Chapter 5

Sansa Stark POV

Margaery and I are walking out of the gym after cheer one day, the first football game is tomorrow so we've been preparing for that. As we're walking out, I can see Myranda glaring at me. She's always hated me, but it seems worse now.

"Why is Myranda glaring at me?" I ask.

"Oh, you didn't hear?" Margaery says. "She and Ramsay got back together."

"Really?"

"Yep, over the summer."

"So what, she just hates me even more now? Doesn't she know I have no interest in ever talking to him again, much less getting back with him."

"You know she's crazy," Margaery says. "She doesn't need a rational reason to hate someone."

We go back to Margaery's house to do some schoolwork, luckily my mom said it's okay. "Are you excited to graduate?" I ask her.

"You have no idea," she responds. "I'm so done wirh high school. And I'm so excited for this year. Cersei is finally out of my hair, and I can be queen of Winterfell now that Dany is gone."

"I hope one day I can be queen of Winterfell," I say. The idea that I could be the most popular girl in school has always been appealing to me. Everyone would love me, and I wouldn't have to worry about how I look so much.

"Keep up what you're doing, and you will," Margaery says.

"So how's Loras?" I ask Margaery. We haven't talked about him much since everything happened last year, but I don't want him or her to think I hate him.

"He's fine," Margaery says. "I think he's dating Renly again, but he won't tell me. They spend a lot of time together."

"What does your grandmother think of that?"

"She really doesn't care. That woman's a badass, she's seen some shit. Her grandson being gay wouldn't scare her." I laugh at that. Margaery's grandmother seems really cool.

…

When I get home, Arya is doing her reading in our room. "How's 8th grade?" I ask when I walk in.

"It's fine," she responds. "There's more homework, I wish I could just focus on fencing."

"How's Bran adjusting to middle school?"

"He seems to like it okay. I think he thinks he's so cool now." I chuckle at that because it sounds like Bran. "How's school for you?" She asks me.

"It's great," I say, and I really mean that. "Apparently my English teacher grew up with mom."

"Really?"

"Yeah, apparently they were really close."

"Oh cool," Arya says. "How did he know you were mom's daughter?"

"The last name probably," I say. "It's weird that mom never brought up that he's a teacher at the high school."

Arya just shrugs. "Maybe they weren't actually that close." It's still weird to me, I feel like we know all of mom's friends. Mr. Baelish seems like such a good man, I would have thought she would have brought him up.

Jon Snow Stark POV

Sam and I are driving to get some food after rock climbing practice, we haven't gotten as much time to hang out since the school year started. It's our last year where we'll be able to hang out this often, and I want to take advantage of it.

"So how are things with Gilly?" I ask him. "Have you gotten her to open up any more?"

"Barely," Sam responds. "She's explained to me that she lives in a not-so-good situation. She lives with her dad, sisters and nieces."

"Have you met any of them?"

"I've met a couple of them briefly, and I've only met her dad a few times. We had dinner together once over the summer."

"And you've been dating for the better part of a year?"

"Yeah," Sam says. "I'm sure she has her reasons, and I really love her. It just makes me feel like I'm the problem and she's ashamed of me."

We get to the burger place and take our seat after ordering. "So like," I say to Sam as we sit down. "You guys still haven't slept together yet."

"Nope," he responds. "We've made out and she's taken off her shirt. I understand, and I'm okay with it, even if she wants to wait until marriage. I still wish she would open up to me more and explain it to me."

"I'm sure she will, just be patient."

"I will," he says. "I love her way too much to let her go." I think that's really sweet, but it does make me wonder why she won't open up to him. Sam is the sweetest person ever, he's the easiest guy in the world to talk to.

"Do you have any advice?" Sam asks me.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Well, you've been in a relationship twice. I thought maybe you would have some advice to give me."

"I mean," I start. I can tell he wants my advice, but I really don't know what to say. It's not like I'm a relationship expert. "The best thing I can say is to just make her feel safe and be patient. I'm sure you are, but she'll open up to you when she's ready. I can tell that girl really loves you, just be a good support system for her."

"I am, and I feel like it isn't going anywhere."

"It takes longer for some girls," I say. "I can tell you she looks at you with the most love I've ever seen. She'll get there." I love Sam and Gilly as a couple, but I wish I also knew what was going on with Gilly. I want them to stay together, I don't want any of her personal issues or anything else to mess that up.

