Chapter 33

Arya Stark POV

I'm celebrating my birthday today with my mom, my dad, Sansa, Bran and Rickon. I'm finally 14, and I'll be starting high school in a few months. This year we all went bowling, and both of my parents decided to tag along. That feels weird, usually only one of them is able to celebrate birthdays with us kids unless we do something at home. We're having cake back at the house, and Jon and Daenerys will come by to celebrate with us then.

Bran won at bowling, somehow. He's getting older so fast, it feels weird. "I can't believe I beat you," Bran says to me as we're waiting in line to get pizza.

"Barely," I say. "You just got lucky with that strike."

"Sure," he says. "Keep telling youself that." I playfully shove him. After my parents order, we sit down and wait for the pizza.

"Are you excited for your cake, Arya?" My dad asks me when we sit down. My parents got me my favorite marble swirl cake from a local bakery, it's pretty expensive so I rarely get to eat it.

"Yes, it's the best cake of all time," I say. "I'm still surprised I even got it." They surprised me with it today, I honestly couldn't believe it.

"Why don't we ever get anything that nice?" Bran asks.

"Oh, stop it," my dad says. "We always try to do something special for all you kids on your birthdays. It's not our fault you never tell us what you want."

The pizza comes to our table, and my dad also got some nachos for us to all share. Sansa starts rubbing her arms like she's cold, but I can tell she's just really anxious about this food.

"How much do I have to eat?" Sansa asks.

"Just two slices," my mom says. "And maybe a couple of chips if you want."

Sansa told my parents that pizza is one of the foods that makes her really anxious, but they got it anyway. I know they can't do everything the way she wants it, but I feel like they could be more considerate. Even I remembered what Sansa said about how she feels about pizza.

She takes small bites, and I can tell she's freaking out inside. I tap her knee, and she knows what I mean. She rips the crust off one of her slices and hands it to me under the table while my parents are disciplining Bran and Rickon for fighting. I quickly eat it, I don't think they noticed anything.

Sometimes I feel like our parents don't really know us very well. When you have that many kids and you run your own business, I can see how it would be hard to develop a genuine connection with everyone. It doesn't stop us younger kids from feeling forgotten, sometimes.

Sansa Stark POV

I'm still pissed at Dany and Jon, and I'm definitely pissed at my parents. I don't know why they're overreacting like this, they don't need to send me away because I purged a couple of times. I wouldn't be surprised if they just wanted me out of their hair.

I'm glad I finally got to talk to Arya about what's been happening. I assumed mom and dad already told her since they clearly have no respect for me or anything I want. I'm trying to not think about that too much and focus on Arya, it's her day today. I want her to focus on being happy on her birthday.

We're eating pizza at the bowling alley, and my parents let me stick with only two slices. I know it's because they don't want me to make myself sick or get sick from eating too much, but I'll still take it.

"Should we take the rest home?" My dad asks my mom, referring to the pizza. She just nods, we have a lot left.

"We can see if Daenerys and Jon want some when they get to the house," my mom says. "There's plenty for them." Oh, right. Dany and Jon are coming over. Awesome, I'm not looking forward to seeing her.

We get back to the house and start playing a board game together. I won't be allowed to go to the bathroom without my mom there with me for a couple of hours, so that's great.

"Okay kids," my dad says as we're playing the game. "Who's most excited for summer to start?" Obviously not me. My siblings all know about my situation, Bran and Rickon were given a talk about it by dad.

"I'm so excited to start fencing lessons," Bran says. He'll finally be joining Arya, but he won't be able to do any competitions until next year.

"Don't get too excited about it," Arya says. "I'll still be better than you."

"I hope I can take the driving test when I get back," I chime in. "I really want to get my license this summer."

Everyone looks at me, surprised that I said anything. I haven't been talking about summer much lately, and definitely not about treatment. I finished the driving lessons, so all I have to do is make an appointment for the test and send my records to the DMV.

"We'll get that set up in July or August," my dad says, smiling at me. "I know you really want to get that done."

They're trying to be super nice to me, but that won't change how mad I am. I could be getting my license sooner and starting modeling if it wasn't for them and Dany ruining everything.

Daenerys Targaryen POV

I get why Sansa is mad at me, but I still believe I did what I had to do. She needs help, and how her family chooses to handle things is their business. I just passed along information.

"Are you sure you want to see Arya and Sansa right now?" Jon asks me as we're getting ready to go to his place.

"Yeah, I'm sure," I say. "I'm sure Sansa and I can get along once we see each other, and I know Arya will love the gift I got her." I do think Arya will love it, I got her a book she's been saying she wants.

