"You two are a lost cause," Hot Pie said mirthfully, as he examined the concoctions in front of him.
"No, we aren't," Arya, said defensively. "You explained it wrong."
Hot Pie shook his head as he bit back laughter. "Arya, the instructions were self explanatory; I don't see how you and Gendry messed that up." He briefly inspected the mix again. "Well, Gendry's mix is terrible, but not a complete disaster like yours."
In mock anger, Arya mouthed, "Fuck you."
"Hey, that's not nice." Hot Pie laughed at Arya as he took her bowl and sat a new one in front of her.
Arya looked at Hot Pie questioningly as she pointed to the mix in his hands. "Can't we just fix that one?"
"No," he denied. "There's no redemption for this one. It has sinned and must meet its maker." Hot Pie dumped the mix in the trash as Gendry laughed beside her.
"Why are you laughing," Arya asked as she looked up at the significantly taller man. "Yours was a disaster too."
"Yeah," Hot Pie said, "But, unlike yours, his can be redeemed."
Gendry continued to laugh.
"Shut up!" Arya narrowed her eyes at Gendry as she listened to Hot Pie while she remade her dessert from scratch. Although Gendry had stopped laughing, Arya could see out of the corners of her peripherals that a grin was plastered on his face.
She was going to lose their bet.
Hot Pie, Arya, and Gendry all signed up for the same cooking class. In all honestly, Arya and Gendry enrolled because Hot Pie asked them to; it was a hobby he enjoyed and a way for them to make it up to him for the weeks they didn't get along. Although Arya and Gendry generally did well in the class, they struggled with the pastries—especially the complex ones. As luck would have it for Arya, that'd be the same day she made her bet with Gendry that she'd do better than him.
So far, her proclamation couldn't have been further from the truth.
Despite her new dessert mix and efforts to compromise his, Arya still lost to Gendry.
"Gendry…if you really cared for me, you wouldn't make me do it," Arya pleaded as she walked beside him.
Gendry chuckled. "Arya, if I'd lost, you would've made me sing in front of everyone tonight, there's no way I'm letting you get out of wearing that dress," he said.
Although Wholistic Core wasn't a conventional school/camp, they did hold social events for the young adults to converse and get to know another on a basic level. They wanted their wards to socialize with one another and implement all that they had learned in a relaxed environment. Tonight, they were throwing a dance, which had food, beverages, music, and karaoke. Arya said that if she won, Gendry had to sing in front; Gendry said if he won, Arya had to wear the dress her mother bought her to the dance.
It was your basic two strap dress that was an off colored white and very form fitting. Arya believed that her mother wouldn't intentionally buy her a dress that tight, but she suspected that there'd been a discrepancy in sizes.
"Ugh," Arya sighed.
"And when I say dress, I mean the whole outfit," Gendry clarified. The dress came with four-inch heels, a pearl necklace with a matching bracelet and hair brooch, and a clutch.
Even though the dance wasn't an extravagant one, Catelyn still wanted Arya to dress up and look her best. Just like last year, Arya didn't have any intentions on wearing the dress until the bet. Arya had to honor it. Not only was it in her blood, but also she'd feel wrong about it because Gendry was right, she would've made him follow through on her command.
"Do you even have a heart," she joked.
Gendry nodded no. "I'm a heartless bastard," he replied, and then winked at her. "See you tonight."
~*~*~*~
Arya applied some lip-gloss, and then smacked her lips together as she stepped back and looked at herself. She turned around to examine herself in the mirror, and then smoothed out her dress.
Softly, someone knocked on the door.
Without looking to see who it was, Arya opened the door.
"I'm ready, I just need to get my jacket," Arya said, as she stood in front of Gendry.
As if his breath was stolen, Gendry wordlessly stared at her.
"What," Arya said insecurely.
"Nothing," he said. "You just look like a proper lady."
Arya sighed dramatically. "Shut up, you stupid bull."
"You do," he said adamantly.
Arya glared at him, and then turned and walked to her closet to get her jacket. Gendry followed her and helped Arya put it on.
"I could've done that myself," she said.
"I'm willing to bet you can do anything you put your mind to," Gendry said. As he wrapped his arms around, he kissed her behind her ear. Arya practically melted into his arms. "I just thought that I'd be helpful."
For moment, Arya closed her eyes and contently leaned into Gendry chest as he held her close.
"All right," she said. "Let's go."
A few weeks back, Arya observed that the camp counselors kept and eye on her and Gendry. Although she'd overhead Hot Pie and Francine talking, that was simply concern expressed about her and Gendry's friendship. But, this time it was different. Arya saw the way Francine, Camden, Diego, and other counselors looked at them when they thought her and Gendry weren't watching. She'd even figured out that they started give Gendry odd jobs to do to keep him away from her. So, she decided to be careful of how she touched and interacted with Gendry when others were present.
For a fact, Arya knew that employees of Wholistic Core only had suspicions about her and Gendry, but couldn't prove anything. If so, they would've confronted them about it. So, Arya made sure that any of her interaction with Gendry could only be viewed as platonic.
They still looked at them, but now it was with less certainty. To throw them off even more, Arya flirted with the occasional boy or two.
As soon as Arya entered the room, all eyes were on her and compliments fell from the lips of many young men and even some girls said she looked nice.
For a while, Arya stayed close to Hot Pie and Gendry as they navigated the dance floor. First they grabbed some plates and ate outside, and then they hopped from group to group as they chatted with various people. Some guys had pulled Gendry away to talk or laugh or whatever with him and he'd yet to return. But, Arya spotted a girl who stopped Gendry and engaged him in conversation.
"Arya," a boy named Jacob said as he carefully approached her. "You look…AMAZING tonight."
