Day 1 - Jealousy
Everybody liked Gendry. Friendly, athletic, funny, intelligent… It seemed there was no reason to dislike him. Despite his general popularity, it came a shock to the members of King's Landing High School when Arya Stark befriended him and two outcasts, Lommy and Hot Pie. Nobody could've expected their close friendship to result. As the daughter of a wealthy CFO, the teenagers of KL had her labeled as one of those girls - snobbish, fashionable, and filthy rich.
While the latter proved to be true, Arya did not flaunt it. Instead, she rolled around the mud in gym class with the rest of the athletes, wore her older brothers' baggy basketball shorts, never gossiped about others, and under no circumstances, ever put on anything floral.
While Arya failed to meet their original stereotypes, she disproved them yet again and again by making friends with practically anybody. Not a single person could seem to pin a single identity on the girl; even "tomboy" didn't always fit.
Her friendship with the boys was sturdy, the four often hanging out at the skatepark or pizza parlor after school. Gendry followed wherever Arya went, and this became the new norm after some time. Life went on - until Melisandre stepped in.
She was a senior in the school year of '15-16, Gendry and the others only juniors. The moment she stepped on campus sporting a fiery red dress, metallic choker, and black leather side bag, Arya pegged her as trouble.
"See the redhead girl?" Lommy asked of his friends at lunch. "How could you miss her?" Gendry replied. "Yeah- she was hot." Hot Pie chimed in.
With a heavy sigh, she rolled her eyes. "You think everyone is hot."
"Well, not everyone," he muttered darkly. "I don't think you're-"
"Don't go any further, Hot Pie!" Gendry warned with a laugh and a glance at Arya's raised eyebrows.
Her gray eyes were set fiercely, ready to take charge of the situation. With a single look, the Stark girl had the ability to cast doubt in the minds' of the sharpest and wittiest - and Hot Pie was neither in the first place. "I'd love to hear what you have to say," she said sweetly. Lommy choked on his burrito and attempted to save himself with a large gulp of milk.
"I, uh, well I was just now saying how I thought Mel was hot in comparison to most girls, but not all of them, and, uh, all of the girls at school look decent at least, but she really puts them…"
At this point, milk was coming out of Lommy's nose, and Gendry was roaring with laughter. Arya didn't move an inch. "Go on, I'm enjoying this eloquent speech of yours." He opened his mouth to press on, but he became slack-jawed as a figure in red swooped in on the open seat across from him.
"Hello, boys," Melisandre smiled brightly, a full set of sparkling white teeth. Upon catching sight of Arya, she winked at her. "And girl." The four greeted her, each with varying levels of enthusiasm. "My name's Melisandre. But you can call me Mel." Her eyes held steady, never submitting to Arya's cool gaze. "Do any of you know where the everybody likes to hang out after school? I figured you guys would know."
Insincerity smothered her tone, Arya noted. She's really laying it on thick. Pighead.
"Well, Hot Pie's parents own a pizzeria in Flea Bottom - a lot of people go there, but there isn't really a traditional hangout spot if that's what you're asking about…" Lommy offered. "Oh no, that's perfect. Thank you so much. She grabbed a hold of Gendry's right arm and gave it a quick squeeze, plopping down on the bench behind him. Arya furrowed her eyebrows.
When the final bell rang, Arya dashed out of the school, leaped down the steps, and strolled over to the Weirwood tree in the back of the school. Over the course of the next few minutes, she was joined by Hot Pie and Gendry. Lommy always took the longest.
Gray converse tapped impatiently against the pavement speckled in darkening spots of gum from students past. A small billow of air escaped her lips, the cold air stinging her cheeks. "Winter is coming," she murmured to Gendry just as Lommy appeared. He nodded in agreement.
A thick mop of blond hair bounced as the teenage boy hopped up on the long rail. He slid down in a matter of seconds, elegantly landing on the grass. "Took you long enough," Hot Pie grumbled. "I'm hungry."
"You're always hungry," Gendry and Arya said simultaneously. They exchanged looks and then burst into laughter. Lommy rolled his eyes: "Why don't you two just get married already?"
If Arya's cheeks were rosy from the chill, they were certainly flaming red now.
Together, the group headed to the nearby skate park, where they proceeded to skate up and down the ramp for the next hour. Well, Hot Pie didn't. He elected to watch and critique their work.
