The runaway Valedictorian(HICCSTRID)

3 Calling Back Home

Just after the previous Chapter:
Astrid POV:

    After returning to home, I walked with Stormfly to the park and then spent a few minutes there, before walking home. I heated some food in the microwave and then pulled out my computer. I was going to skype my parents for the first time since I moved here. But I had called them a few times and were texting each other if I got a chance.
    I logged in to my account and sent a request to them. I then stood up and filled Stormfly’s bowl with food and then grabbed my food and parked in front of my laptop. I started to eat my heated pizza and then waited for my parents to look on their computer. But after ten seconds, I got impatient and texted them.
    And after a few seconds, they accepted the request and I smiled, when their faces lit up my screen. “Mom, Dad, it is so good to see you,” I said.
    They smiled and my mom was about to answer, but my uncle’s face then popped up and said, “What about me? Your favorite uncle?”
    I chuckled and said, “Hello Uncle Finn. It is good to see you too.”
    He smiled and then my mother said, “Hello Astrid. It is good to see you too. How are things there?”
    I smiled and said, “It’s great, mom. The job is nice and the people here are really friendly and happy. Me and Stormfly are settled in nicely and I think that we are going to enjoy ourselves here.”
    She smiled and said, “That’s nice sweetie. But will that mean you won’t be coming home soon.”
    She still had a smile, but could tell that she was forcing it and she missed me. I sighed and said, “Mom, I miss you too, but at the moment no. I will be able to visit maybe in a month, but if you want to you can always come over for a weekend. I have a spare bedroom, available, if you want to sleep here.”
    She smiled and said, “Deal.”
    My dad then asked, “Sweetie? How can you afford a two bedroom place?”
    I smiled and said, “The company I work at, pays well dad. It is almost as big as my salary, when I was the head of the honor guard at Berk.”
    Their eyes widened and my uncle asked, “Where do work again, Astrid?”
    “Viking Industries,” I replied. And they looked clueless. I smiled at how similar our reactions were. “It’s a engineering company. It’s probably one of the best and biggest in the world, but they aren’t really big on advertising and focus more attention on the products. You can look it up.”
    My uncle pulled out his phone and typed into it and then his eyes widened in surprise and shock. “Wow, Astrid. I didn’t expect you to go off and work for a company that is worth billions of dollars,” He commented and handed the phone to my father who looked at the screen in shock and showed it to my mother, who also had the same expression.
    “I know uncle,” I replied and took a bite of my pizza, “It is really big, but what is hard to believe is how nice everyone is here. And that is all thanks to the Ceo.”
    “The Ceo?” my mother asked and looked up at me.
    I nodded and replied, “Harper Harrison. He is the Ceo, founder and owner of Viking industries.”
    My uncle took the phone from my mother and typed something and his eyes widened again. “Damm, Astrid,” he commented, “Is he like swimming on money or what?”
    I smiled and shook my head, “No, he isn’t.”
    My uncle handed the phone to my mother and my father looked over her shoulder. And both their eyes widened in surprise. “Wow, Honey,” my mother said, “Is this the person Fishleg always ranted on about?”
    I smiled and said, “Yes, mother. He is. You should look in his Bio. There are some details about his life there.”
    My mom nodded and looked at her screen and started to read, “It says here that he started as a person who opened a garage at the age of eighteen. And when he reached the age of 19 he made his first million. He then launched his first energy program to a small town called Caldera Cay. And it was a success and he decided to move his garage and redesign it into Viking Industries. Now the company has grown and Harper made his first billion at the age of 23 years old. And the company has launched over three hundred energy programs over the years now all and help to provide a third of the northern Hemisphere energy. The company also has excelled in the other aspects like in its Airplane, Motors and motorbike producing and is rated as one of the best companies in the world.”
    She took a deep breath and continued, “They also say that Harper is one of the most intelligent people in the world and any would kill to have a conversation with him.” I smiled at the last part.
    My uncle saw my face and I asked, suspiciously, “Why are you smiling like that, Astrid?”
    I looked at him and replied, innocently, “If the last part was true, then I would be guilty for like ten murders.”
    Their eyes widened and my father asked, “You have talked with him?”
    I smiled and nodded and replied, “You are at the service of one of his personal assistants. How may I help you?”
    They looked at me shocked before smiling and my dad replied, “Well sweetie. It looks like you will be doing more than fine, but call me if he does anything to you.”
    I smiled and shook my head and said, “Don’t worry, I can take care of myself. And besides. Harper is too good of a person to do anything of which you can think of dad.”
    He nodded and my mom smirked and asked, “So you are on a first name basis.”
    I blushed a tiny bit and nodded and explained, “He doesn’t really like titles and see everyone as equals and it is the reason why he is loved by everyone in the company. Heck, if you saw him at first, you would have thought that he was just a normal guy. From what I could tell, he doesn’t really like to show that he is a billionaire and only uses money he needs to live and spend the rest to help improve the small town he lives in and other places' education.”
    My mother nodded and said, “Well, from what you told us, he sounds like a nice fellow. And in this picture he looks quite handsome.” She then frowned and said, “And also a bit familiar.”
    I chuckled a bit and said, “And here is where things go into crazy town. Harper actually went to Raven Point High with me.” They looked at me completely shocked and I smiled and said, “I know. I can’t believe it either, but it's true. He says he was just a quiet nerd back then and was never really noticed.  He knows about a lot of things that happen in Raven Point and knows Dagur.”
    My father and uncle both tensed when they heard I say Dagur. “Dagur, is he back?” My mother asked, with a little bit of fear in her voice.
    I nodded and said, “But in a good way.” They looked at me skeptically and I nodded and explained to them what Harper explained to me. They listened to me thoroughly and when I finished they looked a bit convinced, but was still on the fence. I understood them and said, “Don’t worry, guys. I will give him a chance, but I will still be careful.”
    They seemed to be a little bit at eaze and my uncle said, “Well at least something good has happened since Dagur confessed.” My parents looked at him and I can’t lie and say that I am not curious. “He helped to catch the man Valka went after,” He explained.
    All our eyes widened and we understood what he meant. “I don’t think Valka will care much about it, though Finn,” My mother said.
    He nodded and looked at me cautiously. I sighed and asked, “Is there any news about Hiccup?”
    They shook their heads and my mother replied, “I am afraid not, Astrid. Just still that he is alive and doing well, but nothing more.”
    I nodded and remembered the day he left.

