-1I have not magically become GRRM since the last chapter. I'm just playing with his creations.

Robb Stark was the most paranoid driver ever.

Prior to actually getting into the vehicle - or unlocking it for his passengers, Robb would walk around the car, checking for anything that might be amiss - a fallen branch, some forgotten toy, a patch of ice, any other slippery substance, a fallen leaf, a dust mote. Anything in the way of his egress from the driveway (or, more embarrassingly, a parking space) was removed with the broom he kept in the trunk. Then, he would walk around and inspect the tires - checking the tread with the penny he always kept in his pocket, making sure they were fully inflated, and that there was nothing on them that could impede traction. After that, he opened the hood, checked the oil and windshield wiper fluid, and inspected for loose wires. Only after this inspection was complete did he allow his passengers to enter the vehicle.

Oh, but the fun didn't end there. Robb made sure he was the appropriate distance from the steering wheel and the pedals, then made sure that the rear view and side view mirrors were perfectly adjusted, even though he was the only one that drove his car. Then, he would fasten his belt, flick the headlights on and off to make sure that the bulbs weren't burned out, check for obstructions by the pedals, and turn and make sure everyone else in the vehicle with him had their safety belts fastened, and have each one in turn tug on the latch to make sure it was holding. Then, and only then, would he place his foot on the break, shift into reverse, put his arm behind the passenger seat, and reverse from the driveway.

Arya frowned as her oldest brother re-adjusted the rear view mirror yet again. Getting into the car with Robb was, in a word, exhausting. She had been late to school more often than not the past three weeks because of him, and it looked like there would be another tardy for her today.

"Come on Robb, I'm going to be late to Algebra again, and you know how Mr. A. feels about tardies!"

"Safety first," her responded seriously, making sure his seat belt was securely fastened. "Better late than never."

Knowing that the ritual wouldn't stop any time soon, Arya emphatically tugged on her own belt to demonstrate that it was fastened and resigned herself to being late again. Even though she was happy to have her brother back for spring break, she was almost more excited to have her mother bring her to school again. At least then she wouldn't be late.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the car went into reverse and, with his hands at ten and two, her older brother started the drive to school.

"So, what did you think of-"

"Shhhh! Robb hissed harshly, keeping his eyes forward on the road. "I have to concentrate!"

For one longing moment, Arya stared at the dial for the radio. She wasn't even sure if it worked - Robb had, as far as she knew, never used it, nor allowed anyone to turn it on. Too much of a distraction. Frowning again, she leaned back in her seat and stared at the ceiling. Usually, on her way to school, she was too tired to care about not being able to make any noise, but she had, for whatever reason, been wide awake this morning.

She hoped her brother would one day relax in his driving, but she thought it may be a long time, if it ever happened. Robb was particularly vigilant from the moment he got behind the wheel - he had finished his drivers' ed course a bare week before their father's accident. It seemed as if he thought if he was the most cautious driver, he could single-handedly avenge Ned's death.

She supposed this was better than being in an accident. However, if she was late one more time this week…

As they reached the block that the school was on (coming to a full stop and looking left, right, and left again) Arya slowly reached for her bag, so she could bolt out the minute the car stopped, and hopefully make it through the door of the classroom before the bell. The moment the car stopped (she knew Robb would never forgive her if she opened the door while the car was still even slightly in motion) she unfastened her belt and opened the door in one movement, then ran as fast as she could.

"See you after school!" she heard Robb shout behind her, getting out to start his pre-driving ritual once again.

After bursting through the doors, Arya saw there were still a few stragglers in the hallways. If she could just make it through down the hallway and around the corner in the next thirty seconds, she may just pull it off.

Luck was on her side, and she was able to slip through the door right before Mr. A. shut it.

"Cutting it a little close today, aren't we, Miss Stark?"

Arya simply grinned at him and slipped into her seat in the back of the room. She reached into her bag to pull out her book.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath.

Her table-partner, Len, subtly pushed his book to the center of the table, so that she could use it too.

" Thanks," she whispered at him, pulling out her notebook and pencil.