Arya raised an eyebrow, and then crossed her arms. "What do you want Jacob?"
"I know I'm not your favorite person," he began. "But, I want you to know how sorry I am about kissing you." Jacob nervously rubbed his hands together. "That's not the proper way to let a girl know you like her."
"You didn't kiss me," Arya corrected. "You tried and I stopped you."
Jacob nodded. "Still…it's just I really like you and I want to start over with you," he explained. "So, I was wondering if you wanted to dance?"
"No," Arya said. Instantly, Jacob's face fell. "Look, I'm over that whole attempted kiss situation, but if I dance with you, it'll get your hopes up about their being an us and, quite honestly, I'm not interested in you. I'm not even interested in dating."
"Oh." Jacob looked everywhere, but Arya. "Well, at least you're being honest, right?"
There wasn't any reason for Arya to feel bad, but she did. "I'm sorry."
"No." Jacob finally looked at her. "Just because I like you doesn't mean you have to feel the same…I'll—I'll see you around."
Arya turned down her four guys in a row when she saw another one approaching her. Inwardly, she groaned. A part of her felt as if she should feel appreciative about all of the attention being directed towards her, but the other part was overwhelmed. It was too much and, from what she believed, all for the wrong reasons. The guys thought she was attractive with a nice body, they didn't actual care about her; she just had the physical assets they liked. Although Jacob had a crush on her, Arya wasn't interested in him.
Thinking quick on her feet, Arya grabbed Hot Pie and pulled him onto the floor.
"Arya, what are you doing," Hot Pie spluttered.
"What does it look like," Arya asked. She placed his hands above her waist, and then wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Just follow my lead."
"Of all of the boys and you choose me, what have I done to get this lucky," he asked sarcastically. Arya smiled at him and rested her head on his chest.
"Be a good friend," she gently replied.
"And Gendry hasn't," he inquired.
"No, Gendry doesn't dance," she responded. "Jacob likes me and the other guys are trying to touch on me or hit on me."
"And me?" Hot Pie gently rested his chin on her head.
"It's just a dance," she replied. "There's nothing to read into it."
"What makes you so sure," he probed.
Arya chuckled against his chest. "Because you can't bluff worth shit-you always show your hand around girls you like. And it's obvious that you don't like me in that way, so I don't worry about you."
"Yeah, you're just worried about Gendry," Hot Pie said. Arya lifted her head and looked at her dancing partner. "Arya, I'm not stupid; it may take me a while to catch on, but I know it's like that for you and Gendry."
"Like what," she laughed. Hot Pie rolled his eyes at her response. "What? 'Like that' isn't a descriptive term; in fact, it's very vague."
"Fine," he conceded. "Like that as in you two having feelings for each other."
"I don't have feelings for, Gendry," Arya denied.
Hot Pie gave her an unbelieving look. "Oh, really?"
"Really," she confirmed. "And, dude, what's with the Spanish Inquisition?"
Hot Pie sighed, "Nothing, it's just been a weird few weeks." Arya intently looked her friend as she listened to him. "I know we are all best friends, but you and Gendry have always been closer—not that that's ever been an issue for me, but you two went form thick as thieves to not talking to being closer than before. Now, it just seems as if you two are trying to hide that you like each other."
"Hot Pie, guys and girls can be friends without them liking each other," Arya explained.
Hot Pie rolled his eyes. "I know that—like you said earlier, we're friends. It's just that your friendship with Gendry seems a little too close and not in a sibling type way. Hell, even if you two were siblings, I'd think you had a Targaryen thing going on."
At the comparison, Arya's stomach dropped. Was her indefinable connection with Gendry so strong that even if they had been related, people would assume it was sexual? Of course, that wasn't Hot Pie's implication; he naively believed what amounted between them was a simple crush that had evolved out of friendship. Arya didn't want to correct him and explain it was far messier and complicated than childish crushes that left as easily as they came.
Momentarily, Arya looked over at Gendry, and then down at her hands.
It was more than that.
Arya suspected it's been more than that for quite a while.
Curiously, Hot Pie stared at her. As well as he knew her; she was also equally a mystery. That was the only half measure she'd give. It took a moment for Arya to realize that Hot Pie was observing and laughed to play it off.
"I think that says more about you than it does about us," Arya said, and then smiled at him. "Is there something you'd like to tell me, Hot Pie?"
"What," he looked at her. "We've gone over that I don't have a crush on you."
The song ended and Arya looped her arm through Hot Pie's as the walked off the floor. "Which leaves Gendry."
"And…"
"Inquiring minds want to know," she grinned.
Hot chuckled and went along with it, "Well, I can't deny that he's a dashing lad with those brilliant baby blues and rock hard abs; I'm only human."
Arya put a finger to her chin as she pretended to deeply think. "Hmm…I'll try to put in a good word in for you."
"Please do," he mocked pleaded. "He might finally notice me for the first time in years."
Arya laughed into Hot Pie's chest.
~*~*~*~
Later on, as Arya lay in her bed pressed between the mattress and Gendry, she wondered if she was a liar. Despite all of her rationalizations, she didn't believe that Hot Pie would see it the way she did. She intentionally misled him to thinking her relationship with Gendry was strictly platonic. Arya played on a technicality in his questioning, which was unfair of her. Her sexual relationship wasn't something she wanted others to know let alone discuss. It was still new to her and they'd possibly separate her and Gendry. The less people knew the better.
Gendry groaned.
"Arya, you're distracting me," he complained.
At this, the young woman rolled her eyes. "Gods, why do you have such a freak about this 'when we fool around, I want all of your attention on me,'" she tried to mimic his voice.
Gendry chuckled in her ear.