"I should get going home," Arya said as the sky turned a dim orange. "My father'll kill me if I miss supper again." The sound of jingling keys brought her attention to Gendry. "I'll give you a ride if you want. It's on the way to the shop," he offered. After school, Gendry worked in a mechanic shop owned by Tobho Mott, the top-of-the-line repairman of King's Landing. Although Tobho charged double in comparison to others, cars were fixed twice as fast and twice as efficient. He was popular with the locals, especially since many had money to spend.
Arya nodded, "Thanks." Gendry grabbed his board and headed to his pickup, Arya trailing behind. They exchanged hasty goodbyes with their friends and ducked inside the car.
The windows were frosted with the cold, stinging Arya when she put her hand on it. Gendry looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "You buckled up?" She was not. The button clicked, and she gave him the thumbs-up: "I'm all set." Gendry inserted the key into the ignition and started the car, backing out of his place with ease.
The ride was silent for several minutes. Finally, Arya asked, "Mind if I turn on the radio?"
"Not at all." Her pale fingers reached out to the stiff knob and turned the dial, searching for a channel she liked, finally settling on an indie station. Her foot started to tap on the plastic side of the car, in time with the beat of "Bad, Bad, Bad". Gendry subconsciously drummed his fingers along on the steering wheel, moving along with the music as well.
It was just a crush
But wild and dangerous
You and I were out too late
Started in my car
Might've gone too far
But we were down to make mistakes.
A smile broke across Arya's face. Her head began to bob up and down. Grinning, she turned to look at a smirking Gendry. Her foot tapping remained constant, but his drumming took on a new pattern. He fit multiple movements of his fingers into each beat. The artist LANY seemed to fit in perfectly with the pair of them.
Bad, bad, bad we're in trouble now
Or so, so, so they'd say
They think they've got us figured out
But we kinda like it that way.
And without warning, the light they had pulled up to changed. Gendry hesitated too long, as he was focused on the music, and earned a well-deserved honk from the driver behind them. With this, laughter erupted in the truck.
"Nice going, Gendry," Arya teased. He rolled his eyes. "I was doing a good job of making it interesting," he protested. The gleam in her eye grew larger. "I would prefer to not get rammed at an intersection than listen to your improv!" Gendry snorted. "My improv is great, you uncultured swine." Now it was her turn to scoff. "That's a new one. Did you come up with that yourself?"
"Of course I did," he answered proudly, shifting in his seat so that his broad shoulders were thrown back. Arya's eyebrows shot upward for half an instant. "Ah. That explains a lot," she deadpanned. Gendry glanced over. A second barely passed until they laughed until their stomachs ached.
Arya watched the dim glow of the fading sun on her friend. The faint whisper of a smile rested on his face, accompanied by a small shake of his head. The gentle wisp of a beard covered most of his chin, but even beneath, she could see the defined jawline so many boys at their school coveted. She turned away.
Bad, bad, bad we're in trouble now.
The following afternoon, the small group of friends went to the local pizzeria owned by Hot Pie's parents. Arya whipped out her reading for English and started to write down the necessary quotes for the in-class essay the next day.
"Ah, take a break and relax, Arry!" Lommy remarked, stretching his arms far behind his head. He leaned forward to examine her paper. "Ugh. You poor bastards in AP."
"It'll be worth it when I bring home that stellar five and get to shove it up your arse for mocking me."
Lommy didn't have an answer to that, except for a shake of his hair and a look of annoyance in her direction.
"Well, I think my infamous pepperoni pizza will do us some good, after a long day spent in hell," Hot Pie chimed in cheerfully. "What do you guys say?"
"I'm down, as long as somebody's paying. I'm broke right now," Gendry said.
"You're literally the only one of us with a job," Lommy pointed out. Gendry smiled slyly: "Well, except for Hot Pie; he does work here."
"The pizza is on the house, guys. I'll sneak in the back and make it real quick; just don't start World War III while I'm gone," Hot Pie sighed. Arya looked up long enough to see their friend scuttle off into the kitchen, struggling to put on the soiled apron. She chewed on the end of her pencil while racking her brain for an answer. "Say, Gendry, what do you think would be a good quote from the article-"
A sharp ding! came from the doorway, the sound of giggling and chattering suddenly filling the air. Arya sighed and, with a roll of her eyes, turned around in the booth to see a newly formed clique entering the pizzeria, composed of Selyse Florent, Davos Seaworth, Edric Storm, Stannis Baratheon, and Melisandre. She turned back to Gendry and Lommy and whispered, "Great." Lommy only laughed. "Hot Pie will be happy when he gets back." Arya shrugged; he was right, after all.
