Chapter 35

Jon Snow Stark POV

Today is my graduation, and I'm way more excited than I thought I would be. I went to prom with Dany last week, but we didn't stay for long. I went last year, and she felt out of place having already graduated.

Dany comes to pick me up at my house early in the morning, she's going to drop me off at the venue and then go with my family to actual graduation ceremony. We figured it would be easier that way. Unfortunately Robb and Talisa can't make it. It really sucks, but I know they have a lot on their plate with working and staying in school.

"Thanks for the ride," I say, getting into Dany's car. "I know it would be way too hectic trying to ride there early with all of my younger siblings."

"It's no problem," she says, starting to drive to the venue. "Are you ready to be a high school graduate?"

"I'm sure I'll feel completely differently once they hand me that diploma," I say, sarcastically. "I hope it's okay that you're riding with my family even though things are still tense with them."

"Yeah it's fine," she says. "I can deal with Sansa, and I just hope she'll come to her senses eventually. I'm not going to let that stop me from supporting you."

"You're the best," I say. She just smiles. There's a pause. "I've decided I want to help you move in with Cersei and Jaime, if that's still something you want me to do."

"Of course," she says. "What made you change your mind?"

"I know it's something you wanted, and I don't know them well enough to completely discount them as people."

"Yeah, they can be a lot to handle," she says. "But they're my best friends. They helped me through the darkest periods of my life."

"I know," I say. "I figured I should help you and at least give them a chance."

Jaime and Cersei have always grossed me out and given me bad vibes because of all the rumors about them, but I've never really interacted with them besides when we went camping last year. Even then I didn't really have any conversations with them.

"I do have to ask them if they're okay with you staying there, or if they even have room. They're apartment isn't that big."

"Okay, that's fine," I say. "I can always stay with Robb, he's only an hour away." We pull up to the venue.

"Okay, sounds good," Dany says, parking the car and putting her hazards on so I can get out. "Good luck today, I'll see you after the ceremony."

"You're cool with coming with me to the party at Sam's tonight, right?" Sam is hosting a little get together at his house, but it'll just be a few of our closest friends. His dad is leaving town right after the graduation ceremony, and I promised him Dany and I would stop by.

"Bye," I say, leaning over and giving her a kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too."

I walk into the side entrance and see Sam and Tormund waiting for me where other people are waiting. We have some time before we have to get in line to walk across the stage.

"Hey guys," I say, walking up to them.

"Hey," Sam says. "Did Dany drive you here?"

"Yeah," I respond. "It would have been too hectic riding with all my siblings. Bran and Rickon weren't even awake when I left."

"Gendry and Podrick are coming to watch us," Tormund says. "And so is Coach Tarth."

"Oh right, you're about to be out of high school," I say. "Any plans for wooing her after you graduate?"

"I just want to get her phone number," Tormund says. "Hopefully today."

"Is Gilly coming?" I ask Sam.

"Yeah," he says. "She's here with Ygritte, they'll probably sit with Podrick and Gendry." Oh right, they're going to be at the party too. I hope it doesn't get awkward with Dany and them again like it did last time.

Daenerys Targaryen POV

I'm sitting with Jon's family at the stadium for his graduation ceremony. I'm sitting next to Arya, and of course Sansa is sitting at the furthest seat from me. I was hoping she'd have forgiven me by now, or at least stop giving me the cold shoulder.

"Are you going to miss Jon when he moves out?" I ask Arya as we're waiting. She just nods.

"Yeah," she says. "I'm worried the house will fall apart."

"What do you mean?"

"Jon helps out a lot with us kids," she says. "I'm just worried it'll become more chaotic and all of the order will disappear."

Jon really does do so much for his family. It makes me sad that he didn't really get to be a teenager, but that's also something I feel like we can both relate to. We both had to grow up really fast, just in different ways.

When he walks across the stage, I feel really proud of him. I know it feels like an eternity that you're in high school, and then the real world hits you all of a sudden.

We walk out of the stadium after the ceremony, and I immediately hug Jon when he walks out of the entrance with Tormund and Sam.

"Congratulations," I say, hugging him. "How do you feel?"

"Weird," he says. He gives me a kiss. "Weirdly the same."

His mom directs us together so she can get a picture. I hope it looks okay and we don't look too emotionless. We keep taking a lot of pictures with different combinations of people, which is to be expected. I remember how much that annoyed me last year.

"Hey, girl!" Margaery says, walking up to me while I'm watching Jon take pictures with his family. She gives me a hug.

"Oh, hey," I say, hugging her. "Congratulations on being a graduate. Where's Gendry?"

"He's saying hi to some other people," she says. "We already got pictures of us together."

"When do you start beauty school?"

"Not until August," she says. "Gendry and I are going out of town for a bit in June to celebrate my graduation."

"Oh, that'll be fun," I say. "Are you excited?"

