Apology Said

He listens to music, from a group in Mexico.

Dude I haven't even heard of Sin Bandera.

I tried listening to one of their songs after I got home, I have to admit, I'm going to need a translation app.

This dude sounds cooler and cooler the more you hear about him.

Camicazi what have you even heard about him?

They keep mentioning him in every single one of my classes. Some people think he's going to be Dogsbreath's next victim, someone geeked out about his art, and Heather mentioned earlier that he used to be in theater! Oh, and I member the twins saying he lives in front of 'em.

Wait what do you mean next victim?

I only heard a tidbit, but soemone said they saw Dustin steal his beanie. Tbh I'd like to see what kind of hair is under those diamal tings.

Maybe the twins can find out how many he got lol

Didn't they say they've already been inside?

Yeah I've helped them break in a few times, cann assuurre you no one was living there when we wenr inside

What's even in there that the twins would want?

Nothing much, spare chairs, rusty spoons… plenty of flickering lights, I'm sruprised elcectricity was even sstill on

You forget that Hiccup's family was still paying for the house, of course they would try to keep everything running even if no one was living there.
Maybe there was always the chance that Hiccup and his dad would come back to Berk

If his family was living all the way in Meathead I'm surprised they wanted to keep that thing

Not a bd house, must say so. REALLY BIG
Bet you then twins would have dared the group to spend a night in there if it wasn't occupied

The house hasn't had someone living there since Hamish left for that year in London, they should have done it sooner

You're telling me they've never actually spent a night in there?

If they had theye would ahve already bragged about it to us lol

They must think it's haunted

Yeah they told Hiccup on Tuesday

She glanced around her room, seeing the dim glow of the hallway light creeping under her door. She had "gone to bed" at least a half-hour ago. Judging by how the light was still on, her father was still working. Her mother was working another night shift, but she would be home earlier than usual. She would start hearing her shift around in the early hours of the morning, knowing that she was working off her restlessness before finally succumbing to bed.

Her however, she was supposed to be asleep. There was a test in class to worry about the next day, and even though she was confident after the two hours she had studied, there was still lingering doubts. Thor knows a number of teachers in the school were adding extra coursework to get as much as they could done before the holiday. Texting her friends to relieve her stress seemed to be doing the trick. Yet she hadn't deigned to ask why they weren't asleep when it was already one in the morning. If she recalled correctly they didn't have to worry about a test the next day.

I can't get over the fact that he's acted before. I feel like I've aked eveyine in the shcool alreadt for their help. That is, excetp the headmaster haha.

He's too busy to take part in something like this.

You guys think Haddock would take part ?

He's not going to take any part in this once he finds out who's directing.

He got a problem with me?

Gee, what do you think? Do you even remember what his first impression of you was?

Right. He thinks I don't like him. I just, I didn't

I think the best thing, if you want him to participate
is if you

I was thinking of recruiting him to play Maddox.

and Eret apologize to him. It's the only way he's going to hang out with us.

You've finally found a Maddox!? You've been searching for one for months!

I know I even scheduled auditions for Satruday in Red Thorn. Eret was going to drive.

You really want someone to have to make all that effort to come to one of the coldest islands in the Archipelago?

I'm getting desperate! We need to make good progress in December at least if we want to be ready for the new year. Eret needs a co-star.
You said apologize? He really took it that hard?

I told him you were in a foul mood, but think about it. It's your first day, and you get teased in the first few hours you're there.
My guess is, from what we talked about earlier, he didn't have a good experinece on Meathead.
*experience

What do you mean?

I think he was bullied.

Might explain why he always so onguard

I just thought he was super quiet. Aby new kid we get on Berk always cones off as shy.

There's a reason for why he acts the way he is, is all I'm saying. I don't know for sure if he was bullied or not.

Be willing to ask him for audition?

Were you not paying attention? Camicazi, if he hears who's asking for the audition he won't want anything to do with it!

Then what do you suggest we do about it?

I might have an idea ;)

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He had done it deliberately. He'd rather someone hear his half-truths, then live a lie where he acted as if his life were all sunshine and rainbows. That would be wearing a smile he wasn't willing to enforce.

He closed his locker, drawing in a deep breath. He'd made it through Friday. Now marking another week that he had spent on Berk. His dad was going to take him to the hardware store later that evening so he could start repainting the art room. Saturday had already been taken with Astrid's insistence in taking him to explore the island. Just a couple of hours earlier she had placed a slip of paper into his hand saying it was his admission ticket to the Berk History Museum. A little voice in the back of his head had told him that the ticket was the key.