The group walked past them. Keep walking, keep walking, Arya thought desperately. After Melisandre's display at lunch the previous day, she wanted to veer clear of the senior at all costs. Arya's fists clenched when they stopped, electing to sit in the booth right in front of them. As fate would have it, Melisandre sat in front of the boys, their backs to hers. The redhead turned around and flashed a set of pearly whites to Gendry. "Hi, Gendry. How're you doing?" She grabbed his bicep and gave it a quick squeeze, along with a lingering look.
"Uh, fine." Gendry shrugged half-heartedly, drawing his arm back. "How about yourself?" Her blue eyes shone in the diner light. "Wonderful." He smiled warily and then turned back to the table.
Gendry titled his head and leaned towards Arya. "Anyway, what were you saying?" She wasn't listening. Her legs seemed to have a mind of their own as she slid out of the booth and grabbed her backpack. "I've just remembered I've got to go. See you tomorrow."
"Arya-"
"Bye guys."
Arya swung her bag onto her shoulders and, in several strides, left the building.
Her head spun as she hopped on her skateboard. Confusion claimed her brain. Emotions of anger and sadness mixed together in a great basin of turmoil. Arya didn't know why, but something told her to get away. Just as she reached her street, a severe wave of nausea hit her. Her clammy hands reached down and wiped themselves on her jeans.
Nymeria was out in the front yard when Arya reached her house. She yelped upon seeing Arya and dashed toward her friend. The Siberian Husky lunged and successfully tackled Arya to the neatly trimmed grass. Laughing, she rolled around with her dog. Nymeria never failed to bring a smile to Arya's face. Since the day the Starks adopted the six little huskies, their lives had been far more energetic, what with the puppies and then fully-grown dogs running around the household.
Nymeria padded by Arya's side as the pair leaped up onto the porch, entering the grand Stark manor. Arya went straight to her room and threw her bag against the wall in a fit of anger. She sat on her bed, Nymeria's head on her lap, and ran her fingers through her windblown hair. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as her loyal dog resettled herself.
Footsteps echoed in the hall outside her door. Preparing herself to screech at whoever let themselves in, Arya sat up straight and clenched her fists again and again. Instead, she was greeted with a knock, something almost unheard of by her siblings. "Don't come in, I swear-"
The door popped open before she could make her threats, and to her general surprise, her favorite brother stuck his head in.
"That bad of a day, huh? C'mon, Arya Underfoot, fill me in," Jon said.
Arya scoffed. "Nothing bad happened, I just…" Jon raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. "I just…" Felt like a total fool around Melisandre and wanted to sucker punch her…
"I don't know what 'I just'. I feel frustrated, but mostly with myself, and I'm not sure why, exactly." Jon chewed the inside of his lip in thought. "Why don't you start at the beginning, and we'll go from there?"
So Arya did. She told him about how Melisandre initially encountered her, about how everyone thought she was hot, the pizzeria incident, and her need to get away. And Jon sat and listened, and offered his insight.
"I guess something about this chick just ticks you off. Not much I can help you with there. That, or you're jealous."
"Jealous?! What could I possibly be jealous of?"
Jon shrugged. "Sounds like she's been fairly cozy with Gendry over the past two days. If somebody made a move like that on one of my friends, I'd be fairly territorial; I'd be worried about losing them, thus the jealous feeling. And that feeling would be worse tenfold if you liked him."
"Which I don't." Arya cut in firmly. "We're just friends." Jon made a look of disbelief and then proceeded to move towards her door.
"Well, you let me know how it goes. Keep your distance, if you can, but just remember that your friends aren't about to ditch you for some girl. I certainly wouldn't."
"Thanks, Jon. You're always a great help."
"Glad to be of assistance, little sister. See you at dinner." They exchanged smiles as he left the room with a gentle click of the door.
