Chapter 29

TW: ED behaviors discussed in this chapter

Sansa Stark POV

My mom is trying to spend more time with me since she's worried about my eating. She's basically forcing me and Arya to have lunch and go on errands with her today. I don't understand why my mom likes her sons more than her daughters, but she's always had a harder time bonding with us.

"I was thinking after we eat we could go to the grocery store," my mom says as we're sitting in a breakfast/lunch cafe. "Maybe we can make dinner together tonight, whatever you guys want."

"Can we make alfredo pasta?" Arya asks. That's one of her favorite dinners.

"Of course," my mom says. "Is that okay with you, Sansa?"

"Yeah," I say, shrugging. "Sure, whatever." It's not okay with me, that's so much carbs and fat. It doesn't matter, she can't force me to eat it no matter how hard she tries.

"It'll be fun," my mom says. "We haven't cooked together in a while." I don't think we've ever cooked together for fun, it's usually just my mom ordering us around on holidays.

We go to the grocery store after eating, luckily I was able to get away with eating only some eggs and toast at lunch. Arya and my mom are picking out sauces and pasta while I'm just lingering by the cart and trying not to focus on the food.

"Sansa," my mom says. "What kind of meat should we put in the pasta?"

"I don't know," I say. "Chicken, I guess. Or fish." Those are the leanest meats I can think of, maybe I can get mostly that and hardly any pasta.

We get chicken and bacon, because that's what Arya wanted. That's almost worse. I would rather have one meat and have it be bacon than have two meats.

…

That evening we start to make the pasta for everyone. It wouldn't hurt for me to know how to cook simple meals like this now that I'm 16, but it's still stressful.

"Sansa, can you stir this pasta while Arya and I cut some meat?" My mom asks me.

"Sure," I say. I walk over and stir the pasta.

This is better than dealing with meat. I know my mom is trying to be helpful regarding my food issues, but I don't think she's going about it the right way.

After we're done cooking, everyone goes into the kitchen and starts serving themselves. I get a tiny bowl with a few pieces of meat and a couple of noodles.

"Sansa, no," my mom says. "You have to get more."

"Mom!" I say. I really don't want to deal with this, and I'm especially upset that she said it in front of everyone in the family.

"Don't argue with me," she says. "Get more."

I fill up my bowl until my mom says I can stop. When we sit at the table, I feel like everyone is watching me and making sure I eat everything. I'm not even listening to the conversations they're having, I'm too focused on having to eat my food and how much I don't want to eat it.

"Can I go outside?" I ask after finishing my food.

"Don't go for a walk right after eating," my mom says. "Let your food settle."

"I just want to go sit outside," I say. "It's nice out there. Can I just go take a breather?"

"Sure," my mom says. "Be back soon, though."

I walk outside and go behind a bush in the backyard. I hunch over and stick my finger down my throat. I haven't purged in a while, so it takes a couple tries to get all the food out. It's especially difficult since pasta is so thick. I know my stomach will start hurting if I don't get this out, my mom doesn't realize how uncomfortable it feels to eat this much when you usually don't.

This is a good thing, really. I can get used to eating more if I do it gradually, but my mom doesn't understand that. I also don't want to eat this much. I can't get fat again, I felt horrible about myself when I was. If my mom is going to make me eat more, I'm going to find ways to lose weight regardless.

Jaime Lannister POV

Bronn, Jorah and I are in a sitting area in their dorm building. We're studying together, they were in a class last year that I'm in now. They're helping me study for an upcoming test, since they know the material.

"I know the readings seem complicated," Jorah says to me. "But the worksheets are easy once you get used to the writing style."

"Cersei would love this class," I say. "Reading and writing are a real strength for her."

As I'm reading, someone walks up to the table.

"Hey, man," Bronn says. "Jaime, this is our friend that needs a roommate that we told you about."

"Oh, hi," I say. "Nice to meet you, I'm Jaime. My brother is the one who was supposed to contact you."