"Because," Gendry slowly licked his lips as he looked her in the eyes. "I want to know that you're into as much as I am. It doesn't seem like it when you're thinking about other things."
"Gendry," Arya lowered her voice. "As soon as you're in me—when you're fucking me, you're the only thing I'm thinking about."
"Is that right?" Slowly, a hand slid up her inner thigh and fingers pushed her panties aside as he inserted two digits into her
Arya gasped, "Yeah." Involuntarily, her hips lifted off the bed.
Firmly, Gendry pushed and held her hips down with one hand as the other continued to work and added another finger. Pleasured sighs filled his ears as he fingers expertly penetrated her. Arya's moans and sighs made Gendry's cock twitch. He was already super hard and the noises coming from her didn't ease the situation in his pants.
Arya's panties got in his way, so he withdrew his fingers from her, and then took her panties off. A quick kiss was placed on her lips before his head disappeared between her legs.
"Oh Gods, Gendry, oh Gods," she moaned.
Arya just wished that his tongue could go deeper. It had been a while since she experienced some deep penetration and, although the finger and mouth fucking got her off some, nothing compared to his cock entering her. A few tricks from his finger and mouth paled to what his cock could do.
Tightly, she grabbed his head and smashed his face against her pussy.
Gendry's tongue became firmer as he added to fingers.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" One leg rested on Gendry's shoulder as he brought her closer and closer to her climax. He could feel it; she was almost there. "Gendry, no," she mumbled.
He raised his head and looked at her. "No, what?"
"Not yet," she replied. "Let's cum together; I'll blow you and bring you close and then we finish ourselves off together."
Usually, the protocol was Gendry either went down on Arya, fingered her, or both in order to get her off, and then Arya got him off however she chose to. They never came together.
"Umm, okay," he agreed.
Gendry rose up on his knees and unbuckled his dress pants. Impatiently, Arya swatted his hand away and quickly undid his pants and slid them down his legs.
With an expert hand, Arya grabbed Gendry's cock and firmly stroked it briefly before she directed it into her mouth. Languidly, she sucked his cock as she took all of him in her mouth—every inch down her throat.
In her peripherals, Arya saw Gendry clench and unclench his hands as a strained groaned escaped his lips. She sucked the head, and then licked the undershaft as she fondled his balls.
"You like that," she puffed.
Gendry nodded and whispered, "Yeah."
As Arya took him back in her mouth, his hand rested in her hair. Gently, Gendry ran his fingers through Arya's hair as they made eye contact. She figured something like that was supposed to distract her, but oddly, it only made her focus more. Gendry then rested his hand on the back of her head as set a slower pace as he watched his cock slide in and out of her mouth. Arousal shot through her as his cock hardened in her mouth.
A few grunts came from Gendry as he looked down at Arya.
"Can I fuck you face?"
Arya slowly nodded yes.
Tenderly, Gendry's thumb caressed her check, and then his hand rested on her face as the other one grabbed the other side. He moved his hips back and forth at the pace he set earlier before gradually picking up speed. His teeth forcefully bit down on his lips as he tried to get his pleasure all while he avoided making Arya gag. Although she was regularly took him in her mouth—even him face fucking her—he was still a big guy. He didn't want to hurt her.
Carefully, Gendry pulled out of her mouth and sat on the bed.
"Lie back," she commanded.
Gendry did as told as grabbed his cock and laid his head against the pillows.
Gods, she wanted him so bad.
Arya straddled one of his thighs as she kissed her way up his torso.
"What are you doing Arya?" His movements stilled as he felt Arya's lips on his neck.
"As good as you are at eating the box," Arya explained after she bit his neck. "It's not a substitute for the real thing."
At her last words, Arya grinded Gendry's leg.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Gendry repeated as he grabbed her hips. "We CAN NOT do that; you know that, Arya."
"Yes, we can," she contradicted, and then grabbed his hands and made them touch her breasts. She went back to grinding his leg.
Arya knew that his will was weak as it always was after their oral activities. Gendry already struggled to take a stance against them not having sex when she sucked his dick or he ate her out, but she knew she could break him if he could feel her grinding against him as well as her wetness. She knew he missed being inside of her just as much as she missed him being inside her.
"Arya, we only have to wait a week," he said weakly. "We didn't come all this far for nothing."
He was broken and she could either back off or go in for the kill.
A few weeks back, Arya's period came really late. She didn't think much of it because her period never had set timing. Sometimes she was late, other times she was on time, but it never came super late, which was when Arya started to freak out.
For days, she prayed for her period to come. At night, she paced back and forth in front of Gendry as they waited for an answer either way.
Would she bleed?
Or was she pregnant?
Since they were miles deep in the wilderness, it was impossible to travel to a store and back without getting caught. Sure, they got away with shit at the camp, but there were regular attendance checks and the time it would take to travel to the store and back, wouldn't be one of the things they got away with. So, they were unable to get condoms or a pregnancy test.
Eventually, red stained her panties and the two promised no more sex until they got ahold of condoms.
Arya was set to visit her family the next day and time and opportunity to time condoms, and then they could have all of the sex they wanted.
But, Arya didn't want to wait any longer.
"I don't care," she replied. "I want you now."
She then straddled his hips as his cock caressed the crack of her ass. It took everything in Gendry to prevent from reacting.
"You want to get pregnant too?"
Thoughtfully, Arya stared at him, and then firmly kissed his lips. "I promise not to get pregnant, okay?"
"There's no way you can guarantee that, Arya," he retorted.
"I'm not going to get pregnant," she promised again as she grabbed his penis and slowly sank down on it. Deeply, she moaned at the familiar feeling. "I promise," she repeated over and over like a chant.