Flashback:

    I looked up at the big house of the Haddocks. Hiccup’s Home. Gods, I was angry at myself. For leaving him, when he was my best friend and the person I trusted most. When he needed me, when his mother went away to Africa. Gods, I was a terrible friend. And then I left him at the mercy of all the school bullies, just so that I could be popular. Gods, what was wrong with me?
    I needed to apologise to him. I needed to apologise to him right now. I should have apologised five years ago, but only noticed my mistake now, when he said that fantastic speech. I sighed. That speech. The speech he never should have needed to speak. Gods, what was wrong with us. If I was just a little bit of a friend, I would have been there for him. When he lost his leg.
    His leg…. Gods. I don’t know how he must be feeling about all of that. And for Cami just to break up with him, because he lost his leg. That was so wrong. She should have stayed with him. Been there for him, but took the easy way out and blamed it on the leg. That was a low move.
    I walked up the stone pavement and knocked on the spruce door. A waited a minute, but got no reply. I knocked again, but still there was no reply. I sighed and turned to walk away, but the door suddenly creaked open. My eyes widened in shock and I pushed the door open.
    And I was greeted by the empty hallway. “Hello?” I asked and stepped into the cold house. “Hiccup? Are you there?” I asked hesitantly and walked further down the hallway.
    After a second I walked into the living room, that was completely empty. I smiled slightly as I remembered all the memories we had growing up here. I continued to walk and looked around but saw only all the clean furniture.
    That was until I saw an envelope on the counter top. I walked to it and pulled the envelope off the counter and read the words on it:
                                    I am taking a little vacation…. Forever.
    “No,” I breathed out and immediately opened the envelope and for once considering that I shouldn’t do it. But in front of me was neat handwriting. Hiccups Handwriting:

Hey Dad

You will probably not see this for a month, but I made my decision. I needed a break from Berk and needed to find my place. I am not sure where I will be going, just that I might not be returning back to Berk for a long time. (Not like you would notice) But If you find this letter can you please give the small pieces to all the people I wrote to. I left an extra letter at Gobber so you don’t have to do it.
First one to Gobber
I am sorry that I am saying goodbye like this Gobber. But I knew you wouldn’t just let me go, so I wrote this letter. I want to thank you for teaching me all the things you have taught me in your garage. I will use them as often as possible and possibly maybe pass your teachings onto my apprentice. I would like to thank you for being like a second father to me and definitely the best unofficial and official uncle I could ever ask for.

Second one is to Mom.
I don’t really know what to say, mom. I will forever love you, no matter what has or will ever happen. That will never change. And I am going to miss you so much. I know that you are going to catch Drago Bludvist and I am so proud to be called your son. The most strongest and most determined mother on the planet. I’m sorry I am leaving. I just need to find my purpose and get my greatness(Probably be nothing compared to you). I will miss you and I am sorry that I won’t be here when you come back home.

And Finally to Astrid:
You probably won’t read this, Astrid, but I guess I can try and see if I have some luck still left. I want to thank you for being the best friend I could ever ask for and although I was hurted when you started to stop talking with me, for multiple reasons, I am not angry at you. You just wanted to make your parents and uncle proud of you and need some other friends who could help you do that. And I am sure that they are proud of you, just like how I am. I wish we could still be friends, but that seems highly unlikely since you deserve much better friends than I could ever be. Well, I hope you are happy and I will miss you too.

Hiccup
P.S. I will send postcards to tell you how I am doing.

I read my part a few more times, before letting the tears slip down my cheeks. I was too late. Hiccup was gone, believing he wasn’t good enough for me, when I was the one that wasn’t good enough for him. Gods, no. He can’t be gone. Not now. Not now, when I realised my mistake and needed to apologise. Not now, when I wanted my best friend back in my life again. Not now. But he was gone.

End Of Flashback.

I blinked back the tears and asked, “So how is Tuffnuts pregnancy going?” My mother smiled sympathetically, but changed the subject nonetheless. We talked about loads of stuff. How things are going back home and how are things going here and friends I have made. The skype went on for almost an hour until we ended it. I quickly put the dishes in the sink before going to bed to get some sleep.