After a few minutes of lecturing and answering questions, Mr. A turned around and started writing on the board, explaining what they would be learning today. Idly, she began to copy down the formula on the board, when she felt the tap of a notebook on her elbow. Looking down, she saw Len had written something on the paper, with a suspicious lack of numbers.

Late again?

Only almost.

Making a habit of this? Mr. A. won't like that…

Arya glanced sideways at him, then quickly started writing in her own notebook as the algebra teacher glanced her way. Once it was safe to stop copying down information from the board, she scribbled on the page again.

Not now. He'll catch us.

Len smiled, flipped to a new page in his notebook, and happily started copying down their new equations.

All Arya could think was "weirdo" as she embellished her notes. He was always grinning at her and giving her weird looks. She just hoped he wasn't planning anything to get her into more trouble with Mr. A. than she already was, and resigned herself to learning about functions.

Arya darted between groups of gossiping students and people that were walking just too f-ing slowly. She had to get away and get to Robb's car before he caught up with her.

'What was he thinking?' she thought to herself, clutching her books and binder to her chest. If she could just get to the car and somehow convince Robb that he could skip his pre-drive ritual just this once she could get away and have some time to deal with this.

She was focusing so much on locating her brother's bright blue car that she ended up walking past her ride.

"Hey pipsqueak…" said a familiar male voice behind her.

"Gendry?" She spun around, almost dropping her armful of school supplies in the process to verify it was him.

Sure enough, there he was, leaning against a car with a mis-matched door. His hair was spiky instead of flat, he had some scruff on his face instead of being clean shaven, but it was him.

Quickly she rushed toward him, and he folded one arm around her shoulders and giving her a quick squeeze. She responded by punching him in the arm ("That's for calling me pipsqueak!") then hugged him back.

"I thought you forgot about me," he fake-pouted, opening the back door so she could stow her things there. Grinning from ear to ear, she threw her things in back, not caring if everything spilled out.

"Why're you here instead of Robb?"

"Well, he gave me a call about an hour ago an pretty much begged me to swing by to get you -"

"Shit," Arya said urgently, for what must have been the tenth time that day. "We have to go. Now."

"Wha?" Gendry cocked his head to the side in askance.

"I'll let you know, but we have to get out of here."

"As mi'lady commands." With this, he grabbed his keys from his pocket, tossed them to his other hand with a jingle, and ducked to the other side of the car.

Arya flushed as she hastily got in the car, slamming the door behind her. In a flash, Gendry pulled away from the curb, and as she glanced out the window, she saw Len's figure retreating in the distance. With relief she relaxed in her seat.

"Seat belt," Gendry reminded her as he glanced her way.

Their eyes met. "Robb," they said in unison, then laughed.

Even now, Robb's insanity still got to them.

"Now what," he began, reaching over to turn off the radio, "was that all about?"

"Um…nothing." Arya pointedly looked out the window, ignoring his gaze.

"Arya…" he said, looking at her and cocking his eyebrow. With his left hand he rolled down the window and hung his arm on the bottom of the window frame, driving with this other hand.

"It's just weird and stupid and…blagh!"

"I'm gonna need a little more to go off of."

"Promise you won't tell?"

"Promise." He even moved his arm from its resting place to draw a small x over his heart. Arya stared at his finger as it made the crossing motion across his chest. He must have started working out…

Feeling the tips of her ears turn warm, she rolled down the window a bit, twirling the knob absent-mindedly.

"When Party B promises to keep a secret, that's usually a sign for Party A to tell said secret," he said, winking at her.

"I…Len, he…um…I…"

"Great story, and then what happened?" Gendry grinned at her sudden inability to speak.

"Igotaskedout."

"One more time, slower?"

With a pained expressed on her face, she breathed deep and paused. Her companion just sat there, hair moving slightly in the breeze of the open windows, with a patient smile on his face, and no trace of the telltale signs of mocking that would follow if she even breathed a word of this to one of her brothers.

"Len asked me on a date."

Arya looked at her lap and started fidgeting with her hands. For some reason, telling Gendry about this felt strange.

Telling someone else would be even stranger.

Gendry would have snickered at this point, but stopped because of the very apparent swell of awkward that was rising from the girl in his passenger seat. Instead, he said, "I take it this was…unexpected?"

