Arya

He hasn't noticed. Typical boy. But then, they hadn't had much of a chance to talk since she left the house, bar the exchange that led to the scuffle on her front lawn:

'I don't think your mum likes me, Arry,' he had said.

'If you're going to rock up on my doorstep at eight in the morning she'll think you're trying to court me,' she replied, knocking him lightly with her shoulder.

He had laughed at this, a loud, sincere laugh that had annoyed her more than his sudden shove. As she grappled with him on the front lawn, she puzzled at the idea that she was somehow a lesser prospect for 'courting' than Sansa. Why would a man want a girl who was afraid to fight? She just didn't get it.

'Any chance of a quick rip to the beach before school?' she asked when they were in the car.

Gendry raised an eyebrow in her direction.

'Ha,' he said. 'There's no way I'm letting word get back to your mum that you were late on the day I picked you up. Then it'll be the end of it. Do you want to sit with your sister on the bus?' He pulled his seat belt on, and motioned for her to do the same.

'With her, and Prince Joffrey?' Arya tented her fingers beneath her chin and fluttered her eyelashes. 'No thank you.' She reached for her own belt.

'Well then. I have to pick up Hot Pie, and maybe we'll hit McDonalds on the way.' Satisfied that they were both strapped in, Gendry started the car. The Nova's engine made a steady, comforting rumble, and they pulled away from the kerb.

'My god, McDonalds at this hour?' Arya's gorge rose just a little at the thought of eating a cheeseburger and fries so early in the morning.

'You know what he likes.'

She reached for the radio and flicked it on, some static fizzing over a guitar solo. Her hands ran over the dashboard and felt the hum running through it.

'God, I love this car,' she sighed. 'Can I have it if you die?'

'If you cough up for it.' he said. 'I've still got ten payments to make.'

'Deal.'

'Can you even drive yet?'

'It can't be that hard if you do it.'

They stopped at a red light, and Gendry stuck out his tongue at her.

'Changed your mind about graduation yet?' she asked.

'Nope. It's not happening,' he said. 'I even bought the new Guitar Hero, so our plans for the evening are sorted.'

'Didn't I tell you Ned Dayne asked me to go with him?'

The lights changed and Gendry was quiet as he concentrated on the move, changing gears smoothly and gazing steadily at the cars in front. When the Nova had reached equilibrium, he coughed.

'Really?' he asked. 'What did you say?'

'I said yes,' she said. 'And then I called Sansa up to help me pick a dress and do my hair and paint my nails and I said no, idiot!'

Gendry snorted. 'OK, little snowflake. Well done.'

'Oh please, that was blatant relief I saw cross your face. You were worried you'd be stuck with Hot Pie all night, with no-one to buffer his chat.'

He smiled. 'Yeah, sure.'

They drove on in silence for a while, breaking it only to sing along to some AC/DC on the radio. When they pulled up to Hot Pie's house, Gendry laid on the horn for a few seconds. As the blaring sound faded from Arya's eardrums and Hot Pie's front door opened, Gendry turned to her.

'Like the hair.' he said.