Hiccup didn't come home to the Hoffersons that night, calling and saying he was staying round with Fishlegs for the night. At least now he had friends, he had options...but the fact he didn't return just made Astrid feel worse. And even worse, there was a huge row when Ingrid and Martin had found out that she had lied to them to attend the party at Ruff's...as well as actually being at the fight and only escaped with Hiccup's help. Martin had been mad beyond words.

"How could you lie to me?" he had shouted. "You are my only child-my beautiful daughter! And yet you play the fool and take yourself away from your work when..."

"Why did you think I did it?" Astrid shouted back. "YOU! Always going on about grades and marks and this supposed wonderful career as a lawyer that you want me to have. But look at my averages, Dad. Straight A, same as ever. because I know how to work...but I want to have fun. And it would be much safer and better if you could see that...because I would be able to call you when I was at a party or in a dangerous situation...but I can't, because I didn't want to hear this...shit!"

Martin went puce. "I am your father!" he bellowed.

"And don't I know it!" she replied back hotly. "Always nag nag nag! Do your run or you'll not be fit. Don't have a large breakfast or you'll get fat. Don't have any fun because your grades will suffer..." Then she advanced on him. "But as I told you before, Dad...when I leave school, I will go to college...and there will be parties and friends and boyfriends and if I don't learn how to juggle that and work now, I'll crash and burn at college when there's no one to remind me. And I have been lucky because Hiccup was here. He made sure I had fun. He protected me. He reminded me to work. He teased me. He made me feel...normal..."

"You lied to us about Ruff's party!" Ingrid said, stepping in before her husband and daughter really got into a shouting match: they were too much alike.

"And because of that, when I was attacked, I couldn't call you to fetch me," she snapped.

"You were attacked?" Ingrid's eyes were wide now, her face aghast. She raced forward and caught Astrid's face in her hands. "My darling...were you hurt? Did anyone...?"

"It's okay, Mom," Astrid reassured her gently. "A guy called Dogsbreath tried to rape me but Hiccup burst in and hit him over the head with a chair. he helped me climb out of the bathroom and walked me home."

"Sorry...Hiccup?" Martin said in shock. "So that's why you helped him-he blackmailed you over the party?"

"NO!" Astrid shouted. "Gods, you are so stupid, sometimes! He never mentioned it...he was so, so broken on the phone. But I felt I had to help him because he sounded in as desperate a place as I was when Dog dragged me into that room and started pulling at my clothes..."

Ingrid hugged her fiercely and Martin stared at her in shock.

"You should have counselling after that trauma..." he murmured. "Gods, I never even knew...my little girl..."

"But you're not, are you?" Ingrid murmured. "You are a young woman-brave and fiercely independent with your own mind, your own hopes and fears and desires...your own boyfriend..."

"Or not anymore," Astrid sighed. "Look, Mom, Dad-I didn't want to miss out on everything. Ruff and Tuff's parties are legendary and everyone was there. I only went to that one...and the rest was all I said. I even called you to take me home when the boys showed at Cami's, for Thor's sake! I know how to work. I know I need good grades because I am not going to Law School-at least not straight off. I will do what I want for experience first..and then, if I really want it, I will take the LSATs and apply. But I have to say, even seeing DA Mala Tydon at work on Alvin Treacher didn't fire me with any desire for the law, Dad. It made me glad there are people out there smart and dedicated enough to do that work but me...I'd just want to punch them!"

There was an awkward pause...and then Martin smiled.

"That's my girl," he admitted with a sigh. "But what else can you do? Law is a fine career with excellent prospects and rewards. I really really just want what's best for you, Astrid..."

"But won't what's best for me be what makes me happy?" she asked.

"That doesn't always follow..." Ingrid reminded her gently.

"It shouldn't be something which makes me utterly miserable," Astrid argued and Martin stared at her.

"That's what you really think?" he asked in shock. She nodded.

"I cannot think of anything worse, anything I would hate more," she told him calmly, her eyes locking on his. "Look, Dad-I just don't have that kind of a mind. I have tried so many times to tell you but you never listen. You just tell me you're doing what's best for me...but if you never listen, if you never take anything I WANT into account, is it any surprise I go behind your back?"

"Oh no, you can't turn this round to me, Astrid..." he argued but she turned away.

"Of course I can," she snapped. "You see, you told me I had to get all As. You made me take a subject I am no good at because it showed a well-rounded portfolio..."

"Art. And you got an A."

"NO! I DIDN'T!" she shouted. "Hiccup got the A. I am a C student...a low B with intensive coaching...but he persuaded the teacher to do this-this project where we could work together and I could share his excellent mark to drag my pathetic grade just over the A threshold. And boy did he bust his gut to get me that grade! Because he knew how much it meant to me. But a proper, understanding father would have listened to me and we would have found a subject I enjoyed or one I stood a chance in. But no...you decided Art, not me. And Hiccup got the grade, not me!"

Martin stared at her. "Is this true?"

"As true as I'm standing here," she told him. "And I suppose it meant I got to know Hiccup better...but it just shows you never listen. You want to control my life and force me to do things I hate because you want them. But I am not doing law." She paused. "You told me I had to be the best, the most popular, Class President...so I put that before being kind and decent and honest. I was mean to Hiccup to make myself feel better because he wasn't someone who was cool or popular, not realising how much he was dealing with. I was afraid to own up to my guilt-even though it wouldn't really help Hiccup much-because it would lose me my popularity. And when he moved here, Hiccup used to walk to the next stop so he wasn't seen with me!" She sighed. "Just let me be me, Dad. Let me make my own mistakes and be my own person. Let me take off this mask and be Astrid Hofferson, not Miss Perfect!"

"Is that really how you feel?" Martin asked her as Ingrid slid her arm through his. Astrid nodded.

"I don't like who I've become, being your perfect daughter," she admitted. "I was a coward because popularity was more important than friendship. And it may have cost me my boyfriend." She turned to her parents and they wrapped her in an embrace. Tears slid down her cheeks and Martin stroked her hair.

"Shh...he's a fool if he lets you go," he murmured. "I'll..."

"Do Nothing," Ingrid said icily. "Let them sort it out for themselves!"

"But..."

"No!" she said firmly. "This is for Astrid and Hiccup to sort out..." Astrid hugged her tighter, her voice broken.

"But what if he doesn't want me anymore?" she whispered.