Chapter 36

TW: EDs in this chapter

Jon Snow Stark POV

Dany and I are headed to Sam's house. I really hope things don't get to awkward here, it's our last party as high schoolers where we can forget about all of the responsibilities that lie ahead of us.

"Hey, man," Sam says after I knock on the door. "Come in."

"Is Gilly here?" I ask him, walking into the house.

"Yeah, she'll be staying here while my dad is out of town," he says. "Luckily my sister won't tell him, she likes Gilly."

We walk in and Dany sits on the couch. I sit next to her, and she grabs my hand. I think that helps her feel safe and less awkward about being around my friends that she doesn't know very well or have much in common with.

Gilly and Ygritte walk out of the kitchen, laughing. They pause a little when they see Dany, but they just sit across from us.

"Hey, Jon," Gilly says to me. "How was graduation for you?"

"It went well," I say. "How does it feel to be legally an adult?"

"Weird," Gilly says. "But I feel so relieved, it's like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

"You're going to have to give me tips on how you did it," Ygritte says. "I want to be able to be a legal adult so I can do whatever I want."

I know all of this probably sounds like a fantasy to Ygritte, but it sounds like she's really undermining the unfortunate situation Gilly is in. I know that isn't her intention, but it still sounds like that.

"I still have to finish school," Gilly says. "I'll just be living with Sam while I do it."

"We're going to look at apartments this summer," Sam says. "I have a couple in mind."

"That's great," Dany says. "Congratulations."

"Do you want a drink?" I ask Dany. She nods and I get up to head into the kitchen. "Anyone else?" I ask. They just shake their head.

"I'll get my own," Ygritte says, walking into the kitchen behind me.

I'm getting a beer for Dany, and I hand Ygritte one too. "Is this okay?" I ask her. She nods.

"So are you happy to finally graduate?" She asks me.

"Definitely," I say. "I'm so excited to go to college with Robb."

"How are you going to manage things with Dany?" She asks.

"We'll just be long distance," I say. "It's only an hour drive from my school to her place."

"I'm honestly surprised you guys are still together."

"Why?"

"She's like, the most popular girl from our school," she says. "It doesn't seem like you'd have much in common."

"Well we get along great," I say. "She's amazing."

"I bet the great sex is a plus," she says. I don't say anything to that because it's a weird thing for her to say. "I feel like she doesn't even know you."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Well, it's been a while since we broke up," she says. "I feel like we've both grown up, and maybe it wouldn't hurt to try again."

"For us to try again?" I'm shocked she would ask me that. "Do you think that would be a good idea? I feel like we weren't a good match."

"We had some good times," she says. "And we were a great match in the bedroom if you remember." I do remember, but she's making me feel really awkward.

"No," I say. "I love Dany, and that's all there is to it."

Ygritte just rolls her eyes. "Alright," she says. "Let me know if you get too bored."

She walks out of the kitchen and I just pause. I can't believe she was so open about asking me all that. I figured she still had feelings for me, but I never thought she'd vocalize it like that with my girlfriend in the next room. God, she's something else.

Daenerys Targaryen POV

I'm sitting in the living room while Jon is in the kitchen getting us drinks. I saw Ygritte go in there too, which obviously makes me nervous. I'm not going to say anything, though. I know I can't police every room they both go into. Ygritte walks out, and Jon walks out shortly after her. He sits down and hands me a beer.

"Thank you," I say. He kisses my cheek.

"So are you excited to finally be starting college?" Sam asks me.

"Yeah, but I'm kinda nervous," I say. "It feels right, but I know it'll be a big change."

"How will you feel being older than all the freshmen?" Ygritte asks me. "Won't that feel weird, like they have so much more of their shit together than you?"

"It'll be fine," I say. "Lots of people take gap years, it's pretty normal." I'm not sure what her end goal is here or if she's trying to undermine me, but I can't let that get to me.

"Are you guys ready to finally be seniors?" Sam asks Gilly and Ygritte.

"It feels so weird," Gilly says. "I feel like I should be older, but at the same time I feel like I shouldn't be a senior."

"We should do a shot," Ygritte says.

"I can't," Jon says. "I'm driving tonight."