"Yeah," she says. "We haven't gone out of town alone yet."

That does sound fun, I hope one day I can do that with Jon. I'm happy for them that they're graduating, it's just reminding me that I actually have to be an adult soon. I thought I'd be ready for it, but I'm more scared than anything else.

Arya Stark POV

As we're congratulating Jon and taking pictures outside of the stadium, I walk away and go sit on a bench. I know they'll come and get me if they want me in another picture.

"What are you doing sitting all the way over here?" Gendry asks, walking up to me. "Don't you want to go be with your family?"

"I just needed a break," I say. "It's not like anyone notices when I'm gone anyway."

"I'm sure that's not true," he says. "Can I sit next to you?" I just nod.

"Where's your girlfriend?" I ask. That came out ruder than I wanted it to, I genuinely was just asking and I hope he didn't take it that way.

"She's off taking pictures," he says. "I already took some with her. She'll come find me when she notices I'm gone." That sucks that he doesn't even think she noticed that he walked away. I can't imagine forgetting about Gendry.

"So you start high school soon," he continues. "Are you excited or nervous?"

"I'm excited," I say. "Maybe I can finally start being more independent without my parents being all over me."

"You know they'll probably be all over you more," he says. "High school is different from middle school, they'll probably worry more about you. I know I would."

There's a pause, it's nice that he's concerned about me starting high school. God, I forgot how cute he is.

"I think I do want to join tech," I say. "I'm just not sure how to go about it."

"There's usually a sign up sheet for fall events during the first week of school," he says. "I can also keep you posted if you want. You still have my number, right?" I just nod.

"Thank you," I say. "That would be really great if you could."

"I will," he says. I hear someone call his name, and I see Margaery motioning for him to come over when I look in the direction of the voice. "I better go, see you soon."

"Bye," I say. "See you soon."

I'm now even more excited about high school. I'll have something to start getting into, and I don't just have to tag along with Sansa and her friends. That would be too awkward, and they don't want to be around me anyway. Maybe I can make friends with some of Gendry's friends, or at least find a group of my own.

Sansa Stark POV

We're going out to eat now that the graduation ceremony is over, and then Jon and Dany are heading to Sam's party later. They invited me, but I don't want to go. I don't really know Sam that well, and I definitely don't want to be stuck hanging out with Dany.

I'm able to order a salad at the restaurant without everyone being onto me about it. Luckily it's a pretty small salad that isn't too filling. Bran and Rickon are horsing around as usual, but my parents aren't doing much about it. They'll get onto them if it gets too out of hand, but right now they're trying to focus on Jon. Well, my dad is. My mom never wants to focus on him.

"So Jon," my dad says. "You're helping Daenerys move into her apartment soon with her friends, right?"

Jon nods. "Yeah," he says. "I know she's excited, but I'll still miss her."

"Are you excited?" My dad asks Dany. She just nods.

"Yeah," she says. "It'll be nice to live with my friends and get used to college life."

"Oh, right," my dad says. "You're moving in with Cersei and Jaime Lannister, right?"

"Yeah," she says. "That was always the plan, even before I decided to defer."

"They seem interesting," my dad says. I can tell he's trying not to sound like he's judging them, even though he's definitely heard the rumors about them and their family.

"Yeah, they can be a lot to handle," Dany says. "But I grew up with them, so it'll be nice to live with people I'm so close to."

When we're done with lunch, I decide to ride back with my family instead of Jon and Dany. I would usually ride with them, but I feel like it'll be too awkward.

"When are you leaving?" Arya asks me as we're sitting in the backseat together driving home. She's referring to when I have to go to treatment.

"In a week," I say. I'm supposed to leave during the first week of June. "I hope you can come with me when they take me there."

"I don't know if they'll let me," she says. "Isn't it kind of a long drive?"

"I think it's a couple hours," I say.

"It is," my dad says, chiming in. "And no, Arya, you probably won't be able to come. If Jon is still out of town you and the boys will have to stay with Jojen and Lyanna."

"Why?" Arya asks. "Why can't I come and say goodbye to Sansa?"

"It's not something you should see," my mom says. "We don't want to expose you to all of that."

"But you're fine with exposing me to it?" I ask.

"Sansa, don't start," my mom says. "I'm not negotiating with you about this anymore. You know what you have to do."

"Is this about Sansa going to the crazy center?" Bran asks. I start to tear up.

"Bran," my dad says. "No it's not, and that's very rude."

"Is it not true?" Rickon asks.

"No, it's not true," my dad says. "Sansa isn't crazy, she just needs some help."

This is why I hate talking about this so much and I don't want any of my friends to find out where I'm going. They'll all just think I'm crazy. I don't even need the help my parents think I do, they're overreacting. If Dany wasn't such a bad friend, I wouldn't have to worry about any of this.

A/N: The weather is really bad here, so get ready for more frequent updates this week. I've been writing so much since I can't go anywhere :)