Chapter Text
UPDATED JAN. 13th
Most people will tell you that their junior year of high school is the hardest.
They're correct.
Honestly those people had a reasonably normal experience in high school. They had their friends, their groups, some sport or club they dedicated their life to. Work really hard in their junior year, then coast along senior year.
Those people are not me.
No, my experience so far has been this:
Friends are out of the question. Great start right? Chasing all the people away with my Vikingness. Heavy sarcasm right from the start. Whoo. Not even Franklin (Usually called Fishlegs because he poured fish oil down his front) Ingerman, but only because we get picked on together and usually partner up in classes. But it's not like we talk out of school or anything. More like a silent agreement to always find a seat next to each other and complete projects together, so we don't look as lonely or pathetic.
Of course, we still are. But as my 3rd year in high school, I'm used to it. Either way, Fish is always happy to help if needed and carries his share of work. He seems to think the same about me too, so I guess there's some mutual respect.
There's also Steven Jorgenson (AKA Snotlout, you don't want to know this story). Once again, not a friend. Literally the bully of my life. But he's a "family friend". His dad is best friends with my dad and they're like frat brothers, so I guess we're...frat cousins? Is that a thing? If it is, we certainly don't act like it. Not even like acquaintances.
I used to try to get on better terms with him, but that ship sailed long ago.
Besides, I'm just a scrawny junior with untamable hair and freckles that haven't faded with puberty. All interactions involve physical fighting or him trying to downgrade me (Emphasis on trying. I've heard it all and he's not too quick at new nicknames. He's used "Hiccup" since 3rd grade). When he comes over, I'm supposed to help him with homework because it's the "right thing to do". I never plagiarize and I only give him what would be 'C' worthy. If he suddenly got A's, someone would get suspicious. But he's never complained with all C's (Once I gave him a B on his report card-actually got beat up for it) so I don't do any more work. Yay. Slightly less difficult labor for me.
If I could just delete everyone, and I mean everyone, besides the teachers in the school (maybe some of them!), I absolutely would. They're what makes high school... intense. I'm fine with most classes, like chemistry (Although everyday has some accident from the twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut - No joke, those are their real names) and engineering come easy. English has been fine until Dad made me sign up for AP seminar. I can't do public speaking and he knows that. So, he thinks that me joining a class which the whole point is to argue is wise. News flash: it's not.
The only class I really dread is...gym.
I can run the laps and do the push-ups (Though I could use some work on weights). It's everything else. It's everyone judging you constantly while your PR on bench press is a third of theirs. And everyone making fun of you because you're weak and are overshadowed by...her.
Astrid.
Astrid Hofferson, the toughest girl-erm, woman I guess-in our school. She will kick your ass any time or place. Even Steven's afraid of her. I would shrivel at her feet, despite the height difference - I've miraculously gotten close enough to conclude that I'm taller. Her track records are insane. The whole school is her playground.
Of course, she's not immune to gossip. The boys in the locker room are always saying how "I bet she's wild in bed" or "Whoever'll tame that bull must be some lucky guy". Steven has joined in on this multiple times despite his impressive record of asking Astrid out every day, and getting pummeled every day.
Honestly, it disgusts me how they're talking about her like that. I mean, she's a person for Thor's sake. And there's a reason they say in the locker room; they know they're dead if she hears them.
But no matter how badly I fail at weights, I can't help but catch a glimpse of Astrid doing curls like it's nothing. Sometimes I feel like she's looking at me...
But she isn't. And there's not much to look at anyway. Talking fishbone at your service.