A/N: This is the song I was listening to so, yeah. It might explain why she's a little short with people in this chapter.

2 months later

Astrid's P.O.V.

I sighed as I strapped my prosthetic leg on and eased my weight onto it. Today's my first day back at school. I hope no one's been watching the news. I look out my window to see the yard covered in flashes, like stars but much more sickening. I snarl at them from my window before spinning away and storming to my closet to get dressed. After that, I go downstairs and grab an apple for breakfast. Once I throw the core away, I look at my dad as he comes into the kitchen and grabs his air-soft gun, loading and cocking it with the little plastic beads. He then opens the door and shoots any reporter that asked a question. I closed my eyes and listened to thew symphony of 'Ow!'s, 'Ouch'es, and 'Hey!'s. Eventually they all got a bunch of bruises and decided it wasn't worth it, leaving our property. He then leads me to the car and we drive to school, having him drop me off out front and do a circle around the block as I walk inside, before going inside himself. I paused at the door, preparing myself for the usual torture. I look down at my feet, relieved to find that the shoe, on my right "foot", looked just like my left. I sigh before lifting my hood, fixing the strap of my bag, and walking in. The chatter that once filled the commons stopped as I walked to my table. Every table started murmuring quietly as I passed them, marching to my safe place. When I get there, I find some kids messing around. Not on my watch. I slam my hands on the table top in front of them. "You know who I am?" I ask them as their gazes shoot towards me, glowing in fear. 

"A-Astrid Hofferson," they reply and I give them a curt nod.

"You know where you are?" I ask. 

"At your table," they answer and I nod. 

"Do you know what I do to people at my table without my permission?" I hiss. They nod.

"Do you want that to happen?" I ask threateningly and they shake their heads. I raise an eye brow and they run to a different table, faster than jets. I sit at my table, glad that no ones asking me where I've been. Spoke too soon, I think as Heather and the group comes up to me, smirking their faces off. Snotlout had his arm around Jessica's shoulders and Eret was doing the same with Heather as Tuffnut and Fishlegs were holding hands with Clicker and Misty. Dagger was giving Calica a piggy back ride, and Ruffnut and Juviani were just following the couples. They were all laughing as they walked towards my table, my eyes fixed on my book, as if I was trying to burn holes in it or something. 

"Hey, Asty, where have you been?" Heather asks in the obviously fake sweet voice she uses around other students. I glare at her. 

"Oh, I dunno. Around. Oh, wait! That's right! I was at this place called None Of Your Business! It's great! You should go there sometime and stay!" I say in sarcastic excitement. Clicker snorts in laughter, followed by the others until Heather glares at them. They stop when they see her face.

"Sorry, force of habit," Clicker says but I could tell she was lying. Eret then steps in front of his two week girlfriend. 

"How dare you speak to Top Girl that way," he says in his strange accent, that most girls would find memorizing while I called it annoying. I turn my eyes back to my book. 

"She's no more Top Girl than your accent is real," I say casually. Heather then pulls my hair to get me to look at her. I hold back a wince and look at her, unphased.

"You better start showing me some respect, Astrid. We know what happened to your leg. You wouldn't want the whole school to start bad mouthing you to each other because of it, would you?" she asks. 

"They already bad mouth me. You can't threaten me, Heather. Just face it. You know it, I know it. Your just trying to hold onto your place so you don't go back to the bottom like when I first met you," I spit and she knees me in the gut...hard. I gasp as the wind is driven from my body, making my lungs collapse from the lack of oxygen. She releases my hair and I double over in pain. I felt a sting in my skin, as if...uh-oh. I run to the bathroom as they laugh, obviously thinking it was because I didn't want people to see me cry. The truth was, I was far from crying. I was closer to murdering. They just ruined the work of doctors that don't get paid enough! I roll my shirt up to see some of the stitches in my abdomen ripped. I pant in pain as I leaned against the wall. I finally get enough energy to go to the nurses office. It was only like one or two stitches; she should be able to fix them.

***

"Astrid," the nurse sighs as Astrid sat on the cot, shirt rolled up as she replaced the stitches.

"I'm sorry," Astrid apologizes as the nurse puts wrap around her mid-section to keep it secure and absorb any left-over blood. 

"Don't apologize, it's that piolet's fault," she says as she finishes and pulls Astrids shirt down. 

"Thank you," she says and she nods before Astrid walks to class. She sits in her seat, reading until class started. She paused as she heard people complaining about a certain Top Girl that used to think she knew her.

"She's not at all like how Astrid used to be. I don't care if she was acting, she was a better Top Girl than Heather ever will be."

"Yeah, Astrid never meant to hurt anyone or their feelings. She just can't control herself."

"Yeah, and I don't think Astrid ever struck anyone, who just got out of the hospital, just because they sassed her."

"And the trends that Heather sets, they're unbelievable. Just-what?!"

"You think Astrid will take the position again?"

"I highly doubt it. She seems to like being alone."

"Well, just because she's Top Girl, doesn't mean she needs to be in a group. She can still set the trends and give advice, right? She can still be a role model."

"I'll talk to her in PE," Clickers voice says, making Astrid drop her head on her book. She forgot about PE. She couldn't just show everyone her leg. It's going to affect her running anyway. She shakes her head and stares at the front board blankly as class dragged on.