Gendry's eyes all but rolled to the back of his head as he felt himself move inside her. Gods, she felt better than he remembered. It made him wonder how he'd held out so long. Suddenly, he placed his hands on her hips and slammed her down on his cock.
Arya abruptly squealed, "Oh! Fuck!" Gendry increased the intensity of his thrusts. "Yes…. yes…yes."
To balance herself better, Arya rested her palms on Gendry's chest as she rocked her hips and took him deeper and deeper.
Suddenly, Gendry flipped them over all while staying inside her.
He held her thighs against the bed as he stroked into her at a moderate pace.
Arya heard his heavy breathing in her ear.
"Please don't get pregnant," he pleaded.
His blues eyes searched her grey ones before he kissed her, and then rested his forehead against hers.
"I won't," she promised.
The bed springs continued to squeak.
~*~*~*~
The sun beamed on Arya as she soaked up the rays.
Arya aimlessly floated around the pool in her inflatable chair. She wore a yellow bikini and her shades with her headphones in her ears.
The night before, she arrived late while everyone was sleep, so she went straight to her room, sent Mycah a message, and then watched some shows she was behind on Netflix. After a few hours, she went to bed and slept in late.
After she took a quick run and showered, she got in the pool to relax.
Suddenly, she felt somewhat cooler and opened her eyes to see a person blocking her sun. Arya didn't recognize the guy and figured it had to be one of her brother's friends. It seemed as if he were trying to talk to her and, as much as Arya tried to ignore him, he wouldn't leave, so she took her headphones out of her ears.
"Do you need help with something?" Arya tried to keep the irritation out of her voice, but it was hard with how the guy stared at her.
He smiled at her, and then walked closer to the pool's edge. "Uh, no…I just wanted to introduce myself, I'm Dallas."
Dallas extended a hand for her to shake. Arya looked at it, and then back at him.
A thin smile appeared on her face. "Uh…thanks, nice to meet you."
Arya attempted to put her headphones back in when Dallas kept talking.
"You must be Arya," he stated.
"Must be," she repeated. Arya sat her iPod on the float and swam with one arm to the edge of the pool as she pulled the float with her. Dallas tried to help her up, but Arya lifted herself out of the pool, and then grabbed her iPod.
As Arya walked away, Dallas followed her. "Hold on, what's the rush?"
"I don't want to talk to you," Arya said plainly.
"I see, you're one of those girls," he remarked. "You play hard to get."
Arya rolled her eyes, and then stopped to face him. "I'm not playing hard to get, you can't have me; I'm not interested."
"You don't even know me," he argued.
Arya shrugged. "And I don't want to."
"So, are you like this with all guys?" Dallas walked closer to her as Arya leaned on the doorframe.
"Yes," she said in a short tone.
Dallas chuckled as he crossed his arms. "Well, I'm not like the other guys; how about you make an exception for me?"
Arya laughed as she took in Dallas. "Why would I do that? You aren't exceptional."
Dallas' face dropped as Arya slipped into the house. A moment later, he followed her into the kitchen.
"Whoa," Dallas said. "That was rude. I did nothing to deserve that."
With a bored expression, Arya listened to Dallas as she ate a banana and gathered ingredients to make a sandwich.
"I don't care. I didn't come home to meet new people; I came home to spend time with my family. You're the one who approached me and kept pursuing after I showed disinterest. I said what I said, if that offends you, that's your issue not mine. Not interested, end of story."
"You think you're the shit just because you're hot," he accused. "But, you're barely hot and not even as good looking as your sister. I lowered my standards by talking to you. I did YOU a favor."
Arya cackled. "Who told you to lower your standards," she retorted. "For that, you have no one to blame but yourself. Now please leave so I can wallow in my misery for turning YOU down."
"I'm not going to let an ugly bitch insult me," he spat, and then walked out of the room.
"But, you did try to talk to one," Arya mumbled.
After Arya finished her sandwich, she went up to the bathroom and took a quick shower. She put on shorts that were mid thigh, a cropped, sleeveless plaid shirt, cowgirl boots, and a cowgirl hat. Arya threw on some lip-gloss and headed down the stairs.
Randomly, she grabbed a pair of car keys from the many hooks, and then took off for the door.
"You'd think that a person who was expelled from school and sent away due to bad behavior would learn how to treat people, but I guess not," Sansa said as she held the door to prevent Arya from getting out.
Arya looked at Sansa's hand, and then her face before turned around to exit the house another way.
"What is your problem," Sansa said as she walked after her. "You beat up my boyfriend, act like a total bitch towards me, and now you're disrespecting my friends. You don't get hurt and insult people and walk away as if nothing happened."
Arya ignored Sansa as she walked to the back door.
"Hey, I'm talking to you," Sansa yelled. "Gods, you're such a fucking child!" She grabbed Arya's arm and yanked it so her younger sister could face her. Tightly, she held both of her forearms as she glared at her sister. "Perhaps if you stood still and listened to people, you'd actually get along with others. This whole "rebel without a cause' isn't cute, it's pathetic."
Arya looked at Sansa's hand, and then her face. "Sansa, I don't give a damn what you think about me, but I want you to hear me when I say this: if you ever put your hands on me again, I WILL break them."
Slowly, Sansa let go of Arya. Without a further word uttered between the two, Arya left.
~*~*~*~
"Nymeria," Arya said happily as the direwolf excitedly licked her face. "I miss you so much, girl."
Arya giggled at Nymeria's intensified kisses.
"She misses you a lot, too," Mycah stated as he watched the reunion. "I swear, she can tell when you are coming and she's sad when you leave."
"Hey," she said to Nymeria as she looked into her eyes. "I'm sad too when I leave, girl. But, when I move back, we're never being separated again."
As if Nymeria comprehended Arya's promised, she licked her owner's face.