We show up to Jon's place and walk in while the family is getting the cake ready. "Happy birthday, Arya!" I say, walking up to Arya and giving her a hug.

"Daenerys, do you want anything to eat?" Jon's mom asks. "We brought some leftover pizza from the bowling alley."

"Sure," I say. "I'll have a slice." Jon's mom takes the pizza out and serves me a slice. I thank her and sit in the living room with everyone else.

"Hi Sansa," I say when I walk into the living room. I set my pizza down and go to give her a hug, but she just turns away from me. I don't hug her and instead sit next to Jon.

Arya opens a couple gifts from her parents. She seems happy with them, she got a couple of new shirts and a journal. It seems like they don't know her very well, but at least she wasn't stuck with something too girly like her parents have sometimes done.

"Arya, open Dany's," Jon says. "I think you'll really like it." I hand her the bag. When she takes the gift out, her eyes light up.

"How did you know I've been wanting this?" She asks me.

"You mentioned it a couple times," I say. "And Jon recently reminded me."

"Thank you," Arya says. She gets up and gives me a hug. "Thank you so much."

"She's just trying to get on our good side again," Sansa says to Arya when she sits back down. "Don't get too excited."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jon asks Sansa. Everyone gets quiet.

"It's not like Dany is all that trustworthy," Sansa says. "I see through this disguise now."

"Sansa," Jon's mom says. "Please."

"What?" Sansa asks. "Am I wrong?"

"Yes," Jon says. "She knew Arya wanted that book, so she got it for her." I just look down and avoid looking at people. I don't want to make things more awkward.

"I really was just trying to do a nice thing for Arya," I say quietly. "I hope you like the book."

"That's what she always says," Sansa says. "She'll eventually show her true colors when you get close enough to her." She's talking about me as if I'm not in the room.

A tear suddenly falls from my eyes, but I wipe it away quickly. Jon notices in time, though, and he stands up.

"We should head out," Jon says. "I should take Dany home."

"Are you sure?" I ask.

"Yeah," he says. "Let's go." I can tell he's upset, so I follow him outside and out to the car.

Jon Snow Stark POV

Dany and I get into my car to go back to her place, and she can see that I'm clearly agitated. I can't believe Sansa is being like this to her, she has to know she was only trying to help.

"I'm sorry about Sansa," I say as I start the car. "I really didn't think she'd act like this."

"It is what it is," Dany says, shrugging. "I was prepared for her to be mad at me."

"She still doesn't have the right to treat you like garbage," I say. "I'm definitely going to have a word with her when I get home."

"Jon, you really don't need to do that. She'll just be more angry at me."

"She already is mad at you, and she shouldn't be. She needs to learn she can't treat people like that because they did something she doesn't like."

I drop Dany off at her place and then head back to my house. I'm definitely talking to Sansa. I know Dany said I shouldn't, but she can't just treat my girlfriend like that.

I get home, and my mom and dad are downstairs. "Where's Sansa?" I ask.

"She's in her room with Arya," my mom says. "Why?"

"I need to talk to her," I say, heading up to her and Arya's room. I knock on the door, and Arya opens it.

"What is it?" Arya asks me.

"Can I talk to Sansa?" I ask. Arya opens the door wider so that I can see Sansa, she looks at me confused.

"Why are you treating Dany like garbage?" I ask her.

"What?" She asks, getting up and walking up to me.

"You were so rude to her," I say. "You were either giving her the silent treatment or saying backhanded rude remarks to her." M

"I have every right to be mad at her," Sansa says to me. "She betrayed my trust. I begged her not to tell you what happened, but she just has to tell you everything."

"She was scared for you," I say. "I shouldn't have to explain that to you, you know that she just wanted to help."

"She overreacted. People don't need treatment because they purged a couple times. She had to know if you told mom and dad that they'd overreact."

"We all know you didn't just purge a couple times. Come on, Sansa. We aren't that stupid."

Sansa just folds her arms and stares me down. "Dany still betrayed me," she says. "She deliberately went against what I asked of her."

"I know you're going through a lot right now," I say. "But you can't take it out on the people who are trying to help and just want you to be okay." I'm raising my voice now, but I can't help it. Sansa is really out of line.

"If Dany is so upset, she can tell me to my face," Sansa says, walking back to her bed. "She needs to fight her own battles, not rely on her boyfriend to do it for her."

I just shake my head at her and walk away. I'm fuming. I know she's struggling, but she doesn't have the right to treat people like this. I'm beginning to resent her more and more, she's turning into someone that I never thought she would be.