"Very."

"So what did you say?"

"Well…I…nothing, really. I kinda…ran away. And then when he tried to catch up with me outside, we kind of…drove away."

Gendry laughed as he imagined what this Len kid would think of him as they pulled to a stop at the lights. "So I'm the other guy, then?"

Arya punched him again, on the shoulder. "Gendry!"

He laughed again. "Do you like him?"

"He helps me with math sometimes. And…sometimes we talk during lunch."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Dating is stupid! There's nothing to do! Sansa talks about it like it's the greatest thing ever, but all she ever does is stare all googly-eyed at some guy and talk about nothing. Nothing important or useful ever happens, and it just seems like a waste of time."

As he stopped at the next intersection, Gendry nodded as if making a sudden decision and abruptly made a right-hand turn.

"What are you doing?" Arya asked, nervously.

"I get the feeling you don't want to go home and face Sansa right now…or your brothers…or your mother."

"Yeah," she mumbled into her chest.

"So…smoothie?"

"Yes please!"

"Good," Gendry replied as he pulled into the parking lot of the small café/bakery that was Arya's favorite.

It took a lot of willpower for Arya not to run straight to the counter and order. She was going to have an adult discussion with Gendry, and adults did not run and bounce up and down excitedly, they walked.

Arya reached into her pocked and retrieved a five dollar bill, extending it to Gendry after he turned off the car. He waved it off, saying it was his treat, and to go find a good table.

"Just remember -"

"Extra mango, no raspberry, right?" he called over his shoulder, winking once again. She always ordered the same smoothie every time she came in.

Arya headed to the patio, and was pleased and surprised to see the best table was vacant - it was in the corner and under a huge maple tree, which provided shade to the better part of the table. Better luck, no one had been there lately, so she didn't have to stare at someone's half-eaten Danish and wonder why they would leave it behind when you had to literally walk past a garbage can to get out of the patio.

A few minutes later, Gendry emerged from the shop with two to-go beverages in his hand. As he sat down, he took a sip from the straw from the cup in his left hand.

"Hey!"Arya exclaimed, punching him as soon as she had retrieved her prize from his hand. "That's mine!"

"Sometimes, I really wish I hadn't taught you how to punch," he mused, rubbing the spot where she had punched him twice in the last twenty minutes. "You're going to leave bruises, and then what will people think?"

"They'll think that you run into a lot of doors."

"I'm not that clumsy."

"Well, you should start to be - it'll be such a great explanation for when I beat you up!" She smiled mischievously at him, and took a sip.

Gendry leaned in close and lowered his voice, whispering into her ear, "we'll see about that."

She shivered.

"Cold?"

"Um…no. No, I'm fine."

Then, the door burst open, and in surged a group of giggling high school girls. Wordlessly, they both picked up their respective drinks and walked away, leaving the now crowded patio and walking together to the park.

After they crossed the street that led to the park, Gendry started the conversation again.

"It was bound to happen sooner or later," he said off-handedly, taking a swig of his latte as they began to walk the trail.

"What was?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Someone asking you out."

"No, it wasn't."

"It was. I'm just surprised it took this long."

She deliberately walked into him and called him a liar.

Then, because she didn't know what else to do, she grabbed his drink and took a sip. Then, because she had forgotten there was coffee, she almost spit it back out.

"How do you drink this stuff?" she asked, sputtering, and taking a big swallow of her smoothie to erase the taste from her mouth."

"Practice…and way too many late nights."

After a few minutes of idle chatter about late night study sessions, Gendry motioned to a park bench overlooking the water. "Wanna sit?"

As she nodded her assent he flopped back on the green bench and casually laid his arm along the back. Arya climbed on as well, crossing her legs and facing him, clutching her smoothie in her hands.

"So, what are you going to do about this guy?" he asked, lifting his own beverage up to take a drink, getting back to the matter at hand.

She gnawed on the straw for a minute.

"Not sure…I've never been in this situation before, so I don't know the protocol." Exasperated, she gritted her teeth. "Stupid Len, making things all complicated."

"I think you're overreacting just a bit. Dating isn't the big chore you're making it out to be. It can be fun!"