"When are you moving back?" Mycah sat on the stairs as he watched Arya interact with her beloved pet. "Your family still owns the house in Winterfell, but they stay in King's Landing."
"The move was only supposed to be temporary, but I have no clue what's going on now," she admitted. "They always talk about moving back permanently, but it never happens."
"So, you think they're staying there?"
Arya shook her head. "No, my dad loves Winterfell too much. He just has this baffling loyalty to Robert and doesn't want to leave him hanging."
The two spent the rest of their time playing online shooter games. It was clear that Mycah improved, but still not as good as Arya. Their groups took most of the first and second places as Arya did most of the grunt work. She also spent her time strategizing with her teammates through the mic and headphone set and shit talking to the competition.
Gleefully, the two friends smiled at spending time together for the first time in a long time.
Mycah caught her up with what was happening in Winterfell and what his plans were for the school year and beyond. He spoke about cooking and how he'd watched various cooking shows and looked up cooking recipes to make in his spare time. There was a culinary camp that he'd participated in and he had a job in a restaurant where he'd watch cooks during his break time. Either during their break or when he clocked out, he asked as many questions as he could about food and how to improve. It was clear that his interest had grown from a hobby to a full-blown passion.
When he got the money, he planned to go to culinary school, and then see if he could apply at a few prestigious restaurants and get mentored by the best. But, with the amount of money his family had, it'd be a while. Although his father had found another job, it didn't pay as well as his former job. Even if Mycah's father still had his original job it'd be hard to support Mycah's dream, but manageable. Not only that, Mycah was working to help support his family. His checks and tips went towards the bills.
Arya never hated her father, but she was disappointed that he fired Mycah's dad. Although his hand was forced, the least he could've done was put in a good word for Mycah's dad in Winterfell. No one there cared about what happened up in King's Landing and loved her dad and the Starks. But, her dad wasn't just an honest man; he was a loyal man as well and very obedient too. Although he ran his own business, creating waves with the Baratheon's could hurt his company very much.
"Maybe you can be like Rachel Ray or something," she suggested. "She didn't go to cooking school and she has her own show, books, magazines, and shit."
Mycah smiled and looked away. "Some people have luck, others have connections, and then rest are shit out of luck," he replied. "I'm going to be a chef one way or another; it's just that my path went from somewhat hard to incredibly difficult."
He shrugged as if to say, 'That's life.'
The nonchalance in Mycah's answer bothered Arya. That was life for him, but she couldn't identify. She didn't know what it was like to struggle and have hopes and dreams threatened because there wasn't enough money. Or be punished for something that had nothing to do with you all because people like you had to be made an example of. Sure, she had her challenges, but it could never compare to what Mycah and his family was going through.
As much as Arya liked to think she wasn't like the rich and related to the everyday people, it wasn't true. She had privilege and was allowed to do many things because of her family's money and status. As close as her and Mycah was, there would be parts of him she could never get because of her status and money, just like with Hot Pie and Gendry.
Even if there were some things she'd never understand, Arya wasn't going to sit by and do nothing.
The wheels in her mind went into motion.
~*~*~*~
"Hey, mom." Arya grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and sat at the island.
"Oh, look who decided to spend time with her family," Catelyn said teasingly, with her back to Arya as she looked over some papers. "I knew you came in last night, but I thought you would've shown your face long before now."
"By the time I woke up, you were gone," she explained. "I was in the pool for a little bit, and then drove to see Mycah and Nymeria."
Catelyn shuffled some papers around, and then straightened them. "Oh, that's good. How are they?"
"Mycah is doing fine," she said. "Nymeria doing fine too, but she misses me."
"I bet," Catelyn stated. "Gods know that you kids and those direwolves are inseparable. I bet she was overjoyed to see you."
Arya laughed.
"Yeah, she practically attacked me when she first saw me," Arya fondly recalled. "When I move back, I'm definitely picking her up ASAP."
Catelyn approached the other side of the island. "Speaking of moving," she began. "Your father and I have discussing transferring you to a school in the community. You've made a lot of progress at Wholistic Core and we feel it's time you come home." She grabbed her daughter's hand and lovingly squeezed it.
Arya sat frozen for a minute.
"What," she said, dumbly. "What do you mean you're transferring me? I was expulsed from my last school and I doubt any other school in King's Landing would want to take the girl who pissed off the Baratheon family."
Catelyn widely smiled. "King's Landing isn't home, it never was—Winterfell is."
"You all are moving back to Winterfell," Arya asked, in disbelief. "Seriously this time?"
Catelyn nodded, and then exhaled. "Yeah. Robert finally agreed to let your father leave without causing a fuss about it—reluctantly, but he did."
"That's great," Arya semi-smiled.
"I know school has started already, but it hasn't been in session that long," Catelyn explained. "We'll get you transferred right away, so by the end of the week you'll be going home and not to Wholistic Core."
"But, what…" Arya took a deep breath. "But, what about my things?"
"We'll send someone to go and pick it up," Catelyn answered. "I know this is all quick, but it'll be good to have you back home where you belong. Gods knows that I'm tired of seeing you for only a few days and you leaving as quick as you came."
"Yeah," Arya nodded, and then stood up. "Umm…I'm going to freshen up for dinner."
"Is something wrong, Arya," Catelyn gave her daughter a concerned looked. "I know that you've made friends there, but I thought you wanted to come home?"
"I do," she said. "I'm just still processing it. Umm…I'll see you in a few minutes."
Arya wasn't lying to her mother when she said she wanted to come home, but she didn't want to leave Wholistic Core just yet either. She had friends there and the learning environment was great. It became a second home for her and she couldn't just leave without saying goodbye or at all really. It was her last year and when she moved back home she'd have to start all over.
