Debt to Pay

Chapter 10 : Magic Tricks and Cafés

JACK'S POV

" How did you do that?! " Merida asked me with wide eyes.

I smirked at her reaction, " A magician never reveals his tricks. "

" Uuuurghh, I had a feeling you would say that, " she looked half disappointed, half frustrated.

" Mer, why do you keep letting him practice his tricks on you, if you get so angry? " Flynn asked, who was sitting in the corner, observing us.

" Because, every time I think, maybe I can figure it out, " Merida responded, completely annoyed with me.

Merida and Flynn were two of my closest friends, we had been friends for almost 3 years now. Merida's mother was always trying to control her, which made her do the opposite. Flynn was an orphan, like myself, who mainly relied on theft to live. We had met each other in the UTM one day and had been friends ever since.

Right now we were sitting in my booth at the UTM waiting for customers, Flynn and Merida were talking when someone came up to my booth.

" Hi, are you the one who helps plan thefts? " Said a guy who was about my age, with brown hair.

" The one and only, " I replied.

" I was wondering if you could help out a friend of mine, she is struggling with finical issues, " He said.

" Sure, when can you schedule a meeting? " I asked.

We continued talking and it turns out I got a job with his friend and had to meet her at 11:30 tomorrow at a café downtown. This is great, I haven't gotten a job in about a week.

ELSA'S POV

As I finished remembering what happened, I realized I had been explaining it out loud the whole time. Astrid looked at me with wide eyes and Hiccup and Anna both had their mouths open.

" Sooo, that's why your bail was so expensive! Why did you do that anyway? " Anna asked me.

When I look back now it was all so stupid, " I- I don't know! I didn't want people to look down on me, so I thought if I hung around with the Stabbington Brothers' gang... Maybe people wouldn't underestimate me, " I responded, looking down at the ground with shame.

" And Astrid, you let her do this? " Hiccup questioned.

" No! I did everything I could to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't let me, so I left, making sure she knew I didn't support her decision, " Astrid said.

" Don't blame Astrid, it was all my fault, it was my bad decision, " I spoke up and glanced at the clock, we had talked all night! It was almost 10 in the morning. " Now, Anna, how are you doing? "

" Great, my arms a little sore, but I'll be fine, " she said smiling at me.

" Good, do you mind if I leave then? " I asked.

" Go ahead, don't let me stop you. "

I ran up to her and gave her a hug, making sure to not touch her arm, " You're the best! Okay, I'm off to meet with this 'theft planner', " I did air quotations around 'theft planner' because I wasn't sure if this was all legit.

" Good luck, he will be waiting for you at the café downtown, " Hiccup said.

" Thanks, I'll see you guys later, " I responded as I headed out the door.

I made my way down the stairs and into the streets, the sun was missing and the clouds were gloomy. I started walking towards downtown, it was about an hour walk, but I have time. I thought about these last two days, they had been crazy. Normally, my life was so boring, I just did the same old, same old. But, something changed, I feel like I've lived a week within two days.

I continued walking, arriving at the café at 11:25, they probably weren't here yet so I took a seat in an empty booth. This was a terrible time to meet, tons of people were lined up to get a coffee with their lunch.

As I sat there waiting, watching everyone hurry around, I felt my eyelids getting heavy. Even though I tried to stay awake, I hadn't slept in 48 hours, I guess the adrenaline from the excitement had kept me going. I fell asleep, letting my head hit the table.