The next three weeks were quiet. Her friends' normal activities resumed, and life proceeded without difficulty. They hung out at the skate park, ate pizza, went to the arcade. Hot Pie made them taste test, Gendry drove Arya home, and Lommy slid down his rail on the daily. Best of all, Melisandre had no contact with them, save for her sitting in front of Gendry in AP Calculus. But, as they approached the fourth week, Melisandre emerged from the shadows of Arya's life and turned it upside down.
The Law of Sines review was displayed on the whiteboard, the teacher gabbling away to a class of disinterested students. Arya sat in the seat to the right of Gendry, copying the second example from the board. The girl that irked Arya so much chewed the eraser of her pencil - one of fiery redhead's many habits that contributed to her ability to vex her. Beside Arya, a mop of black hair touched the wooden desk as Gendry furiously scribbled down answers.
A sudden clank of plastic on the dirtied tile captured Arya's attention; Melisandre's pencil had fallen to the floor. Aside from the owner of the pencil, there was nothing unusual about it, until Melisandre went to pick it up. Being the friendly person he was, Gendry moved to grab it as well, and she being a classic flirt, Melisandre got out of her seat and stooped to the ground.
It happened in an instant, but the lingering look she gave Gendry boiled Arya's blood to record temperatures. Melisandre's chest hung out from her tight crop top, giving Gendry a clear view. Arya's eyes shot to his face, and was somewhat relieved to find that his cheeks were flushed in a bright shade of pink, but at the same time, felt a fury rise in her. The same wave of nausea overcame her, the same burning desire to get away…
Her hand shot up into the air, and her eyes made contact with the teacher's. "May I use the restroom?" She asked. The slight nod gave her all the permission she needed to stand up quickly and thrust her chair back. Arya shoved the door open and stormed off to the girls room.
It was empty. She was grateful for the time alone. Ignoring her nausea, Arya went straight to the sink and splashed water on her face and neck in feeble attempt to calm down. The scratchy paper towel dragged across her forehead slowly, but whether Arya did it to extend her time in the restroom or to be melodramatic, she could not say.
She balled up the towel and threw it in the trash. She turned back to the mirror and stared at her pale reflection. "The hell is wrong with you…" Arya whispered to herself. There's absolutely no reason to be getting so worked up. Melisandre is flirting with Gendry a bit, big whoop. Plenty of girls have done so; you don't like him in that way, so get over yourself and focus on what's important. She could feel the lie in her thoughts, heart fighting head.
Arya left the bathroom then and headed back to class. Joffrey Lannister was standing by the door, sharpening his pencil as she walked in. He smirked and gave her a one-over. "You seem rather feisty today, Stark. Time of your month, is that it?"
The punch came at his nose too quickly for him to do anything.
"I'm disappointed, Arya. I'm disappointed," an AP was saying. "A girl should not be too quick to anger, nor a boy." Mr. H'gar's voice was quiet in comparison. The office was freezing, she noted. "There's no exception..."
Hummingbirds outside the window were far more interesting than being lectured by the principal Robert Baratheon, and her counselor, Jaqen H'gar. Naturally, she murmured feigned agreement and nodded her head every now and then to keep up appearances. The birds were hovering around a honeysuckle, taking turns feeding on the sweet nectar. Arya was incredibly jealous; they could fly wherever they wanted to, and explore anywhere at anytime. The birds were free to do as they pleased and weren't restricted by rules of any kind.
"Well, I called your parents earlier, but it seems both are hours away on business. Is there anybody that can take you home?" Robert Baratheon asked. Arya shook her head. Jory Cassel would be with her father, and her siblings in class… Gendry. He had a free sixth. "There is. I can call him now," Arya offered. The principal nodded. "That'd be great. I'm sorry to have to give you suspension for three days, but I might be able to pull some strings and keep it off your record." She nodded dumbly and gave a feeble 'thanks' before exiting the room.
Arya left the front office to sit on a bench and call Gendry, but was surprised to find him already waiting for her.
"I figured you might want a ride," he said, smiling weakly. Arya nodded again and walked beside him, step by step, until they reached the pickup. The ride was silent until Gendry took a left where he wasn't supposed to.
"My house is the other way-" Arya started before Gendry cut her off. "I'm taking you somewhere special." Confused, Arya sat silently and tried to watch where they were going. Gendry guided the wheel off the road and onto the interstate, driving towards the city. She still did not know where he planned to take her. On the other hand, the first moments of suspension were not bad at all.
