THE GREAT ESCAPE 2013
Prologue: The beginning of it all…
…
Parents and students began to flood the school quad and Arya sighed. She stood under a tent, eating her strawberry cupcake solemnly. She wondered where her best friend, Gendry, was. They promised each—other that they would meet here at 4:30, but it was 4:45 and he was nowhere to be found. Arya hated being late, but Gendry was always a creature of tardiness. Arya and Gendry have known each—other for their entire lives. Her dad, Ned, and his dad, Robert, were best friends and were "attached by the hip" as her mother would often joke, so that meant that they saw each—other constantly. Even as kids, Gendry and Arya were close—well, ever since Gendry stood up for her as some bully tormented her in year three—and, like their fathers before them, were too "attached to the hip".
Arya chewed her finger—nail, too anxious to even think straight. She heard her mother groan beside her.
"Arya Stark," she began, "how many times must I tell you?! A lady does not chew her nails in public!" Arya rolled her eyes, her mother always lectured and chastised her about…well, anything and every—thing, really…it was either, "A lady does not…" or "Why can't you be like Sansa? She acts like a lady and not a foul animal…" Sansa was her older sister. Sansa is on her last year at college and was always thestar child in the Stark household: always with the honour rolls, always with the innocence and grace, etcetera.
"I always thought you looked irresistible in dresses, Arry…" she heard Gendry joke behind her. She spun around and slapped him in the chest; her mother shot her a look, and then walked away with her cupcake.
"Fuck off, Gendry," she spat, "why are you late?!"
"Geez sorry," he put his hands up, "if I knew that you were going to be so anal about this then I would've came earlier…" Gendry began to snort, it was the same one he did whenever he did a sexual innuendo.
"You didn't…"
Gendry bit his lip as he smiled, nodding he said, "Oh yes…"
"Jesus, Gendry," she sighed, "who was it this time?"
"Wendy Philips…or something like that…"
"You are such an animal."
"And that's why you love me so much, Arry" he growled playfully as he hugged her, burying his face in her neck. She squirmed free.
"Can all graduating students and parents please come to the hall to take your seats?" the announcer bellowed, "We will begin shortly…"
"That's our queue," said Gendry as he grabbed her arm and ran towards the hall.
…
They sat in the hall for what seemed like hours. They waited for their names to be called out alphabetically; Alice Samson, Tamsin Sax, Max Star, Arya Stark. Finally, she sighed as she walked from her seat and went up the stairs to the main stage where the principle handed her the certificate, followed by a firm handshake, then followed by slumping back into her chair.
This went on for a while. As each name was called, Arya thought. She thought about her high school life here, and every—thing she had done. To be fair, she hadn't really done much, besides the usual British teen stuff you see on the telly—probably turned down a few notches, she wasn't that crazy—things like; going to a few parties, having maybe a little too much to drink, and doing things that she regrets, like calling her ex every time she got wasted for two months, wailing into the phone about how much she loved him. As she thought about it, she was sort of disappointed in her lack of adventures as an angst filled and hormone raging teenager. She used to love going on adventures as a young girl, she loved the vast space, the sense of not knowing what was out there—it fascinated her young mind—but now she thought herself as quite boring. She was nothing like Gendry though, who would often do bizarre things in his spare time. But no, all she did was sit in her room and read, and go on her laptop, wrapped up in her blanket.
Finally, they had dismissed every—one. One by one, parents and students shuffled out of the—now incredibly stuffy—hall. Arya almost reached the door when the Principle cornered her. He smiled; his breath stunk of what seemed like whiskey and cigarettes.
"Miss Stark, it's such a shame that you're leaving us…" he said, shaking his head solemnly, "it's been a pleasure to have you here at our institution…"
"Really, sir?" she raised her eyebrow.
"Not really," he shrugged, "You're legally an adult now, so I can say this," he cleared his throat, "You have to be one of the most disrespectful students I have ever had the displeasure of looking over in my years here. You do not listen, nor do you care for your education. Every time there is trouble, you are always near—you and your little shaggy womanizing friend over there…" he nodded his head over to Gendry who was making faces at Arya, "But you remind me of myself when I was your age, Miss Stark…" he extended his hand out to hers and she shook it, "I will miss you, Miss Stark, I wish you well in your later life…"
Arya was speechless, she thought he was kidding. Did he really say that to me? She asked herself, Oh my god, he actually said that.
"Erm…" she chuckled nervously, "I'll miss you too…" that was a lie: he was always a dick to her.
…
Arya had trouble going to sleep that night. She kept tossing, turning, and writhing around in her bed unable to fall into the deep, and relaxing sleep that she desired. So she lay on her back, staring at the blank celling above her.
Tap, tap, tap.
Arya shot up and looked around, but nothing.
Tap, tap, tap.
