First Impressions

The thing about senior year was the fact that nobody really tried. Sure, there were kids like Henry "Hiccup" Haddock, who had an actual liking for school and probably studied during the whole of summer. Or maybe they were like Rapunzel Gothel, who dabbled in everything and loved pretty much anything she tried. But mainly they were like Jack Frost and Merida DunBroch, who were both on cruise-control for the rest of the year.

At least, Merida was doing so in secret. If her overly strict mother, Elinor, ever found out about the seventeen-year-old's apathy towards school (and her liking for playing hooky) Merida would never hear the end of it. She couldn't wait until the end of the year, when she'd finally be free!

Now, there was about a week left before the start of school. Merida was honestly dreading the long hours to be spent in a cramped classroom learning about things she'd never use in real life. It was still summer, for god's sake! Summer was a time to be outside and bask up the sun and go on adventures, not for sitting at a desk listening to some teacher drone on about calculus.

She was currently outside, having an obligatory tussle with her three little brother. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful, windy day. It just made her yearn for more days like this. Where had the summer gone?

Her nostalgia was interrupted by her mother. "Merida! Get down here! We have guests."

Guests? At ten in the morning?

"Coming, Mum," she called back a little reluctantly. Hamish, Hubert, and Harris all let out various groans of disapproval, and eventually followed Merida into the house by the back door.

She grabbed an apple on the way to the front of their manor, biting into the red fruit while tossing her bow onto a chair. She had wanted to practice her archery, but it apparently had to wait.

"Mum, who- oh!"

Standing awkwardly in the doorway next to his mammoth of a father was her childhood friend, Hiccup Haddock. "Hic! What're you doing here?"

"Merida," her mother groaned, giving her a look.

"I mean, er, nice to see you, I wasn't expecting you! Why don't you come out back with the triplets?" Before he had time to say anything, she grabbed his sleeve and steered him to the back door, pausing to grab her bow and arrows.

Once they were outside, she relaxed. Hiccup was looking at her as if he was slightly afraid of the redhead. Ever since they had entered high school, the once-best friends had veered off into completely different groups. Hiccup hung with the nerds, Merida with more of the sporty type.

"What was that for?" he hissed. Merida shrugged.

"Mum was about to lecture me. Now, c'mon!" She headed off towards the stables. Hiccup gaped and gestured with his hands.

"Well, I, ah, was thinking of sitting quietly inside, but I guess…" he trailed off and followed Merida with a sigh.

Her Clydesdale, Angus, was as intimidating as ever. He pawed the ground and snorted nervously when Hiccup peered into the stables. Merida patted his flank and reached for her phone.

"Punz is coming over," she absentmindedly informed Hiccup. Hiccup nodded. The cheerful blonde, who'd been homeschooled until tenth grade, was friends with both Hiccup and Merida- as well as pretty much everyone in school.

"How'd she convince her mom to let her out?"

"Oh, she didn't. She slips out once in a while. Gothel's too busy checking her own reflection to notice." Merida sat down heavily on an upturned bucket and looked speculatively at Hiccup, who squirmed under her bright blue gaze. "It's been a while," she noted.

"Yeah. Yeah, it has." He laughed nervously. "So. Senior year, huh? Finally."

"I can't wait!" The new voice made both Merida and Hiccup jump. They turned to the door, where Rapunzel was standing. Her blonde hair had grown out to her knees (she'd braided it up) and her green eyes were sparking brightly. Hiccup smiled- the sight of her always made him smile, she just had that effect on everyone- and waved. Rapunzel patted Angus's head and turned back to the entrance.

"I brought a friend. He moved in next door."

"From where?"

"Two blocks away."

Merida glanced up sharply at the new voice, instantly recognizing it- how could she not? And, sure enough, standing in the doorway, was Jack Frost.

Hiccup made a funny choking noise, his emotions playing across his face. "Rapunzel? You- you do know who that is, right?"

"Yeah! Jack, meet Hiccup and Merida! Merida, Hiccup: meet Jack!" Rapunzel beamed at her friends, who were too busy wondering when she had gone mad to beam back.

Jack Frost was the star soccer player of Burgess High. He was the ultimate jock, as far as the rumors went. Merida had heard everything about the guy. Apparently, he had it all: rich parents, popular status, good looks.

Of course, they had never talked to him in person.

"Hiccup's an…interesting name," Jack noted. He appeared to be trying to hold down a laugh. This, of course, didn't go well with Merida.

"I wouldn't make fun of his name if I had hair like you," she retorted icily. He turned towards the redhead, who was still seated on her bucket.

The other two noticed the clash immediately. Merida, who was bright and tempestuous and had cheeks stained with color, and Jack, pale and frosty-haired.

"Well, you have pretty crazy hair yourself. Don't know if you've ever heard of a thing called a hairbrush?"

Merida's arms folded of their own accord. Who did this guy think he was, waltzing in here and insulting them straight off the bat?

"Excuse you, Mr. Bedhead, but I don't-"

"Hey, whoa, both of you, calm down! We don't even know him, Merida!"

"Hic's right." Jack gave the Scot an easy smile. "Why don't we start with introductions? I'm Jack Frost. I'm seventeen years old, going into senior year-"

"And a first-class asshole. Yeah, we know."

"Merida!" Rapunzel looked mortified, and a little exasperated.

"No, no, she's fine, she's fine. But the question is, what exactly did she say?" Jack's blue eyes narrowed, still keeping their mischievous sparkle. "It's kinda hard to tell. Seems like she sprouts gibberish most of the time."

"Alright, that's it." Merida went for her bow and leveled it at him, prepared to ram him through. "So I'm Scottish. Got a problem with it, Old Man Winter?"

Jack was having a blast. Merida- was that her name?- was extremely easy to annoy, so why stop now?

"Hey, watch it. Just 'cause my hair is white doesn't mean you get to call me and old man. Although, I reserve the right to call you Carrot-top. Or Hot Tamale. Or-"

"'Ey!" And with that, Merida started chasing Jack around the cramped stables. Hiccup and Rapunzel watched them from the doorway, utterly and completely nonplussed.

"They've known each other for five minutes," Rapunzel whispered.

"Two minutes," Hiccup muttered back.

"Oh boy," they mumbled together. Senior year with Merida and Jack was sure to be a blast.

Note the sarcasm.

A/N: I've been meaning to do a Jarida story for ages, because this pairing will be the death of me, so here we are! *doggedly ignores other unfinished stories waiting to be updated*

Anyways, thanks for reading. This'll be a series of one-shots. I had to start with their first meeting because there's so much sass involved :)

Till next time!