When Different Worlds Collide

Chapter 39

Hey, guys! This is it! The last chapter of When Different World Collide! It's been a blast writing this, with many obstacles along the way. But with you guys' endless support and encouragement, I finally finished it! Thank you guys so much! Well, for the last time for this story, I hope you enjoy this part! Happy reading!

Merida

The art show is finally today and I can tell that Jack is nervous. About what, exactly? I have no clue whatsoever. You'd think that the guy ate a whole box of sugar or something by the way he keeps glancing everywhere and jittering his hands.

"What's up with Jack, Hiccup?" I asked, finally voicing my thoughts when Jack had darted off somewhere again. "He seems..."

"Edgy? Tense? Excitable?" Hiccup offered.

"I was just going to say jumpy, but that works too."

Hiccup laughed. "The guy's been like that ever since last night. Must be an artist thing."

"Yeah, but isn't he not entered in the art show?" I said, moving past a couple of students from another high school. This place was huge, capable of holding up to three thousand people at a time.

Hiccup shrugged, stopping to look at a work that was done entirely with gouache. "That's what I was thinking, Mer, but whatever Jack is skittish about, I think he'll tell us if it's something big, so I wouldn't worry about it.

"Now come on," he said, taking my hand and grinning. "Let's go dive into the world of art."

I rolled my eyes teasingly. "You sound like those education videos we're forced to watch in class."

He feigned hurt, placing a hand to his heart. "I'm appalled, Merida! That's what you really think of me? A boring, mind-dulling cassette tape?"

I laughed, quickly pecking him on the cheek, causing both of us to blush a little.

"About that world of art..." I said, smiling at him. "It sounds quite interesting, Mr. Cassette Tape."

He grinned, taking my hand once again and beginning to lead me around the place.

I have to say, I was wrong about this whole art show being boring. I thought it was going to be a bunch of old geezers and the students who entered that were going to be here. But no. Instead, there were a ton of people ranging from our range to the elderly, admiring the works the students had done. Hiccup and I were able to talk to a few of the students who had entered and it amazed me on how long a seemingly simple piece of artwork could take.

"You started working on your entry during the summer before school started, and yet you still barely made it to the deadline?" I said incredulously to a girl who had done a charcoal drawing of a castle in front of the sea.

"Yep," the girl chuckled. "I've been entering the Arendelle Art Show ever since I was a freshman. It's my last year as a high schooler so I wanted to do something extra special and straight from my heart."

"We can tell that you put a lot of work into this," Hiccup said, gesturing to her drawing. "It looks really nice and well thought out."

"Thanks," the girl nodded appreciatively, "but you could say the same thing to all of the students who had entered. They've put a lot of hard work into their art, no matter how big or complex it is.

"You're friends with Jack, right?" the girl said, suddenly changing the subject. "The boy with the silver-white hair?"

We nodded. "Yeah. How'd you know?" I asked.