When you were kicked out of your group of friends and became an outcast," Fishlegs reminded him, taking another bite. "Not before. You were an ass..."

"Tell me something I don't know!" Hiccup retorted. "And I have tried ever since to be better..."

"Though you're still sarcastic and snarky," Fishlegs replied, gulping down his burger with another big swallow of his soda.

"My best qualities..." Hiccup grumbled.

"You gonna eat those?" another voice asked and Tuffnut popped up from behind Fishlegs, eyeing the fries hopefully. Sighing, Hiccup pushed the plate forward.

"Knock yourself out," he sighed as the male twin scuttled round the table and slid into the seat next to the auburn-haired boy, already helping himself to the discarded fries.

"Thanks, H," he mumbled, his mouth full. "Who's snarky?"

"Hiccup," Fishlegs supplied helpfully, slathering mustard into the last part of his burger.

"You do know that burger consists of more condiments than actual burger now?" Hiccup asked his dryly.

"No argument here," Tuffnut commented.

"Hey-I gave you my fries," Hiccup protested.

"And they were great, thanks," Tuff said gratefully, pulling out his own lunch-a plastic lunchbox packed with gherkins and cold meats. The other two stared.

"You do know it's like below freezing outside?" Hiccup checked and Tuff nodded, folding a slice of salami around a pickled onion and eating it with every sign of enjoyment.

"So you gotta eat what you enjoy," the male twin told him, offering him a slice of pastrami. Nodding, Hiccup accepted and chewed thoughtfully.

"Thanks, Tuff. I was just saying...that Astrid seems to have buddied up with the popular girls," he told the newcomer. Tuff thought for a minute.

"Makes sense," he mumbled. "I mean she is smart and pretty."

"And they treated her like crap," Hiccup protested. "Why is she suddenly forgiving them?"

"Maybe because they asked?" Fishlegs suggested.

"But they were mean to her for years..."

"And they are trying not to be now," Fishlegs reminded him firmly. "Look, I know it's hard for you but maybe...she wanted to give them a chance. Because she is at heart, a popular girl?" Hiccup folded his arms and glowered.

"But I tried to be friends with her since Junior Year and she would barely acknowledge I existed," he said gruffly.

"Heather's her friend," Tuff piped up, eating a slice of Bratwurst. "Everyone in the group knows that...even if they don't let on. I think they kind of admire Heather for maintaining her friendship...even though she is discreet about it...because it shows loyalty."

"So how do you cope?" Hiccup asked suddenly. "I mean, your twin sister is one of the Popular group. She treats you like a stranger at school and helps them tease you..."

"But at home, she is my sis," Tuff reminded him. "No matter what happens, she is my twin sister...and if I was in trouble, if I needed her, she would be there. And at home, she is my sis, not some stuck up bitch. She wanted to be popular and in with the girls...and I love her so I'm happy to step back and let her have the friends she wants." He shrugged. "And I got the friends I want as well." Fishlegs smiled.

"Aww-thanks, Tuff," he replied. But Hiccup sighed.

"You know they're just befriending her because her Uncle is the famous Finn Hofferson?" he asked and Fishlegs nodded.

"And I'm sure Astrid is very aware of that as well," Fishlegs murmured. "She's pretty smart." Hiccup sighed.

"Look-she's vulnerable because her Mom is ill...and I don't want her hurt," he said stubbornly-but Tuff grabbed his arm and squeezed.

"Leave it," he advised, munching his prosciutto with a gherkin. "Astrid is smart and she will understand. She has Heather who will look out for her. And she won't let them exploit her. But let her be happy, man. She's been without friends for over three years...and to be accepted is something wonderful. Surely you don't want to ruin that?"

Hiccup closed his eyes. Of course he didn't-because he really liked Astrid and he wanted her to be happy. But wanting her to be happy and getting in with the Popular girls would mean that she would pull further away from someone outcast and scorned. And of course, if she was Popular, the other guys would be after her...because she was beautiful.

He started. Did he just want her to turn and reject the girls so he could still have a chance with her? Great Odin-how petty and mean-spirited was he? And there was a core of him that was feeling an unfamiliar sensation of jealousy that she had suddenly been embraced and accepted while he had headed in the opposite direction. That she had suddenly got new friends while he... He looked up at the other two. He was being very mean, for he had friends...just not the friends he had before he lost his leg, through no fault of his own. But Astrid hadn't asked to lose her father so tragically...and if the sudden illness of her mother regained her what she had unfairly lost, then he should be happy for her.

"Of course not," he forced himself to say, feeling ashamed of his own emotions. How spiteful and petty was he? How mean was he in being jealous of her good fortune? And yet, he knew it wasn't real. Could he justify destroying her new happiness because he knew the others had an ulterior motive? And did it mean it wasn't possible for her to be their friend anyway now, once they gave her a chance and found out what a fabulous person she was? She would still have her rich, famous Uncle...and that would cement her position. It could be the beginning of a whole new chapter in her life...

He had to face facts: it was her life and her choice.

He had lost his chance.