For a fact, Arya knew that her mother wasn't going to put her in a public school. It was going to be a private school where she didn't know anyone. Although she'd gotten better at making friends, that didn't mean anything. She didn't want to start over. She loved where she was.
Why couldn't she just move back when she graduated?
Twenty minutes later, Arya descended the stairs and walked into the kitchen to find her siblings and parents sitting at the table.
"Arya," Rickon, Bran, Jon, Robb, and Catelyn said simultaneously, although; Catelyn's tone was laced with disapproval.
"What are you wearing," she asked.
Arya narrowed her eyes at the question, and then looked at her outfit. "Clothes?"
"You're not funny, Arya," her mother chastised. "Did you go outside like that?"
"Yeah," she answered. "You didn't notice my outfit when we spoke earlier?"
"No," Catelyn said. "If I did, we would've discussed your outfit then."
"Mom," Arya sighed, as she sat down. "It's not that big of a deal; I'm showing a little bit of skin—big whoop."
Catelyn glared at Arya. "Not that big of a deal—big whoop? Ned, do you hear our daughter right now?"
Ned looked at Catelyn, and then Arya as he looked up at the ceiling and said a quick prayer.
"You should've seen her prancing around the house today in her bikini while my friends were here," Sansa said.
Catelyn looked taken aback. "Arya!"
"I wasn't prancing around," Arya denied. "Mom, I told you I was in the pool earlier, which correct me if I'm wrong, you wear swimsuit, right? Gods know that if I were to wear regular clothes in the pool, I'd be chastised about that." Her mother was silent at Arya's statement. "Sansa's friend came over to talk to me and I only spoke to him because I thought that was either Bran's or Rickon's friend and needed help. I then got out of the pool and went into the house. One: I didn't even know Sansa had people here, two: I made myself something to eat, and then went to my room—there wasn't any "prancing" around the house, and three: I live here too, if people want me to dress appropriately around company, I need a heads up."
"How about we just drop this matter altogether," Ned suggested to which Catelyn began to protest. "Cat, when you were around Arya's age, you didn't dress all that different," he reminded.
"Ned," she said, in an offended tone. "I was older…an adult—NOT a seventeen year old girl and I covered more skin."
Her dad smiled. "That's not how I remember it," he said sweetly as he grinned at Catelyn.
She bowed her head and blushed.
"Besides, Arya's almost an adult. I may not like the outfit myself, but that's because I'm her dad and anything less than non form fitting pants and huge sweaters is too much skin for me."
Catelyn looked at Ned and they seemed to have a silent conversation with each other. "Okay, fine," she said, and then turned towards her daughter. "Arya, could you just wear more clothes in the house, so I can feel comfortable…if that's not too much to ask."
"Sure…" Arya looked at her mom, then her dad.
Arya then dropped the subject and looked at her favorite brother. "Jon! What are you doing home?"
Excitedly, Arya hugged Jon as he sat in his chair. At the awkwardness, Jon stood up and gave her a bear hug. Jon and Arya hadn't seen one another face since he left for the Army. They video chatted whenever she was home, but either she was at school or he was overseas, so it was impossible for the two to be in the same room together.
"What? You aren't happy to see me," Jon said after he broke away. Arya rolled her eyes as she playfully hit him on the arm.
"Hey, at least she acknowledged you," Robb joked, as he looked at Arya.
Arya walked by Robb and tried to muff him in the back of his head, which he ducked. She tried two more times and successfully hit Robb on her second attempt. The two siblings laughed at their own silliness.
Robb rose from his seat and encircled Arya in his arms.
"I'm happy to see both of you," she replied. She paused for a moment, and then broke apart from Robb to give her younger brothers hugs and kisses; Rickon gave her a slob filled kiss in return and Bran planted a kiss on Arya's cheek.
Coldly, Arya and Sansa stared at one another before Arya took a seat by her older sister.
~*~*~*~
Silently, mother and daughter toiled in the hot sun as they gardened. Catelyn's garden was filled with a variety of flowers, vegetables, and fruits that she grew herself. Although they did have a personal gardener, Catelyn had her own little garden that she tended to over the years. Besides the numerous clubs, PTA's, and other miscellaneous organizations she was apart of, gardening was Catelyn's personal hobby. It was a hobby she took with her to King's Landing.
For years, she tried to get Arya to help her so the two could bond, but Arya always made a huge issue out of it. As a child, she'd throw a tantrum until Catelyn would send her away, then she'd find ways to get out of it as a preteen, eventually, she'd just say no.
But, today, Arya came into Catelyn's garden and wordlessly assisted her. The things she pretended not to know over the years, she effortlessly portrayed knowledge of as she worked. There were even a few techniques that Catelyn didn't know Arya knew.
Sweat trickled down Arya forehead and onto her brow while the young girl dug up the earth. Quickly, she wiped the sweat off her brow and continued digging.
Catelyn observed her youngest daughter as she completed various tasks. From years of experience, Catelyn knew Arya didn't have anything on her mind—good or bad. There didn't seem to be any motive to her being in the garden besides wanting to help her mother out.
"Who are you and what have you done with my daughter," Catelyn asked as looked at her daughter.
Arya smiled.
"Who is anyone, but a series of traits we choose to reveal," she said philosophically.
"You know what," Catelyn laughed. "Leave my garden."
Arya chuckled. "Do you mean to tell me is that all I had to go was go Plato on you and you wouldn't have forced me to garden all of those years?"
Catelyn pretended to ponder the question. "Yes," she said, as she shook her head emphatically. Arya shook her head at her mother's silliness as she smiled. "When did you start gardening for fun?"
"I didn't," Arya said. Momentarily, she paused and gave her answer some thought. "I don't. I just thought you might like it."