Arya Stark POV

I'm actually going to the first football game of the season this year. I didn't come last year because I had fencing lessons. Rickon, Jon and Daenerys are coming with me, my mom and my dad. Bran didn't want to come for some reason, and my mom let him stay home alone for the first time that I can remember. I'm not sure why he didn't want to come this year, he usually loves stuff like this. I know he got a concussion last year, but I figured he'd be over that by now.

I'm sitting outside, and I'm incredibly bored. Rickon ran off and my dad is supervising him. My mom is reading in the car, I didn't want to stay cooped up in the car with her. Jon and Daenerys are meeting us here. Sometimes I feel like Sansa and I are the forgotten kids, along with Jon of course. I think my mom wanted all boys. It's weird, she just isn't close with us, even when she tries to be.

I'm sitting outside when I see Gendry walk out. He's just in a white tank top and jeans, I can tell he's been working on something. He looks really good, and I can't stop myself from staring at him. He looks at me and I wave. He walks over and my heart starts beating hard.

"Hey, Arya," he says to me. "What are you doing here?"

"Just watching Sansa cheer at the football game," I respond. "My brother went off exploring. What about you?"

"Just working on tech stuff. I had to install a lever for one of the upcoming shows."

"Oh that's really cool," I respond. I like imagining him doing that.

"I'll see you around," he says. "Have fun at the game."

"Bye." I wish I could have found a way to talk to him longer, but I'm just glad I got to run into him at all.

Rickon and my dad come back after a while, and my mom gets out of the car. We head to the nearby field to watch the game.

"Was that Jon's friend?" My mom asks me.

"Yeah," I respond. "I guess he recognized me."

"He's cute," my mom says, smirking. Ugh, why does she have to be so awkard because I was talking to a male?

Daenerys Targaryen POV

Jon and I arrive at the football game, and we're able to find parking in the school lot before walking to the nearby football field. I thought I should stay home with my dad, but he encouraged me to come. I invited him to tag along, but he didn't think he was in the right headspace for it.

"I'm really excited for the game," I say to Jon. "It'll feel so weird to be watching a football game instead of cheering in it."

"I'm excited too," he says. "Bran got a concussion last year after falling. I'm hoping this year's game will be less stressful."

"Oh right. Yeah, me too." We sit in the stands next to his family, and it's awkward to be around his father. At least I'm on one end and he's on the other so there are a lot of people between us. Jon's sister Arya is here, it'll be nice to hopefully talk to her more.

People are looking at me and whispering, some are waving and I'm waving back. I thought more people would want to talk to me, but maybe it's weird to them now that I'm not in high school anymore. When the game starts, I can see the cheerleaders coming out and cheering. I feel so proud of Margaery, Sansa and Missandei. Missandei and Cersei have always been my best friends, but I feel like an older sister to Sansa.

"Hi Daenerys," Arya says as we're watching the game. She's sitting on the other side of Jon. "I'm glad you came."

"Me too," I say to her. "Is this your first football game?"

"Yep," she says. "I'm excited."

"Do you want to be a cheerleader in high school?"

"Probably not," she says. "It's not really my thing." That makes sense to me, she doesn't seem like the cheerleader type. She's cute and has the right body type for it, but it makes sense that she wouldn't be interested in it.

Around halftime, Jon and I go down to concessions to get a snack. "You having fun?" He asks me.

"Yeah," I say. "How about you?"

"I am, more fun than I thought. Sorry Arya wanted to talk to you so much, she's pretty social."

"Don't be sorry, I love Arya. She's so cute. I want to get closer to your family. I was hoping tonight would be a good time to talk to your dad more."

"He just has to warm up to you," Jon says. "I'm sorry he isn't stoked about us dating. I keep expecting him to come around, but I'm not lettinf go of you either way."

"As long as I have you by my side, I can handle it."

"You definitely do," he says, kissing me. We get our snack and head back to the stands where his family is sitting.

I feel safe and settled in my life for the first time in a long time. My dad is getting back to normal life, I'm dating Jon Snow, and I'm getting ready to go to college next year. I feel like things are finally calming down for me, and I don't feel as much pressure to be perfect. It feels great.