Chapter 1

Sansa Stark POV

It's early July, and my family and I are on the way to the beach. We decided to spend 4th of July there, it'll be fun to watch the fireworks. It's about a 4 hour drive, Robb and Talisa are meeting us at the Air B&B. Driving multiple hours with both my parents and 4 kids is always an adventure, Jon is driving with Robb and Talisa. He'll be staying with them for a bit after the beach trip to help them get moved into their new apartment.

"Stop!" I hear a crash as Rickon's head hits the window of the far back seat. Bran pushed him, they're always roughousing.

"Boys!" My mom yells from the passenger's seat. "If you don't cut it out will turn around and go back home, all of us! I don't care that we've driven 3/4 of the way there already." Arya turns around and glares at them. That makes them stop, Arya will murder them if we all get punished.

I honestly don't really care if we go to the beach or not. It'll be fun to take my mind off things, but I'm really self conscious about wearing a bathing suit. I got a new one this month, and I was able to go down a size. At least there's that.

…

Once we get to the house, Arya and I drop our stuff off in our room and immediately get changed to go swimming. I want to decline, but Arya is so excited and everyone else is unpacking. We get our boogie boards and head out the door.

"Already?" My mom asks as she sees us walking outside.

"Please, mom," Arya says. "It's not too hot and we really want to go swim."

"Okay, fine," my mom says after a pause. "But you better unpack when you get back." Arya just nods and rushes out the door. I follow closely behind her.

"Are you happy to be back out here?" I ask Arya as we walk out to the ocean and start swimming. It's been a couple years since we've been out to the beach.

"You know it," she responds. "I was so worried I'd get my period and not be able to swim."

"You could use tampons."

"I'm so scared of that, Sansa. What if it hurts? What if it comes out?"

"It only hurts for a bit, and they don't just come out like that." Arya wrinkles her nose and shakes her head. Tampons are easier than pads, but I was the same way as her for a while.

After swimming for a while, we go inside and start unpacking. I don't mind sharing a room with Arya, even on vacation. It's nice having someone there to talk to if I need it, even though she doesn't understand a lot of the things I go through.

"Did you lose weight?" She asks me as we're unpacking.

"Yeah," I respond, smiling. "Can you tell?"

"Yeah, you look smaller. Are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"I just… want to make sure. You were already skinny."

"Well I excercise a lot with cheer," I say. "It's a good thing." I keep smiling and focusing on my task, and Arya looks at me for a bit before she finishes unpacking. I'm glad she's acknowledging my hard work, but I don't want her to be like me. I hope this doesn't inspire her to follow in my footsteps, I know she looks up to me.

Jon Snow Stark POV

Robb, Talisa and I arrive at the house where we're staying, and my family is already unloading the car. Robb and Talisa still seem happy, I'll be staying with them for a bit after our beach trip to help them get moved into their new apartment. I liked riding to the beach with them, I didn't feel like a third wheel at all. I wanted to bring Dany on this trip, but that would have been really crowded and my dad still doesn't like that we're dating.

My mom gives Robb and Talisa a hug, but of course she just nods at me. Lately she's been saying she has 5 kids, and Sansa or Arya always reminds her that it's 6. That really hurts that she doesn't see me as her son, even though I'm not. It's not like I asked to be born. In fact, most of the time I wish I wasn't.

"Hey, dad," I say walking in. "Do you need help?" He's unloading the cooler and stocking the fridge.

"Sure," he says. "Just grab the beer and put it on the bottom shelf. Maybe I'll let you have one later."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you're almost 18, and I'm going to let Robb have one even though he's only almost 20." That makes me happy, my dad rarely ever lets me drink. He's only let me have one maybe once or twice.

Robb and Talisa walk in the kitchen and my dad give them both a hug. He starts asking them about school and married life, all the standard questions. I'm not really listening, I've heard all these questions a thousand times. If I were Robb, I would want to rip my hair out repeating the same answers constantly.

"Jon," Robb says to me. I look over at him and he gestures for me to come outside. We go outside and under a nearby dock. "I brought some weed if you want some."

"Really?" I ask. He takes out a couple joints and nods. "Sure."

We light them up and look at the water, there isn't anyone out here which is good. I can see Arya and Sansa swimming in the very far distance, but I don't think they'd be able to see us. "I'm going to need this to get through this trip," Robb says.

"Why?" I ask.

"They ask the same questions over and over, and I feel like mom is still judging us for being married."

"Mom, judgemental? No way." Obviously I'm being sarcastic. Robb's right, this will help us get through the trip.

"She wasn't like this as much before," Robb says.

"Not to you," I respond, taking a hit. "You were her golden boy."

"Who do you think will take that spot now?"

"Probably Rickon. He doesn't do anything, Bran is always the instigator. And she's way harder on the girls. Once you and Talisa give her a grandchild you'll be her favorite again."

Robb chuckles at that, but it's true. He's always been her favorite child, and she is harder on my sisters. If she had to pick a favorite daughter, I think it would be Arya. She doesn't talk back as much, and Sansa's turning into a teenage terror. I'm obviously the one she hates. I hate that I know how my mom would rank us. She shouldn't have a hierarchy for her kids, including me.