Astrid's way of securing that there was no way of him backing out of the tour. He had tucked the ticket into one of his binders, the only one he was taking home for the weekend. Mr. Mulch was giving them a test when they returned from the week long and break, and had explicitly stated that it would cover a chapter Hiccup hadn't made it to yet. He was still two chapters behind. To be frank, he was surprised of how fast the history teacher went through the book. He wanted to study, but knew that he had other priorities that he deemed more important at the moment.

He made sure to plug the earbuds into his ears before he pulled on his coat. Today he hadn't forgotten to bring his gloves, but he kind of enjoyed the Berkian chill. But even though he did enjoy it, he did have to keep in mind that it would dry out his hands. Lotion was essential, and even more since Fishlegs had mentioned that the much colder weather was due to arrive soon. Moving in these months, he would get to experience the storms he read about head-on. He clicked on his music app, avoiding the remaining students in the hallway before opening the door.

On this day, he was going to do something that he had hardly ever done before. Astrid had said that a friend of hers wanted to apologize to him, but because they didn't exactly hang out they agreed to meet him at the Drinkery. He instantly knew who it was, and in all honesty there was a trickle of anxiety at the planned meeting. He didn't know what they were capable of. In the other schools, when someone would judge him in the same way they had, they would become physically violent. In this instance, these high schoolers were different.

They hadn't even regarded him after that first day. To find out, that they wanted to apologize to him in person? That sounds skeptical, doesn't it? It could be a trick, and they were planning something if he was ridiculous enough to take the bait.

He sat down at the table, checking to see what song would come next. He didn't know how long he would have to wait. He knew he only had a short time. There was no way of calculating if he would be picked up or if he would make it home on time. She had told him to wait. To do it for her. That it would be worth it. He tapped the cup with a finger. Hiccup could tolerate hot drinks, it was something of preference. Coffee was his addiction, and caffeine a necessity. Any day he didn't have his fill would result in an evening with an irritating migraine.

He glanced at the door after taking a long sip. He'd decided to try a new pastry, blackberry cheesecake with sprinkled granola. He saw the lone dessert sitting in the display case, and had assumed it was something that was rarely asked for. He also didn't bother to ask the man if it was. He lifted the fork and took a meager bite, remembering that he'd hardly ever had cheesecake in his lifetime, let alone endeavoring to have blackberry. He liked the taste, but it wasn't something that would make him excited to eat.

His head instantly snapped to the door as someone else burst in. It was hard to see who it was because of the thick coat they wore. It was the after school hours, for now the customers that would frequent the Drinkery were students who had come from Berk High just like himself. He felt the last draft of cold air that the newcomer brought in. They were thoroughly bundled up, and the eyes of the other Berkians turned to the newcomer as they visibly shivered and proceeded to remove some of their thick layers.

They removed a thick coat, then two sweaters before they tugged the beanie off their head. It made him wonder if he himself stood out like that. The fact that people who hadn't grown up on Berk aren't used to the severe cold. He knew it was true. The other day he saw one of his neighbors standing on the lawn in a sweatshirt, a pair of sweatpants, and slippers that slowly grew soggy. They hung the three pieces of clothing on a single peg of the coat holder then their eyes scanned the room.

"I'm sorry I'm late." She said as she walked toward him.

"I was to understand that there would be two of you."

"Eret isn't one for written apologies." She said. " He has practice, so I came to apologize for the both of us."

"Really? I wasn't sure you were arriving at all." He admitted.

"I'm never punctual." She smirked. "Anything to recommend?"

"I've heard their hot chocolates are delightful." He flicked a crumb away.

"I'll get myself settled in first, then I can get this done properly."

Properly, he muttered to himself as she walked away. He was deeply immersed in the situation. If he had wanted to run or back out, it was too late now. He'd have to deal with whatever she threw at him. Then he began to question, was there a right way of apologizing? Was there some kind of etiquette to maintain to ensure the apology had the proper intention behind it? Astrid had said she would be coming. He wouldn't actually say it to her, but he wanted to turn tail and hit the ground running. Meeting with Cameron could just be another opportunity for her to ridicule him. But this time, in the view of the other Berkians instead of Astrid's group of friends.

He just continued to ask himself whether he was truly capable of defending himself. If the situation came to it, that he would be able to rise from the chair and walk away. Abandon his cheesecake and espresso to spare himself from the ridicule. Back on the mainland, there were some bullies that preferred to toy with him, let him believe something was different before the insults began. By then, walking away was considered an act of cowardice. Allowing tears to flow would lead to taunts.

Cameron removed the hair tie holding her blonde locks as she took a seat in the chair across from him. She placed a muffin down before visibly shivering.