He chuckled at the face she made. "Seriously, just listen. A date is two people that enjoy each others' company, getting to know each other better. Nothing more than that. Googly eyes are optional."

"I don't enjoy making googly-eyes."

"Well, I'm sure he doesn't either. Tell me - do you have fun talking to him?"

"…I guess."

"Then, if you enjoy spending time with this guy, give it a shot. Worst that can happen is you're a little awkward, then things just go back to normal. You can decide what happens, how far it goes, and stop it if you're not comfortable. You're the girl, you're in control."

She frowned. "What if he wouldn't let it go?"

"Then let me know, and I'll make sure he understands." Reaching over, he tilted up her head with his fingers. "Believe me. I know you. No one's going to do anything to you that you don't want to happen."

A smile slowly spread across her face.

"Well, if I'm in control, then I want to be done with this. I just need to think it over on my own for a while."

"Do you want to go home?"

"Not yet." Arya uncrossed her legs and scooted closer to him on the bench. "I mean, if you don't have anything better to do."

"I'm wide open."

She grinned. "Remember when you told me you would teach me to skip rocks?"

"Your wish is my command."

Later that afternoon, the sat under an oak tree, tossing acorns into the river, since they had run out of rocks. A duck quacked angrily as one of the nuts landed too close to him.

"Child geniuses sent to space to save the world," Arya said triumphantly.

"Hmm…that's a tough one," Gendry pondered, tossing an acorn in his hand.

She grinned, happy she had stumped him again. "Give up?"

Arya decided that his response of chucking the acorn at her was affirmative.

"It's Ender's Game."

"That sounds pretty ridiculous."

"You should read it -trust me."

The last twenty minutes had been spent in a showdown of wits - they took turns giving the most abstract, yet truthful description of a book, and seeing if the other could crack it. Arya initially said that Gendry had an unfair advantage, since he had a year of college on her, as well as three more years of high school, but he pointed out that he didn't remember any English classes his junior year, and had missed his fair share of classes this semester, and declared it even.

Suddenly, he turned his wrist to look at his watch.

"I should be getting you home, pipsqueak. Robb's probably worried that I drove us off of a cliff by now."

Gendry was prepared for her reaction now, since he wasn't driving or carrying liquids, and was able to stop her inevitable punch to the arm with his hand. Closing his fingers over her fist, he helped her up from the ground and they began to walk back on the path to his car.

As they pulled into her driveway, Arya was almost in tears from laughing at Gendry's car dancing. It mainly consisted of overly-expressive lip-syncing and stupid hand gestures involving the steering wheel, but it was, in Arya's mind, the funniest thing ever.

Wiping the mirthful tears from her face, Arya cheerfully thanked Gendry for the wonderful afternoon and for being her ride, reaching for the door handle.

Suddenly, Gendry, put a hand on her arm. "Wait a minute," he said, turning off the car.

Puzzled, she moved her hand from the door back to her lap.

"I was serious before, when I said someone was bound to ask you out soon. You're smart, and funny, and you're beautiful. The fact that it took until now for this to happen is astounding. This guy is just the first one that got up the courage to ask you out, there are plenty more out there. Just remember that."

Arya sat in stunned silence for a moment.

"You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"No…it's all true. Trust me."

After a few moments passed, Gendry realized that the girl in his car didn't know what to say from here. "You should get inside, I'm sure someone is wondering where you are, pipsqueak!"

Arya glared thoughtfully at him, and exited the car. After she had picked up her bag and books, she turned and leaned through the window.

"Since I'm apparently grown-up enough to start dating, would you stop calling me pipsqueak?"

He smiled. "Fair enough - consider it a thing of the past."

"Good!" Arya smiled in triumph, and began to turn.

"One last thing -" Arya paused and glanced back as he turned the key in the ignition. "-hope you enjoyed our date."

Laughing at the expression on her face, Gendry pulled into reverse and drove away. "See you soon!" he called through the still-open window as he drove away.

Arya did not have time to contemplate this turn of events quite yet, as someone in her house would have noticed her late return. This would have to wait until she was safe in her room for the night.