Just under twenty minutes later, Gendry was pulling off the highway and into downtown Kings Landing, nicknamed Flea Bottom, partly because of the stink, and partly because of the abundance of fleas that stuck to the coats of strays. Arya was not familiar with the streets, so she did all she could to remember where they were heading.
Soon enough, they reached the base of a mountain on the outskirts of the city. Gendry parked the car and beckoned his friend to get out. "You up for a bit of a hike?" He asked, tossing her a plastic water bottle.
"Hell yeah, anything is better than school!" Gendry laughed at her response and shouldered his pack. "Let's get going then."
The walk was quiet, save for the gentle thrum of the insects. A pit of nerves settled in her stomach. Gendry was several yards ahead, his broad shoulders moving back and forth as he pushed himself up the steep trail. He's strong, she thought to herself. She frowned. That was a girlish comment, something Arya was not like to do. But it's true, a small voice whispered in the back of her head.
The late afternoon sun was blazing by the time they reached the top. Just before she could cross the peak, Gendry stopped her. "This is the most amazing view you're ever going to see. Trust me."
"With downtown right there? I doubt it," she scoffed, rolling her eyes. Gendry only smiled. "You'll see."
He stepped back and let her go over the ridge first. Her sharp inhale was all he needed to know that he was, in fact, right.
The city sprawled beneath them, yes, but only for a sliver of the view. From the viewpoint, Arya could see the ocean for miles and miles. The stunning blue intensely reminded her of Gendry's eyes - clear, wide, and beautiful. "You were right," she breathed. "I've never seen anything like it." The day was cloudless, as if some force had planned it to be so just for the two of them.
She smiled. "Stand here, Gen." He laughed. "That's a new one."
"Just do it - and don't even think about it. God knows I hear enough of Shia LaBeouf's speech from my brothers at home." He laughed again, deep and throaty. "You're a real character." He smiled and shook his head, but moved to the spot she pointed to.
"Now stay still. I'm comparing your eyes to the ocean," Arya declared. Gendry rolled his eyes. "Stop that! I can't see your eyes when you do that- hey! Your eyes crinkle when you laugh!"
"Sorry, Arry girl." She raised an eyebrow. "'That's a new one,'" she mimicked. Gendry resisted the urge to laugh, a smile playing on his lips.
Her gaze burned into his skin. Arya felt his eyes following her, even when she turned back to the ocean. She flushed a shade of pink. "Are you done now?" He teased. She stood back and rested her hands on her hips, head cocked mischievously. "I suppose so. I have concluded that the water is slightly lighter than your own eyes."
"Good to know."
Gendry took her by the arm and led her to the bench, where they sat for the next hour, watching the horizon. "Y'know, I've never brought anybody up here before," he murmured. Arya leaned into him and studied his face. "Really?"
"Really. I've never felt like I could share it with anyone. I always came up here when I had a bad day."
Arya scooted closer to him and drew her knees into her chest. The sun was beginning to fall below the horizon, as winter was on its way, and the days were becoming shorter. "I'm special, then," she teased. "You've always been special, Arya Stark. I've never known a girl like you before."
Her heart began to flutter as the words reached her ears. "I've never known a guy like you before," she whispered, staring at the setting sun, too embarrassed to look him in the eye. Arya didn't notice it, but his arm drifted behind her back so that his right hand was grabbing the bench on her right side, unconsciously bringing her closer to him.
Gendry brought her home as the sun had dipped under the water line. Her sister Sansa was in a frenzy, as Arya had forgotten to call, and Sansa was supposed to be in charge. After he made his apologies, Gendry left the Stark manor and made his way to his car. He grinned when he could still hear their sisterly bickering from the yard.
All throughout the next week after Arya's release from suspension, Melisandre came over to their table and somehow always ended up beside Gendry. The more they talked and laughed together, the more she seethed. As the days wore on, it seemed that Melisandre's hands brushed Gendry more and more. Angrily, Arya often left the table early to go to the library and make feeble attempts at completing her assignments. She feared that this would be her fate for the remainder of the school year, some 6 and a half months away.
Anything that she and Gendry had shared on the mountain was seemingly gone; a bridge had spontaneously formed between them, leaving Arya feeling more empty and alone than ever. Strangely enough, she had Lommy to thank for bringing them back together.
