Arya spent the night at home, finishing up random bits of school work, and watching a movie. She tried to keep herself busy but thoughts of Gendry kept creeping in. He was nice and although she hated that he had to be around for her safety she was glad at least that he was so easy to get on with. She still felt she could handle herself if the Lanisters did try to do anything to her. Thus far they had only threatened her father and the family business. But her father was a cautious man who wanted to make sure his family was safe from any and all threats. Arya could appreciate that but it didn't mean she didn't think he was going too far with this.
Gendry seemed like a person that she could see herself easily befriending. But he had an intensity about him, probably from his time in the military. She had wanted to ask him about it in the woods, but she had chickened out. He probably wouldn't want to talk to her about it.
She went to bed thinking of his blue eyes and dreamt she was on a boat in the middle of the bluest ocean she had ever seen.
In the morning she got up for school, got ready and walked out of the house. He was already there waiting by the car. "Good morning" he said.
"Good morning" she replied. "Ready to go back to high school?" she added teasingly.
"Can't wait" he deadpanned.
She smiled slyly, "you could always stay here and let me go on my own."
"Not a chance." He said while opening the passenger door of her car.
She ignored him and went to the driver's side. This was her car and she'd be damned if she let him drive he to school on top of everything else.
He stood outside, a little shocked at her stubbornness she guessed. "You going to get in or are we going to be late?" she yelled to the open passenger door.
He got into the car, "You should let me drive you know."
"Not going to happen. My car, I drive."
The quick ride to school was spent silence between them as the radio played top 40 songs.
They arrived at the school with 10 minutes to spare until Arya's first class. She parked the car but didn't get out. She needed a minute to gather herself before this day.
"It's going to okay you know, I won't let anything happen to you" he said.
"I know." She said and got out of the car. He followed behind her, scanning the surroundings for possible threats as they walked to her first class.
Things were going well, Gendry tried not to make it too obvious that he was following her, he would wait outside her classes until she was done and walked her to the next class.
Lunch time was when things started going south. Sandor Clegane, the school's star football player and one of Arya's nemeses saw her and came over to try to pick on her as he often does. Not that Arya doesn't give as good as she gets, but she's small and easy to push around. He was big and such an asshole Arya has to fight all her instinct not to attack him every time he talks. Last year she had punched him but it hadn't really made a difference to him so then she jumped on his back to punch his head. She'd gotten suspended for three days for that and ground for a month. But it was worth it.
"Well, well if it isn't Arya Stark, looks like you've got yourself a boyfriend." He said, then to Gendry, "How much is she paying you?"
"Fuck off." She said "You're just jealous because there's not enough money in the world to get someone to go out with you." She could see Gendry eyes go wide as he looked at her in shock.
"Bitch"
Just as Arya was about to reply that Clegane should go fuck a door or something. Gendry interrupted "That's enough." His voice was ice, and commanding as hell, "Walk away before I get the teachers involved and get you suspended."
Clegane and Gendry stared each other down in some kind of macho man contest. Clegane ultimately decided this wasn't worth it and walked away.
Gendry turned back to face Arya "You really shouldn't insult people that are bigger than you."
"Then I wouldn't get to insult anyone." She replied "Besides, I had that handled"
"Of course, you did." Gendry said as they started walking down the hall to the lunch room.