As she opened the front door, she thought her escape upstairs may take longer than she had anticipated. Robb was sitting at the kitchen table, looking shaken, and staring at a half-filled glass of water. Her mother was on the phone, speaking in a serious voice.

"Robb," Arya sat down quickly next to her oldest brother, dropping her school things on the ground. "What's going on?"

It seemed like a bad sign when he gave no response, and didn't seem to notice her presence.

"Mmmhmm…yes. Thank you. Goodbye."

Arya interjected as soon as her mother set down the telephone. "Mom, what's going on?"

"Your brother," Catelyn said, tousling her eldest's hair, "got into a bit of a car accident."

"WHAT? Robb's the most careful driver ever, that could never happen!"

"I was driving in front of the entrance to the grocery store…" Robb broke from his trance at this point, and spoke in a quiet voice. "The person that was driving out wasn't paying attention, and hit me. I didn't even see it coming."

"Luckily," Catelyn added, "No one was hurt, and it was only a little dent in the passenger side. It'll be all fixed in two days, and you'll have it back in time to get back to school."

Robb nodded slowly.

Comforted that her brother was fine, Arya plotted her escape. "I have lots of homework to do, so I'm going to head upstairs. Let me know when dinner is ready!"

She ran off with her bag without giving her mother a chance to respond.

Fifteen seconds later her door was closed, and she was alone.

Slowly, she laid down on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

A date. Gendry had called it a date. But it hadn't been anything like Sansa always talked about. They had some tasty drinks and hung out at the park and talked. That was just hanging out, not a date.

'But he bought your drink, that's date-ish,' her brain interjected oh-so helpfully.

'We talked about my guy troubles, as it were. You don't do that on a date.'

Irritated, she sat up, and stopped herself from arguing with herself in her mind. That was just a little too weird.

Then, she remembered what Gendry had said earlier about a date. "Two people that enjoy each others' company, getting to know each other better."

If that was the definition of a date, then…that did, technically, define what their afternoon had been.

She tried to imagine doing the same thing with Len. Talking to him about this family, what he did for fun, what they had in common.

She couldn't.

Talking with Gendry was one thing, but Len was another story entirely. Except for math, they didn't have much to talk about. And, despite his best attempts, he never managed to make her laugh.

Unlike Gendry.

The sudden realization dropped like a rock in her stomach. All she wanted to do was talk to hang out with Gendry outside of school. Just Gendry. Like…in a dating way.

"Shit," she said again, curling into a fetal position on the bed.

Why did she have to get a crush on Gendry?

The next morning, both Robb and Arya were subdued. Robb had tried to convince their mother to bring Arya to school, but she had insisted he get back on the horse, so to speak. And so here they were.

Adjusting her bag over her shoulder, Arya prepared herself for Robb's pre-driving ritual, expecting it to be several minutes longer in light of his recent accident. To her surprise, without walking around the car, he opened the door and got it, and looked at her in askance as she gaped at him.

"Are you getting in?"

Slowly, she opened the door and sat down, fastening her belt, but prepared to unbuckle and run if it turned out her brother had been body snatched.

"Buckled in?" he asked, turning the key in the ignition. As she nodded, he pulled into reverse, checked both ways, and backed out of the driveway.

After a lock of silence, her older brother began to explain. "I realized that, no matter how much I prepare, something else can always happen. I was being too paranoid, and that won't change anything."

Arya smiled to show she understood, and reached out to try out the radio.

Robb stuck out his hand to stop hers. "Not yet."

Rolling her eyes, she sat back in the seat, deciding to be content with the progress made so far. Maybe one day her brother would be normal.

Now, as long as he didn't get in another accident and could get her to and from school until spring break was over, and Gendry wouldn't stop by to see her…she may just survive this visit from the college-aged men in her life, and deal with her awkward feelings before they came back next.

No problem with that.

None at all.

The butterflies in her stomach begged to differ.

Author's Note: I struggled a lot with this chapter, walking the line between (hopefully) cute and creepy-college-guy-hitting-on-a-high-school-freshm an territory.

Thank you to all my reviewers - I really appreciate your support. It makes it even more fun to write knowing that someone is waiting for the next installment!

Things should be picking up from here for these two…in the next installment, Arya decides to take things into her own hands….