"Where the hell is he?" Gendry demanded impatiently. Per usual, the trio was waiting under the Weirwood for Lommy. He was the last to emerge from the building, and they had been waiting longer than usual. The ache for pizza to fill their bellies was growing stronger by the minute. Arya tapped her foot and folded her arms across her chest. "Maybe we should just go," she suggested.
Hot Pie was about to answer when they heard Lommy's voice call out. "Hey guys, check this one out!" He yelled before taking a running leap several yards back, hopping up on the handrail with elegance. Hot Pie gave a whoop as he landed. Arya smiled and clapped her hands along with the others, but all too soon, she saw the excitement in Lommy's eyes turn to shock halfway down the rail. Before she could register what was happening, he was falling from the slick metal he always clung to. The sound of crunching twigs was accompanied by a sickening snap and a cry of agony that rose through the air moments after the crash.
"Lommy!" They cried, dashing to the bushes below. "Are you alright?" Hot Pie called out, feverishly searching for the bulk of tangled blond hair tangled in the leaves. Their eyes finally found him, buried beneath the undergrowth. Lommy had fallen from a height of nine feet, and his leg was bent at an odd angle, surrounded by thorny plants. "There's blood," Gendry said dumbly. "Oh God, I'll call the ambulance," Arya felt herself saying. Trembling, she took out her phone and began to dial, but missed the nine. With a curse, she canceled the call and, very carefully, hit 9-1-1.
Anxiously, they, minus Gendry, who had run to fetch a school official, waited for the medical aid to arrive. A crowd had begun to assimilate, students peering over the rail to catch a glimpse of the boy who never fell. Every few moments or so, a small moan would escape his lips in agony. Hot Pie would call out words of reassurance then.
After what seemed to be a million years, they anxiously watched Lommy be hauled on the stretcher only minutes later. When the three of them started to clamber into the back of the ambulance, the paramedics forced them back. "The police are here now. They'll want to ask you a few questions. Just stay put, we need to get your friend in now. We'll keep in touch," one promised, shutting the white doors with a slam.
Arya ran shaky fingers through her hair. The image of her friend, as annoying as he could be, was planted in her mind, rooted so deeply that she knew the sickening picture would not readily leave. Gendry put his sweaty palm in hers and set his free hand on Hot Pie's shoulder. "He'll be alright," Hot Pie mumbled. Arya thought he sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than them.
The two police officers at the scene did not stay long. Arya expected their questions: What exactly happened, was it the first time, what was their relationship to him, what their names were, and so forth. Before she knew it, the officers were ducking beneath the shiny black roof of the car and pulling out of the student parking lot.
She felt a squeeze. Gendry was still holding her hand, and she hadn't even noticed. She looked up at him and gave a weak smile. He withdrew his clammy palm and headed towards his truck, hands shoved deep in his pockets. Hot Pie waved goodbye before walking off on his own. Arya knew the two of them had been friends for years; she couldn't imagine what it would be like to see your friend go through pain like that and not be able to go with them.
Reluctantly, she moved awayfrom the tree and walked to the car. She hopped in the passenger seat by Gendry and exhaled shakily. "I can't believe that just happened. He's been sliding down that rail for ages." Arya watched his hands slide up and down the wheel nervously. "Me neither," she whispered.
Several days later, Arya and Gendry drove to the hospital, with their respective guardians' permission. Both were anxious to find out how Lommy was doing, especially after he messaged Hot Pie "got x-ray done a while ago, I can see visitors now". Unfortunately enough, the pizzeria was swamped that evening and he had to remain behind to help before visiting Lommy.
Arya walked into the patient's room first, smiling when she saw Lommy comfortably sitting on a bed of pillows, surrounded by various colored balloons and sweets. His hands and left leg were covered in neon green casts.
"Hey there, Lommy Greenhands," Arya teased, taking her place by his side. Gendry followed and leaned on the wall. "You look set up pretty well." Lommy smirked and gestured to his gifts and cards. "All I need is all the lovely work I'll be missing and a girlfriend to wail over poor ol' me." Gendry laughed, and Arya, pitying any girl that would date Lommy, rolled her eyes.