"I'm Oberyn," he says, shaking my hand. "Yeah, I reached out to him. It looks like rooming with him will work out since he's coming here next year. I just want to meet him in person first, make sure he's not a psycho."

"He can't be worse than this guy," Bronn says, gesturing to me. "I don't even want to know what he gets up to." He's saying it in a joking manner, but I'm wondering if he's referencing the secrets I've told him.

"No, Tyrion's cool," I say. "I'll have Bronn let you know when he comes to visit next so you guys can meet."

"Can I get your info?" Oberyn asks me.

"Oh yeah, sure," I say. We exchange numbers and Snapchats. "I'll let you know when Tyrion is coming next."

"Cool," Oberyn says. "Yeah we've texted a little bit, I'm really sorry about what happened with his girlfriend."

"He told you about that?" I asks. That surprises me because he seemed a little embarassed about it.

"Not many details," Oberyn says. "But he told me that she cheated on him. It really sucks, it sounds like he really loved her."

"Yeah, it's been hard on him," I say. "She was his first real girlfriend."

"I'm on my way to a study meeting, I just wanted to stop by and say hi," Oberyn says. "Nice meeting you, Jaime."

"You, too," I say. "Bye."

"I'm glad he's been talking to your brother," Jorah says. "He's been complaining about needing a roommate for a while."

"I hope it works out," I say. "Tyrion could really use a friend to start out college with besides me."

"It seems like Cersei really doesn't like him," Bronn says. "I get siblings not getting along, but her hatred for him seems next-level."

"Yeah, it's always been like that," I say. "I love Tyrion, but they just never got along."

I don't see any point in bringing up why Cersei hates Tyrion so much, it'll just bring Bronn and Jorah down. I've told Bronn enough about my life, he doesn't need to have any more to hold against me than he already does. I hope Tyrion and Oberyn living together works out and Oberyn doesn't change his mind once he sees Tyrion. I think them living together would be really good for him.

Samwell Tarly POV

Gilly and I are going on a date today, and I'm also going to bring up emancipation to her. I hope she likes the idea, and I hope there's a way we can make it happen.

I pull up to her house and she gets into the car. I immediately reach over the center console of the car and give her a hug.

"How are you doing?" I ask. I drive down the block and park the car so her dad doesn't see us lingering out front.

"I'm okay," she says. "Just really nauseous, but my dad still doesn't know I'm pregnant. I don't think he suspects anything."

"That's good," I say. "I've been thinking of ways to get you out of this situation."

"What do you have so far?"

"The best option is for you to get emancipated," I say. "That's the only real way to get you safe permanently, and we can move into a place together once that's finalized."

"What's being emancipated?" She asks me. It didn't occur to me that she didn't know what that was.

"It basically means you would be legally declared an adult," I say. "Your dad wouldn't have any claim over you."

"Okay…" she says. It seems like she still doesn't completely understand.

"We could say the baby is mine if it comes to it," I say. "I'm hoping your pregnancy won't come up for the emancipation. You basically just need to petition the local courts, and your dad may need to sign off on it."

"I don't know if he'll be willing to do that."

"Well, we'll try it," I say. "I'm going to do whatever I need to do to help you make this happen."

Gilly just looks at me and starts tearing up. "Sam, you're the best," she says. "I really can't thank you enough. I was convinced you would leave me when I told you the truth."

"Never," I say. "You didn't ask for this, and it's my job to protect you. I'm going to help you draft the petition, and we'll do something else if that doesn't work. I'm not giving up on you."

Gilly kisses me on the cheek. "What did I do to deserve you?" She asks me.

"I wonder the same thing every day," I say to her. "I love you."

"I love you more."

"Definitely not," I say. "That's impossible."

A/N: Go check out my story that I've started on Hunger Games (if you're into that fandom)! It's called "High School Games", I'd really appreciate feedback!