Walt E. Disney High

Chapter 11

JACK'S POV

"I'm going to do it. I'm going to ask her out today. After sixth period...or do you think it should be earlier, so I just get it over with?" Hiccup was pacing in front of me in our dorm room, looking intently at the floor. Hans, our other roommate, had already left. He usually does, leaving ominously in the morning before either Hiccup or I even wake up, and we don't know where he goes. But that is unimportant. Now Hiccup was worrying about asking his best friend Merida out, practically wearing the floor out from underneath him.

I shrugged, laughing at his nervousness. "Just ask her whenever you feel is the right time. Honestly, man, don't stress over it. Be the three C's: calm, cool, and collected. That's my motto," I told him, pulling on shoes and checking my hair in the mirror.

Hiccup gave me a look. "Easy for you to say. You have a girlfriend already!"

"And how do you think I picked her up?" I replied, smirking at him. Hiccup rolled his eyes and went back to pacing.

"Look," I said after a few tense minutes. "Pretend I'm Merida. I would put on a wig but I don't want to mess up my hair. But pretend I'm her. Ask me out."

Hiccup glanced up at me again, raising his eyebrows. "What?"

"You heard me. Ask me, as Merida, out."

Hiccup cleared his throat and blinked. "Um...okay. Um. So, Merid – " He met my eyes, and then burst into laughter.

I grinned. "What?" I asked, even though I knew perfectly well what.

"What...what are you doing?" he gasped out, clutching his stomach in laughter. "Is that your Merida face?"

I had been pulling a face, to best mimic Merida by widening my eyes and raising my eyebrows. I nodded, starting to laugh too.

It took a while for Hiccup to compose himself, but he finally did. He began again, trying not to crack a smile. "So Merida, I was, um, wondering – "

"Calm, cool, and collected," I repeated to him, dropping my Merida act.

Hiccup took a deep breath and then said at an unimaginable speed, "I was wondering if you wanted to go to the homecoming football game with me tonight. As a date. And I hope it's not weird or anything, because we're best friends, but I really really like you. You're really pretty and smart and wonderful and strong – "

"Okay, okay," I interrupted, holding up my hands. "I'm not really Merida, you know that, right? And slow down! She'll never know what you said if you say it that fast."

Hiccup laughed and hit my arm. "Let's go," he said. "We'll be late." We walked out the door with our things in hand, down to the cafeteria to grab breakfast.

From there, I separated from my friend and got a chocolate croissant from the pastries section. I waited by the door, leaning against the wall and watching the various students talk and eat their breakfast. Suddenly Elsa appeared by my side, holding her books and grinning. "Hey, you," she said, poking my arm.

"Hey," I responded, beaming and kissing her cheek. "How are you?"

She replied, "Good. You ready for the homecoming game tonight?"

I snickered, remembering Hiccup's panicking this morning. "Yep. Hiccup is planning on asking Merida out. But whether he does it or not is questionable."

Elsa chuckled. "I hope he does. Merida needs someone to try to control her more. Like a boyfriend. They'd be really cute together."

I nodded as we started to make our way towards the school, heading into the day.