Deduced | Mericcup

Chapter 2

Rapunzel left as soon as Mrs. Gobber let Merida inside the flat. She said she had been working all night and needed some rest. Merida thanked her and she left.

The inside of the flat smelled like cookies and old stuff, probably because of Mrs. Gobber. She also smelled like cookies. As Mrs. Gobber prepared a tea for them, she let Merida sit on the couch. Merida scanned the flat. There was an old television opposite to the couch, a coat rack near the door, a lamp on top of a side table, a coffee table in the middle of the room, and two doors which probably were the bedrooms.

Mrs. Gobber went back from the kitchen, jolding a tray with two teacups and a teapot. She poured the tea in the cups before setting the teapot on the table. Merida took a sip and it was delicious just as she suspected. The tea gave warmth all over her body.

They at there, talking about the rules and the price. Merida agreed with it and took the flat. She was led to the unoccupied flat, 112A. Just like 112C, the room almost look identical except this flat smells like molds and no cookies. There were also two bedrooms for when she decides to save money and decides to share the flat with someone else. 

"I must warn you about your neighbor though. He can be a little weird and he's one of the reasons why people leave this apartment. Of course, I couldn't let him leave because his father is my husband's friend." Mrs. Gobber said.

"I think I can manage." Merida said. Mrs. Gobber gave Merida the keys to the flat and left.

As soon as Mrs. Gobber left, Merida settled in. She sat on her couch and opened her luggage to take her phone. She searched the room for an outlet to charge her phone in. As the phone charged, she surfed the web and searched again for hospitals that she can apply to. Most of the results were her parents' hospital and she wasn't really planning to work there.

"So you're in the medical profession." A voice of a man startled Merida. Her reflexes made her throw a book that she grabbed from the side table. Her book landed to wear the source of the voice, but the man caught it. "Good reflexes, but not really that great."

A boy about her age stood on the far side of the room near an open window. His eyes were emerald green and his hair was shaggy brown. He wore a forest green button-up shirt and brown pajama. Even in broad daylight, Merida did not notice him come in. Was he there before they went inside the flat?

"Who are you?" Merida yelled, picking another book from the table and aimed it at the boy. "And what the heck are you doing in my flat?"

"Oh, yes. Sorry." He said without a hint of sincerity. "I'm Hiccup. I live on the flat next door."

Merida waited.

He doesn't seem to notice that she was waiting for an answer so Merida asked, "What are you doing here?" She held the book tighter, aiming it at the Hiccup.

"I'm just saying hi to my new neighbor." He answered with a smile.

"You knock on the door and not sneak inside your neighbor's flat by using the window!" She yelled. "I can call the police right now and get you arrested, sir!"

Hiccup shrugged. "Nice aim, you know? You almost hit me." He said. Then he started scanning her, making Merida shift. "Impressive. Your arm doesn't shake."

"And?"

"You look strong too, judging by the small muscles on your arms. You were probably an archer or you have held guns before. As long as it relates to aiming, you're good at that."

It wasn't a question. "How did-" Merida said, lowering her book. Did he notice that just by looking at her? He wasn't finished though.

"You luggage looks expensive. You must be from a rich family. You just graduated since you're searching for a place to work. But you can also be a fired doctor. But judging from your looks, you don't seem to look like you've been working for long since you look more or less the same age as me. Then a newly grad it is. You can't be new here because you don't have a map with you." He said. "Are you forced to live with you family until you graduate? Because you seem to look like you've been taken care of. It seems like it's your first time living alone."

Merida was speechless. She completely lowered her book, still gripping it incase Hiccup do something she wouldn't like. She looked at Hiccup with awe. "That's amazing! And creepy."

Hiccup shrugged. "Who are you?" Merida asked.

"You guess." Hiccup said.

"A weirdo who lives next door?" Merida asked.

Hiccup smiled forcefully. "Right!" He exclaimed before walking towards the window.

"Seriously, who are you?" Merida asked.

The boy shrugged and left. Merida walked over to the window. The cool breeze brushed her curly, red hair. She stared at the people who were normally living their lives. She closed the window and went back to her couch.

She sighed and began searching for hospitals again. Merida couldn't take her thoughts off of Hiccup. The way he deduced her life just by looking at her was unreal that she somehow thought he had searched her. How can he? They just met. Maybe it's really just his way of greeting people. It was still creepy though. She should really be careful.

Merida took a glance at the window to see if she already locked it. She nodded to herself and mentally patted her back. "Good job locking the window well enough that that Hiccup guy will now have a hard time coming inside, Merida." She told herself.

After minutes of searching, her mind left the boy and she had found herself a hospital. She rummaged through her clothes to grab her coat. She wore it and went outside, locking the door behind her.