It was from the window, she was sure of it. Arya hesitantly walked towards the window and saw a silhouette of someone crouching.
"Can ya let me in?" she heard Gendry's muffled voice ask. She rolled her eyes and opened the window.
He climbed in and dusted himself off, "Thank you…" she noticed a note book in his hand and raised her eyebrows.
"And what on earth are you doing in my room at…" she looked over at her alarm clock, "2:35 in the morning, eh?"
He leaned in closer, "I have an idea, it's crazy, yeah, but hear me out…"
She nodded.
"Okay, so I think we should take a year off…"
"What?" she whispered, "Are you crazy? My parents would never allow that!"
He pushed her up against a wall softly and quickly, his face inches from hers, his breath told her that he had been drinking. Great, she thought, a drunken Gendry…
"Hear me out, Arya!" he said in a hushed tone, "It'll be for, like, two months or three, or whatever it doesn't matter how long it'll take, but I need this. It'll be like an adventure! You like adventures don't ya?" Arya nodded slowly, "See? I need the solitude, I need adventure, excitement! I don't want to feel empty anymore. I need this, and I need you to help me. Please? Look!" he pulled up the notebook, Arya squinted her eyes and tried to read his scribble of handwriting, it said, The Great Escape 2013, and under it had a list—only three things were listed—but they were unreadable.
"What is The Great Escape 2013? Is the name of the trip?"
"Precisely"
"What's under it?"
"It's a list, it only has, like, three things on it right now, but we can fill it up with all the things we wanna do during the trip. Things outside our comfort zone, anything!"
"It seems fun and all, but two things: a) you are obviously drunk, and b) my parents would still never allow it! They were hesitant on letting me go to a camp two years ago, what makes you think they'll let me go on a road trip with you?"
"My level of intoxication does not matter! It doesn't matter, no, no, it doesn't matter! Your parents love me and plus, you are an adult now! They can't control you anymore! So, they don't get a choice in the matter…"
"Gendry…" she said softly.
"No!" he turned away, "We leave tomorrow. It's final. Pack your things for the journey, travel light though, it's better that way. Gather some cash, and I'll be here at noon tomorrow."
"Gendry…"
"I have to go now!" he said quickly, kissing her cheek and climbing out her window like he was Spiderman.
Arya sighed as a cold breeze flew in. She stood in the middle of her room, looking around, and rubbing her bare shoulders. She got back to bed, and was finally able to sleep.
…
THE NEXT MORNING:
Arya woke to her head pounding slightly; the events of the morning still stunned her a little. She dragged herself out of bed to the kitchen where she found her mother making some cereal from Bran and Rickon.
"Look who's finally up…" Bran joked.
"Mmhm?" she asked groggily.
"Any brekkie, love?" her mother asked, shaking a box of Corn Flakes.
"Sure."
Arya ate her breakfast and the throbbing in her head slowly and thankfully subsided. She took a quick shower and retreated back to her bedroom where she cuddled up on her comfy blue couch and read one of her dad's old books.
She jerked up when she heard the door fling open. It was Gendry, smiling wide with a bag over his shoulder, "Arya, my dear, have you packed?"
"You were serious about that?"
"Y-yeah, of course I was…"
"Well," she put her book down, and scratched Nymeria's ear, "you were drunk and it was past midnight, so you have to forgive me if I didn't take your drunken slurs seriously…"
"Well, it's on anyways," he put his hands on his hips, "Now go pack, I'll be raiding your fridge."
Arya groaned and brought out her suitcase, shoving in shirts, bras, underwear, pants, anything. When she was done, she dragged the bag outside and saw Gendry playing with Bran and Rickon on the Xbox.
"And now you see, young one," Gendry said, leaning towards Bran, "That is how you pull a woman."
"Thanks, Gendry," Bran smiled, "I really hope Meera says yes."
"I know she will, little guy…" Gendry ruffled his hair and saw Arya. He took a big bite from his sandwich and got off the couch, heading for the door.
"Sorry, fellas," Gendry said, "Duty calls…come on, Arry…"
"Where's she going?" Rickon asked.
"On an adventure!" Gendry said dramatically.
"Ooh!" Rickon smiled, "Can I come? Oh, please!?"
Gendry sighed, "Sorry little fella," he turned to Arya, then back to Rickon, "Adults only…"
"Aww…" Rickon frowned.
"Don't worry," Arya said, kissing Rickon's head, "I'll be home soon…"
"Shall we go?" asked Gendry.
"Lead the way…"
AUTHOR'S NOTE AND STUFF YEAH:
So that was the prologue chapter—which was longer than I had hoped it to be but OH WELL—I hope you liked it, it's a random idea but I like modern AU's so yeah. Please leave me a review if you could, it helps me a lot, really, it does! Okay, love you.