"So, you're here because…"

"On behalf of Eret and I, I would like to sincerely apologize for our behavior last Monday. It wasn't fair of me to treat you that way when it was only your first day."

"You only knew my name."

"I misjudged you without even thinking. I wasn't in the best shape that day, and I really should have treated you better than I did."

"Astrid put you up to this, didn't she?"

"Why bring her into this?"

"If I know my days of the week correctly, today is Friday. The second Friday since I started attending the school. I appreciate your apology, I really do. It's just, it's been very long. This just seems like too pristine a setting for you to have decided of your own will to come here and say it to my face."

"What made you think Astrid arranged this?"

"How do you think I'm still here?"

"You mean that you don't-"

"I am new to the island, but I don't always come here."

"I was under the impression that you stay here for a while, I knew I'd be able to catch up to you,"

"Astrid asked you to come, right?"

"Yes, but I was the one who-"

"So Astrid controls you?"

"No she doesn't!" She snapped. " If I wasn't sincerely sorry I wouldn't have even come. Besides, Hofferson must have told you I was coming to meet you or else you would have left. Isn't she controlling you?"

"She merely took advantage of my routine," Hiccup said calmly," saying that instead of buying my drink and leaving I should wait."

"If you don't like me then why wait?" Cameron cast him a piercing look.

"Because you would be the first person who's ever apologized to me."

"I really do mean my apology. I'm apologizing for Eret as well, and I know he isn't here so it doesn't seem sincere… but I'm taking the fall for the both of us."

"Thank you for taking the time and coming. If this mattered that much to you, then that's something to look at."

If Astrid had manipulated the whole thing, he couldn't be sure that she didn't threaten Cameron to come. There wasn't a reason to doubt that she was sincere, but there was the week long gap of her not having said a single word to him. He just wondered that if from aside from Astrid, there was an additional drive. It wasn't like she was staring at him as he walked to a table in the cafeteria. Since she had the guts to apologize, and even admit that she had heeded Astrid's advice, there was the possibility that she didn't intend on bullying him.

"So, what are you eating?"

"A blackberry cheesecake."

"Accompanied by some coffee I assume."

" Wouldn't have it any other way." He shrugged.

"I'm not real fond of coffee. Chocolate is my weak spot." She squeezed the cup in her hand. " I always carry a parcel with me in my backpack or even a small bar in my pocket."

"What if you have to wear something that doesn't have pockets?"

"I never wear anything that doesn't have pockets."

"What about when you go swimming?"

"I'm sorry, have you been living on this island? It's always much too cold to go swimming."

"I have gotten that memo." Hiccup shook his head.

"I honestly don't know how these Berkians can tolerate this weather. I mean, no joke, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. But the snow storms and constant cold, it can be unbearable, there are days when my mother can't even get me out from underneath the blankets."

"So you aren't a Berkian?"

"No, I'm not Berk-born. I'm from Skullion."

So he had placed the accent correctly. Even if he had only lived there for a short while, he was still able to remember the accent from that particular region.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Skullion have cold weather as well?"

"Yes it does," She spluttered off, "but it isn't as bad as here. I mean, we at least have a warm season. How did you even know that?"

Hiccup thought quick. He couldn't tell her, they already knew he lived on Meathead. They needn't know anywhere else.

"We've all had to take History of the Archipelago at some point," He wrung his hands, "I remembered that particular part."

"I suppose that makes sense. One thing they've mentioned in Berkian history is how crazy the weather can get here."

"I bet you've had time to adjust to it."

"Not long enough." Cameron smirked. "So, how are you doing? I've heard from Astrid that you're actually Berk-born."

"That doesn't exactly mean I have an immunity to the weather."

"But I mean, well you're a Haddock. Your father is an alumni! You've got Berk in your ancestral blood!" She waved her hands for emphasis.

"I've been told, that there's still more severe weather to prepare for. So I don't want to make an assumption when I haven't even been through the worst."

"Reasonable." She glanced down at her cup.

Hiccup took a spoonful of his cheesecake. Cameron certainly had no intention to bully him. He would know, from everything he experienced. And he couldn't judge Eret from appearance and experience. The jocks had enjoyed picking on Hiccup, he couldn't hold Eret to the same standard. If either of them were truly intent on bullying him, they would have already done so. A school population that small, they could been capable of turning everyone against him.

He nearly shuddered at the thought. Thankful that so far things were going fine. Hiccup was living in a house he felt at home in, he had made some friends, and it seems there was room for more. One of the only downsides was that he had been reunited with a past bully. Cameron must have noted the growing frown on her face, because she hunched down, unzipping her backpack. He managed to take another sip of his hot drink before she slid a thick packet toward him.

