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Twenty Eight: In the Principal's Office

Halfway through English class, Fishlegs was called to Principal Wing's office and Hiccup watched the husky boy leave with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He could guess what his friend was being pulled in for-because he knew for a fact that Fishlegs could recite all of the school rules and probably hadn't broken a single one in his entire life. The person they really wanted was the person who had made the video, Hiccup...and he couldn't leave his friend to face the music alone because he had engineered the whole brawl. Glancing over to Astrid and across to Mr Larson, he prevaricated for a few painful moments before he couldn't stand it any longer and then he stuck his hand up.

"Excuse me, Mr Larson-I'm not feeling well!" he announced urgently. "I really need to go to the bathroom..." The teacher stared at him, seeing the pale face and bright emerald eyes and nodded.

"Report to the school nurse," he said firmly. "I am sure your friends can update you on the work from this lesson."

"Thanks, Mr Larson," Hiccup said gratefully, shoving his things into his bag, clutching at his stomach and stumbling to the door-but as soon as he was safely out in the corridor, he straightened up and sprinted off in the direction of the Principal's Office. He arrived moments later, panting and staring worriedly at the door. He could hear Fishlegs's nervous voice from the other side-and Snotlout's snide tone. Then Cameron joined in and Hiccup gathered himself, rapping hard on the door and opening it before he was even invited in.

Every eye fell on him and he walked in boldly, his eyes fixed on the cool and intimidating shape of Mala Wing and studiously ignoring the gang. Snotlout was standing with Tuff and Ruff, Cameron and Heather were standing to the other side with Thuggory and Eret awkwardly standing closer to Heather than Snotlout. A small smile tugged at his lips at seeing the gang so fractured but he kept his face straight because he wasn't here for them. Mala cleared her throat.

"What are you doing here, Hiccup?" she asked him coldly as he cast a sideways look at the husky boy, standing mere feet from her desk, his face pale with terror.

"I'm guessing you have Fishlegs...sorry, Finlay...here because you think he had something to do with the video," he said without preamble. "He didn't. It was me." The Principal's strawberry blonde brows arched in surprise.

"Really? I was under the impression that Mr Ingerman was the only person in the year with the skills to construct such an accomplished piece of work," she said coldly, briefly inspecting Mr Halvardson the IT tutor who was standing by the door but Hiccup stepped forward, his shoulders back and eyes completely locked on hers.

"Clearly not," he said honestly. "I have more talents than I show, Ma'am-and a top of the range computer my Dad got me with everything I could possibly want to create that video. Look-Fish helped me by pulling the videos from social media that other students had self posted-and I took some myself over the last couple of weeks...but he did nothing illegal or even immoral. I, on the other hand, know exactly what I was doing."

"What? Why you scrawny..."

"Pitiful how jealous and pathetic you are, Hicc! You really need to accept that no one wants you..."

"And what was that?" the Principal said sharply, cutting across Snotlout's angry voice and Cameron's cruel sneer. The black-haired boy glared at his cousin and Cameron tossed her hair, unconcerned but Hiccup was rigid, his fists clenched as he faced the teacher.

"I was demonstrating to my cousin and ex-girlfriend that neither of them had made a good choice," he said clearly, his voice tight. "None of the footage I used was doctored in any way, in case you want to ask. These two did exactly what the pictures showed. And I am aware what I did was mean and cruel...but nowhere near as cruel as dumping me in the middle of the canteen by telling me you've been sleeping with my cousin-after saying you've looked at me to see what's in the relationship for you-and because I had just been orphaned and made homeless and penniless, you didn't want me! So all I did was show everyone what treacherous hypocrites two of my former friends were."