Behind the mask

Just a pest

It was the last day of the girls' suspensions and Astrid was cheerfully hanging with Anna and Olaf. The new students were very friendly and several others joined them to help welcome them to Berk. Astrid was in her element.

"The academic programmes are good, sure," she admitted, "but we're most proud of the Football Team, the Berk Vikings. Defending Archipelago Cup Champions!"

"You won for two of the last three years," Olaf added, his dark eyes sparkling. He was small, a little round but very friendly. Anna grinned.

"And you already whupped Aryndel High!" she noted. "Any boys worth paying attention to?"

"Only the whole Team!" Helga said excitedly. "They're all so hot-especially Snotlout, eh, Astrid?"

"Ugh! You're welcome to him..." she huffed.

"Is he your boyfriend...?" Anna asked, her green eyes wide with mischief.

"You are kidding?" she sighed. "No! He thinks he's my boyfriend but no! He's so not my type! But if you fancy trying your luck, be my guest!"

"Oh, Astrid is just playing hardball," Linda said airily. "Everyone knows she'll be going out with him by Graduation!"

"Will not!" she said hotly. "Ugh! There isn't enough room in a relationship for him and his ego, let alone anyone else."

"What about Eret?" Birgit asked, adopting a dreamy expression. 

"Ruff may have something to say about that," Astrid smirked. It was no secret that her friend had a massive crush on Eret...though Eret had spent a lot of time trying to avoid the female twin who he seemed completely repelled by. Astrid privately viewed Eret as the most eligible of the Football Team-hardworking, handsome and polite...except he, like the rest, had an ego the size of a planet. Of the others, Tuff was officially crazy and was so similar to Ruff that it would be weird to even contemplate going out with him, Fishlegs was nerdy and a bit too timid for her taste and Snotlout...was yuk. Just yuk. And Dagur and his gang were unthinkable. She sighed.

"I heard Eret was eyeing Louisa Skarsgard," Helga murmured.

"Oh, don't say that aloud," Astrid advised her urgently. "Especially not in Ruff's hearing! The last girl Eret got 'interested' in woke up bald with a tattoo on her shoulder reading 'skank'."

"What?" Anna asked, astonished.

"The twins' family all worship Loki!" Jayden added, joining the group. "Pretty much every prank round here is down to the twins!"

"Or Hiccup Haddock," Birgit added scornfully. "Except his aren't funny, just stupid." 

"I've heard that name whispered a lot," Anna frowned. Astrid looked up and realised she hadn't seen him since he walked in just before the bell for first class. 

"He's tall, skinny, auburn hair and green eyes," she said. "He doesn't care, totally sarcastic and hangs with the worst crowd-Dagur and his Bad Boy Crew."

"But everyone says he turned in Dagur and Snotlout to the Principal," Olaf pointed out. 

"Don't believe it," Astrid said firmly. "Hey-he's been with Dagur since Freshman Year. Why would he turn him in when there's nothing in it for him? He's failing half his classes, he'll be lucky to graduate and he's more or less on permanent detention. But he never ducks responsibility for what he's done-he always stands up...and usually makes some stupid comment as well."

"Sounds like a nightmare," Anna agreed. 

"Just a pest," Astrid sighed, rising to her feet. "Catch ya later. I need to talk with Miss Sylvester before the next class." She smiled and waved as she walked off, her face determined. She needed to pass the class and first move was to speak with the teacher...