"But, you seem to have gotten better." Catelyn pulled her gloves off, and then rubbed her hands together to brush off stray dirt particles.
Arya mimicked her mother's actions, and then handed Catelyn her gloves. "I don't mind gardening," Arya admitted. "But, as a kid, it wasn't fun sitting in the sun tending to plants—you know me, I wanted run around and get into stuff." Catelyn nodded at this. "At the Core, you have so many classes to take and I completed most of my mandatory classes. So, it's either I took advanced levels classes OR something easy. My advisor said that, although it'd look good on my college transcript, I should take something easy just to balance my work load"
"That explains your new gardening skills," Catelyn said as if to say 'a-ha!' "Thank you, dear."
"You're welcome." Arya smiled at her mom.
Catelyn put the gloves away and the two ladies walked into the kitchen. Arya grabbed herself a snack as her mom grabbed a bottled of wine.
"Join me," Catelyn demanded as she gestured to the dining room table. She poured Arya and herself a glass. Arya flopped in her chair and Catelyn shot her a disapproving look.
The two Stark women sipped the wine in silence as Catelyn gathered her thoughts.
"Why haven't you told your father and I what really happened with Sansa?" Arya stilled. Did Sansa tell them? Mentally, Arya shook her head no. Sansa would never admit to fault in their argument let alone admit her part to their parents.
"What do you mean?" Arya popped a grape in her mouth as she looked at the table.
Tiredly, Catelyn sighed. "Arya, you know what I mean. You were punished for your disrespectful and foul language towards Sansa, but you've never told us what prompted you to say those things the first place," she explained. "I know your father and I were wrong to not ask your side of the story at the time, but why have you never voluntarily told us about it now?"
Slowly, Arya chewed her grapes, and then washed it back with her wine.
"It just felt pointless," she admitted. "Back then, I just spent so much time fighting to be heard that it felt like it wouldn't have mattered if I did explain my side."
Something in Catelyn tightened.
At this moment, she felt like a failure of a parent.
Water welled in the older woman's eyes as she processed her daughter's confession.
Never in her life did she think that her kids would say they felt like their words didn't matter. Admittedly, Catelyn felt as if she failed her youngest daughter with how that whole situation was handled, which included the first time Arya got into it with Joffrey to her argument with Sansa.
"And now?"
"What's done is done," she shrugged. "There's no use dwelling on the past."
"If that was true, then why haven't you forgiven Sansa?"
"Because I wasn't referring to Sansa," Arya clarified. "I'm referring as to why I never told you all my side: it felt pointless then and it's in the past now. Sansa is a completely different story."
Catelyn nodded in understanding. "If you don't mind telling me now, I'd love to hear it."
"Okay," Arya mumbled. "Well, ever since our fight back in Winterfell, Joffrey had it out for me, especially because I am a girl and I beat him up. When I went to school with him in King's Landing, he tried to bully me—tried. But, I avoided him most of the time and stayed out of Sansa's way because her precious Joffrey could do no wrong; she blamed me in everything." Arya took a deep breath to calm down. "After my fight with Joffrey at the school, I was heated. He and his friends had picked on me and I defended myself, but I was the one to get in trouble. Three guys targeted me and tried to humiliate me, but I was wrong for refusing to be a victim. Going on about how I must hate her and that I beat up Joffrey for no reason. Then she got upset because I didn't want to talk to her and said that no one was ever going to want me. I—I don't know why it bothered me, I wasn't interested in dating, but it did. So, I said I didn't care and she said it was because it wouldn't make a difference if I did. That my friends were only my friends because they were forced to and because there were perks being friends with a rich girl desperate for friends. She said that no one cared to really be my friend and that I had to be adopted or a bastard like Jon." Catelyn gasped at the revelation. "She then said that boys stayed away from me because I was ugly and that…I'd be a full blown mare."
By the end, Catelyn was visibly angry. It was clear that Sansa's words hurt Arya just as much as it had when they were first uttered to her.
"She said all of that to you?"
"Mom," Arya sighed at her mother's tone. "Just let it go."
"Let it go," Catelyn repeated. "Why didn't you tell us? I know that we didn't listen to you that first day and you were mad at us, but what Sansa said was unacceptable."
"Yup," she agreed. "Now, you see why I called her a cunt."
"Arya," Catelyn began. "Although I understand why you were upset and lashed out at her, I can't agree with you calling your sister such a demeaning word."
Catelyn refilled their glasses.
"Perhaps," she mumbled. "It's just…Sansa lives in this fantasy world. Whenever something deviates from her delusion, she clings tighter to it."
"That's not fair, Arya," Catelyn said. "Sansa isn't you, Arya; she doesn't see life how you do and react in the same way. She wants to see the good in everyone, where as you see them for how they are. She is who she is and you are who you are. You have to accept that you two are wired differently," her mom said in a nurturing tone. "Disrespecting and hating each other only makes things worse."
At this, Arya perked up. "But, she didn't see the good in me," Arya pointed out. "I don't hate Sansa, mom. I'm just tired of her victim act. In her mind, everything I do is to spite her. Joffrey bullying me was flipped into me bothering him and trying to mess up her relationship; her friends taunting me was flipped into me making fun of them; her friend harassing, and then insulting me was flipped into me picking on him because he was her friend. Sansa has never asked my side of any story—she never defended me in anything. And, as soon as I defend myself against her words, she cried as if she wasn't the one who started the whole thing and tried to hurt me. She watched me get into trouble and never owned up to her part. So, no mom, I don't hate her, I just hate the weakness that lives in her; I can't force her to have a backbone and accept the consequences of her actions."
Emotionally exhausted, Catelyn rubbed her face.