Arya Stark POV

Dad is grilling dinner for us at the beach house, he's great at grilling. He makes the best ribs. Once the plates are made, I can see Sansa picking at her food. She always loved dad's ribs, I don't know why she won't eat them now. Bran and Rickon eat three times more than she does at this point.

"Okay," my dad says as he sits down. "Who's most excited to start school?" He looks at all of us, and we just stare back at him.

"Come on," he continues. "There's got to be something you guys are looking forward to."

There's another long pause. "It's my last year of elementary school," Rickon says. "I'm excited to join baseball in 6th grade."

"See, there's something," my dad says. "Bran, aren't you excited for middle school?"

Bran just shrugs. "It's whatever," he says. "I'm excited to be away from all the kindergarteners." I swear he gets grumpier and grumpier the older he gets.

"I finally get to go to a fencing competition this summer," I chime in. I know everyone's heard about it a million times, but I don't care. "It feels like it's been 20 years."

"I wish I could be there," Jon says, smiling at me. He'll be helping Robb and Talisa move in to their new apartment, but my younger brothers, Sansa and my parents will be there. "Stick them with the pointy end." He always says that to me as a joke, so I just smile at him.

"Jon, it's your last year of high school," my dad says. "Have you given any more thought to what you want to study in college?"

"Not really," Jon says. "I have this year to decide." I can tell my parents aren't happy with that answer. Bran and Rickon start fighting again, so the conversation is cut short. I noticed that my parents didn't ask Sansa any questions. She seems to have it all figured out, she cheers and goes to parties. That's her thing. I hope when I'm in high school I can be half as pretty and loved as her.

Jon Snow Stark POV

Talisa walks over to where Arya and Sansa are sitting after dinner. They're on a bench watching the sunset. I think Talisa wants to bond with her knew sisters-in-law, which I admire. Robb sits next to me on the deck.

"Hey man," he says to me. "You doing okay?"

I just nod. "Yeah, how are things with your marriage?" It's still weird to me that Robb is married.

"Honestly good," he responds. "I'm a little worried about how we'll do financially once we move into our apartment."

"Why?"

"We both still only work part time," he says. "And we can afford the rent but I'm worried things will get stressful with classes, especially if she has to stop working because of nursing school."

"You're thinking way too far ahead about this," I say. "Just take it one day at a time."

"I need to think about these things, Jon. I'm married and eventually I'll have a family."

"I know, but I feel like if you take it one day at a time it'll make things easier. I learned to be less uptight last year, it did me a lot of good."

Robb just rolls his eyes. "I'm your older brother," he says. "I'm supposed to give you advice."

I playfully shove him. "Fine, I won't try to help anymore," I say, laughing. He just playfully shoves me back.

Sansa Stark POV

I'm watching the sunset with Arya on a bench swing when Talisa walks over and sits next to us. "Can I sit here?" She asks.

"Of course," Arya says, and I just nod. I haven't talked with Talisa much, I'd love to get to know her more. She seems really sweet.

"Are you guys excited to start school?" Talisa asks. Why do we always have to go back to that? Can't we just focus on summer?

"I guess," I say. "I do love cheering. I know Arya wants to kiss a boy this year." She blushes hard, and I'm sort of messing with her but also hoping she'll confirm it.

"Sansa!" Arya yells. "Shut up, I do not! I'm going to wait until high school." Talisa just laughs, and Arya is beet red.

"What do you like about cheering, Sansa?" Talisa asks me.

"I like the exercise," I respond. "And we look really cute in the outfits. And I have a lot of friends in cheer." I said that last part so I wouldn't sound so shallow, even though looking pretty is one of my favorite parts of cheer.

"I was a cheerleader for a little bit in high school," Talisa says. "I liked it, but I stopped when I realized I liked art more."

There's another pause. "Arya," she continues. "I heard your first fencing competition is shortly after we get back from the beach. I wish we could make it, are you nervous?"

"I am a little," Arya says. "But I'm so ready. I've been wanting to do this since I was 10, but there's a stupid age requirement."

"I know you'll do great," Talisa says. "I'll be rooting for you."

…

Arya and I are laying in the bunk beds of the Air B&B trying to fall asleep, she insisted on getting the top bunk. "Why did you say that to Talisa about me wanting to kiss a boy this year?" Arya asks me.

"I was just messing with you," I respond. "I'm sorry if it upset you."

"It did a little bit, and it's not even true."

"I didn't think it was, but if it was I wanted you to tell me."

There's a pause. "I'm waiting until high school", Arya finally says.

"Why?"

"There's just… no one I want to kiss right now. Middle school boys are stupid." I agree, and I'm not judging her. My first kiss wasn't until high school either, and it was good even though he turned out to be gay. I just don't know why Arya is so set on waiting until high school, I didn't think she'd have thought about it that much.

A/N: I'm back! I'm so excited to keep going with part 2, and I'm so looking forward to hearing your feedback on this new part. And yes, I realize I misspelled Tormund in all of part 1. That will be rectified in this part hahaha.