"So what did the doc say?" Gendry asked. "Snapped a couple finger bones - apparently, there's a shit ton of them in your hand - and broke my leg. But I'll be alright"
The clicking of the door drew their attention to Lommy's parents entering the room. The scowl on his father's face was enough to send Arya and Gendry scuttling without so much as a word.
Once out in the hallway, they began to laugh nervously. "That was awkward," Gendry remarked. "Tell me about it," she scoffed, grinning broadly. "He did not look happy to be there." Gendry cracked a grin. "Hold on a sec, you've got an eyelash on your cheek."
Her breathing hitched as his finger reached forward and brushed at it gently, their faces so close she could feel the heat radiating from him. Her eyes fluttered shut as he continued to remove the eyelash with some difficulty. Finally, he grasped it and flicked it away.
"That was a tough one."
"Yeah."
Neither moved away. Arya opened her eyes and locked her stormy gaze with his calm one. Anxiously, she licked her lips. And suddenly, she realized she was moving closer, towards him and that he was doing the same, their lips were inches away.
But what about Melisandre?
The single thought was enough to tear her away and out of the moment. "We should say bye to Lommy and get going," she said flatly. Gendry nodded and hurried into the room to offer their condolences before quickly leaving.
He watched her pale face whenever he could. Driving made it rather difficult, but he managed to sneak a glance every few minutes. Without fail, she would always be staring at the outside world, the rain pattering on the glass window. Sadness filled him.
She pushed me away. She pushed me away. She pushed me away.
But why was the question. Gendry hoped to the ends of the earth that she liked him as much as he liked her, but after that… No matter what, he wouldn't pressure her, he resolved. If they were to be only friends, only friends they would be. Seven hells, he wished that something was holding Arya back.
A thought struck him. Or maybe someone. Someone with a head of fire and an attitude to match, someone bound to get in the way of whatever was happening between them. Someone named Melisandre.
The butterflies in her stomach, the rising anger around them, leaning in towards him… Jon was right, Arya thought. Coming to terms with her crush on Gendry hadn't been easy. The jealousy only fueled the fire burning inside, leaving her feeling small and pathetic next to Melisandre.
Which was why when her eyes rested upon Gendry and Melisandre the following day, her face turned as pale as the moon. Arya gripped her lunch tray until her cracked knuckles turned white. Her hands shook violently. She ducked behind a pillar to steady herself mentally and physically, breathing slowing slightly. Straining to hear, Arya turned her focus to their conversation and stuck her head out as far as she dared.
"Don't sit here anymore. You know why," Gendry was pleading, Melisandre looked rather offended, and subconsciously touched her ruby red necklace. "Fine. I thought that we-" She began, watching him steadily.
"No. There is no we, in this. I have to make that clear. I'm sure there's plenty of other people who'd like to date you, but I just - I just can't. I'm sorry."
She nodded, chewing the inside of her lip, as if she was pondering who would be her next victim. Arya swallowed, heart beating rapidly as she hid behind the pillar. "Very well. I hope we can still be friends, Gendry," she said smoothly, touching his arm briefly before stalking off to Stannis Baratheon.
He ran a shaky hand through his raven hair, sighing heavily. Arya closed her eyes and stepped away from the column, locking gazes with him. A smile broke across his face as he waved her over excitedly, bringing her over to the table with the rest of their friends. Soon enough, she was grinning and laughing along with the lot of them; an enormous weight felt like it had been lifted from her shoulders. Gendry had crushed any doubts she may have had; there was nothing to stop Arya now.
A week later, after Lommy was released from the hospital, Arya confronted Gendry underneath their tree. Nerves flooded her as she wrung her hands, watching him approach. She didn't even bother to greet him. "What's going on between us?" She asked bluntly, biting her lip. He smiled and took her hand, intertwining it in his own.
"Does this help?" He asked, drawing her closer to him and bending ever so slightly down so that their lips crashed into each other. "It does," she whispered. Her forehead rested on his. "I'm sorry I was such a jerk earlier…. I was just jealous, as cliché as that sounds." Gendry grinned against her mouth. "Well, now you don't have to be." He brought her to him again, both of them flying sky-high.
It wasn't long before they heard a loud "No!" from Hot Pie, followed by Lommy's own voice and the click of his crutches on the cement: "Pay up, Hot Pie. They got together within the week." Arya and Gendry broke apart long enough for each to explode with laughter.