Thick wasn't an exaggeration. It wasn't a mere article you had to print out for a research essay. It was as thick as a peer-reviewed article, at least 30-50 pages. Hiccup wondered just how much ink it had taken to print all that. He leaned slightly forward, putting the cup and plate aside so he read the first page. It was a cover page… for a show script.

"What is this?"

"It's for a project I've had in the making for a while. It's called The Light Ahead. I only have the first season planned out, but I've enlisted the help of most of our classmates."

"What's the show about?"

"There are two protagonists, I'm setting it to be a high school romance. The first is Reuben Brazner, and the second is Maddox Azadani. The premise of the show is essentially that these two meet and while they form a friendship another bond seems to grow as well."

"Let me guess, your endgame is that they'll wind up together right?"

"Only one has come out, of sorts, from the beginning of the show. The other is in the questioning stage. But yes. I want to have them together, though I haven't exactly planned the duration of the show."

"How exactly is everyone else involved?"

"Heather is co-writing this with me. The twins are planning wardrobe, Eret and Snotlout are coordinating action scenes, when they're necessary. Most of the school population and even some parents are playing background characters. Everyone is helping with some piece of it, even if it's filming or editing."

"Well if you need an extra I can take part, this does sound like a rather interesting-"

"No Hiccup I don't need more background characters. I've been trying to find the second co-star."

"You haven't found a Maddox?"

"No, I've persuaded Eret to take on the role for Reuben, but I've had trouble finding the other character. No one fits him, and I've heard a lot about you since you've got here."

"Hang on, I know where this is going… this is why you apologized all of a sudden-"

"I wanted to make amends."

"And then just jump straight into it!?"

He did well to hide his shock. It felt like he had been cornered. He had the gnawing feeling that there was another intention behind this meeting. Heather had questioned if he had ever done acting before. Her eyes had lit up when the subject had been brought up.

"That's why I brought the script." She flipped the first page for him.

Emmett had already been written in the cast list. As had Heather, and most the group he had been introduced to. Heather was playing a protagonist's half brother, and Astrid was playing the other's step sister. Even the girl who worked at the Drinkery was involved as well. Cameron certainly hadn't been kidding when she said almost everyone had a role.

"I would like you to read over Maddox's character. You fit exactly how I pictured him, and heck, it doesn't quite matter if I barely know you."

"So Heather told you I've acted before."

"You have much more experience than Gustav or even Eret. My boyfriend is a total jock, but he's still doing this. A lot of us are stepping out of comfort zones for this."

"But this is, a pretty big project. You aren't paying anyone?"

"You do recall what age we are, don't you?" She gave him a teasing smile.

"You've said you've recruited most of the school population. You can't tell me that didn't take some money as persuasion."

"Well certainly some bribes, but most of these Berkians have a kind heart." She took a sip of her drink. "I didn't deign to ask Dustin though. That sack of rat crap is insufferable, and has no place on my set."

"You're sure you want me to play Maddox? What can you tell me about his backstory?"

" It's really up to you to discern what kind of character he is, so what I've written isn't entirely set in stone. If you accept, you're free to interpret him as you see fit. The story for Maddox is that he's starting to attend a new school since the one he previously attended was burnt down. He isn't quite a social person to begin with, and to have to face a new setting doesn't make things any better. He had also found out in that same year that he had a half-sister, and after the burning school ordeal, his mother leaves him behind with the other family, having to be raised with a sister and a father that he didn't know existed."

"So he had to go through a major move."

Didn't that sound familiar?

"As is guessable, you see how he ends up adjusting."

He gave a skim over the first three pages of the script. Cameron desired that he play a character that is similar to himself, even if is just from a few elements. Maddox didn't seem to have a disability, and didn't hold his emotions back. He expressed himself as he saw fit.

"I would," He said cautiously, "like to know what inspired you to write this show."

"I just wanted my first show to be something in the high school setting. Beat the norm where they need older actors to play teenagers. My first project to be something I did with my friends."

"But why me?" Was the strongest question to ask.

"The new kid should partake in this. I know you've only been on the crew but now's your time to have your chance in front of the camera."

"When do you start production?"

"We've already started. Heather is my co-writer, and we agreed that the first two episodes should be in introducing the protagonists. Since I hadn't found Maddox yet, we started off with Reuben."

"Hmm. This does, seem rather abrupt."

"Tell you what." Cameron grinned. "Read over the script. It contains the first two episodes, as well as character descriptions for each actor taking part. Have an answer for me by next Saturday, that's our next film day."

"Sure. I can do that."

"If you like it, you're fit to be our Maddox Azadani."