"Well then the rest of us," Ygritte says. "Way to be a buzzkill." I don't really want to do a shot, but I also don't want her to make fun of me if I don't do one. God, I'm so glad I'm not in high school anymore.

Ygritte and Tormund start lining up the shots, and Gilly and Jon stand off to the side because they aren't going to do one. I'm not sure why Gilly opted out, that's a little weird.

"Okay 1… 2… 3…!" Ygritte says, and we all take the shot.

"Happy graduation," Tormund says. "I'm going to apply to be a teacher's assistant for Coach Tarth next year."

"You can do that?" Gilly asks.

"Yeah," Tormund responds. "She can reject me though, I hope she doesn't."

"God, you're so weird," Ygritte says. "Like you actually have a chance with her."

"You never know," Tormund says. He's so weird, but he has a great sense of humor.

When we leave the party, Jon seems quieter than usual. It seems like something is on his mind.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yeah," he says. "Why do you ask?"

"It just seems like something's on your mind."

"I'm just thinking about how you'll be gone soon and we'll be further apart."

"We'll get through it," I say, grabbing his hand. "I promise."

"I know we will," he says. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Sansa Stark POV

I'm just at home trying to relax tonight. I'm glad I didn't end up going to Sam's party, it would have just been too awkward for me. I decide to walk downstairs and see what Arya's doing. She might be outside, I like sitting outside with her and just talking.

When I walk downstairs, my mom is cutting up Jon's graduation cake for Arya and my younger brothers. Jon and Dany had a small piece before leaving, they'll probably have some more tonight when they get back.

"Oh," I say, stopping when I see them. "I didn't know we were having cake." I start to walk back up the stairs.

"You can have some," my mom says. "I just didn't ask because I didn't think you wanted any, and I didn't want to fight with you."

I pause on the stairs. "I'll have some," I say, sitting at the table. "Just a little bit, though."

Maybe if I eat some cake, my family will see that I'm getting better and they won't make me go to treatment. I know that's not likely, but I feel like it's worth a shot. My mom cuts me what I think is way too big of a piece, but I don't say anything.

"What kind of cake is it?" I ask.

"Chocolate with cookies & cream frosting," my dad says. "Jon loves that kind." He does, I know it's his favorite.

I eat the entire piece, and I immediately feel guilty after. Bran and Rickon start fighting again, and both my parents have to start disciplining them. I look at Arya, and she gives me a slight nod that means I'm good to discreetly leave the table. Normally they won't let me leave the table for a while after eating.

I get up and immediately walk to the upstairs bathroom. I shut and lock the door, I thought I could eat the whole piece and keep it down but it doesn't look like that's happening. I just feel too guilty. I run the sink and hover over the toilet as I start purging up the cake. Not long after, I hear knocking at the door.

"Sansa!" My mom says. "I need you to open this door."

"I'm going to the bathroom," I say. "Hang on." She keeps on knocking. I get up, flush the toilet, wash my hands and open the door.

"What were you doing in there?" My mom asks.

"Peeing," I say, annoyed. "Jesus mom, why are you so obsessed with what I do in the bathroom?"

"You know why," she says. "Let me smell your breath."

"No," I say, trying to move past her.

"Sansa," my mom says sternly, not letting me pass. I breathe in her face, and she immediately realizes that my breath smells like vomit. "Ned!" She shouts.

"Mom, please!" I yell. I start crying, my dad walks up to where me and my mom are.

"What happened?" He asks. "Sansa, did you throw up?"

"She did," my mom says, sighing. She's looking to my dad for help.

"You need to go sooner," my dad says. "We can't wait a week."

"What?" I ask.

"I got a call today saying the bed opened up," he says. "You're going in two days."

"Dad!" I yell. I'm still crying. "Please, no! I'll be good, I promise!"

"No, Sansa," my dad says. "This isn't up for debate. You're going, and we're keeping you on lockdown until then."

I keep crying and go into my room, slamming the door. I lay face down on the bed and keep crying harder, trying not to scream. I'm so angry at myself, but I'm also even angrier at Dany now. This wouldn't be happening if it wasn't for her. I can't believe my parents are doing this to me, I'm so hurt and upset.