"Mom, I don't want to come home," Arya admitted.
Catelyn snapped her head to look at her daughter.
"What," her mother said in a panicked tone.
"No," Arya hurriedly said, "What I mean is that I want to finish out school at Wholistic Core. I miss really do miss you and dad and my brothers, but I don't want to start over again. I already had to do that in King's Landing, then Wholistic Core, and now it'd be a new school if I moved. And I'd know practically no one there, friend wise. Also, you always remark on how great their curriculum is and that it's better than most private schools."
"Arya," her mom protested. "You've been gone away from home a long time. This will be your last year of high school before you leave for college and who knows how where you'll go."
"Mom," Arya smiled. "I know we've talked about Braavos being the top candidate, but I've been seriously considering going to the University of Westeroes at the Wall after I graduate. That means I'll only be a two hour drive away."
"But, you still won't be in the house," Catelyn argued.
Arya nodded in agreement. "But, isn't that better than having say…an ocean between us? You can drive to see whenever you want—I can come home more often and see you all."
"Are you saying that if we let you stay at Wholistic Core, you'll go to the University of Westeros instead of going to a school in Braavos?"
"Yes and no," Arya said. "I'm saying that if you let me finish out the year at the Core, there's a high chance I'm going to U Dubs."
Catelyn stared at Arya in confusion.
"U Dubs?"
"Yeah, it's a nickname for the school. The University of Westeros at the Wall is a mouthful to say."
The redhead nodded in agreement.
"Even if I agreed to it, I'd have to see what your father thinks," Catelyn explained. "And, as you said, there's a high chance not that you'd be going for sure."
"Mom," Arya whined.
"Fine," she relented. "When your dad gets home, we'll discuss it, okay?"
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Arya said excitedly, as she jumped up and hugged her mother.
~*~*~*~
"Dad, you wanted to see me?" Arya opened her father's home office door as she knocked on it.
Ned gestured for her to come in. "Yes," he confirmed, as he pulled her gaze away from the computer and threw a smile at his daughter. Ned turned off the monitor and gestured for Arya to sit down.
Arya flopped into the chair, and then opened his cigar box and pulled out one. She put it in her mouth and puffed the unlit cigar.
"One day, we're going to smoke cigars together," she declared.
"Oh, we are," Ned, asked, as a smile played on his lips.
"Yep." Arya leaned back and settled comfortably in the chair as she looked at her dad. "Mom said that you wanted to talk to me."
Ned nodded. "Yes. She told me that earlier you two had a discussion about you wanting to stay at Wholistic Core. I'll admit, I'm a little surprised and thought you'd want to be home with you family." Arya began to interrupt, but Ned held up a hand. "But, your mother explained everything to me ad I remembered that you've always done everything on your own time except when we forced you to move to King's Landing, and then attend Wholistic Core. Even then, at least at King 's Landing, you were with your family, but Wholistic Core? You're in another state and all by yourself. Despite this, you've gotten fantastic grades, are a model student, and literally every update I receive about you talks about how you are one of the best students in the history of the program."
Arya's brows furrowed.
Sure, she obeyed the camp/institution, but they really thought that highly of her.
"You're excelling there, Arya," her said. "Not just academically, but emotionally. You were never a bad kid, despite how your mom and I handled everything a few years ago, but there is a noticeable growth—a heightened maturity that wasn't there before you left. I'd be certifiably insane to bring you back home, rather than letting your finish your last year there."
"Seriously, dad," Arya said, excitedly.
Ned nodded and said, "Yes."
Arya jumped up and ran to hug her father. "Thank you, dad."
"You're welcome, little wolf." Warmly, Ned smiled, and then kissed her head.
~*~*~*~
"Need help?" Arya stood next to her mother as Catelyn measured the ingredients.
At this, Catelyn stopped what she was doing and put a hand to Arya's forehead.
"Are you feeling all right, sweetie?"
Arya pushed her hand away. "Mom."
"Or…a plot come to life like one of those books Bran reads—'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'."
"Mooooom," Arya groaned.
"What?" Catelyn shrugged her shoulders as she put flour, eggs, and such into a bowl. "A mother can't be concerned when her child isn't acting like herself. Since when have you ever wanted to bake cookies and garden?
"I can't change and grow?" Arya picked up a spoon and Catelyn wordlessly assisted her daughter as to what to do next.
"No, you can," Catelyn acknowledged. "But, it's unusual and takes some getting used to." Carefully, the older woman placed her hand over Arya's and showed her how to properly stir. "When should I expect you to ask me to teach you how to cook?"
"I'm not," Arya laughed. Catelyn raised an eyebrow at her. "I know how to cook."
Mischievously, Catelyn grinned. "Oh great, so you'll help me cook dinner tonight then?"
"Oh, no, no, no…" Arya protested.
"Why not?" Catelyn greased the pan and looked at Arya.
"Because I'd be cooking for seven people," Arya said, as if her mother didn't know that.
"So, I did it for years," Catelyn, retorted. "Sometimes with a child hanging from my breast."
"Mom…" Arya threw a look at the woman. "You cooked like twice a month so you wouldn't lose your touch. Cooks prepared our meals most of the time."
"That's not the point," Catelyn brushed aside.
"Isn't it?"
"I'll let you eat cookie dough out of the bowl," she bribed.
The internal battle inside her head didn't last long as Arya said, "Deal."
~*~*~*~
Arya walked into the stable and watched her father as he tended to his horse.
"What's on your mind, little wolf?" Ned inquired, as he brushed his horse.
Arya went over and gently rubbed her own horse as she stared at it in contemplation.
"I'm a spoiled rich girl," she declared.
New frowned. "Sure, you're privileged, but I don't see the problem with that."
"Dad, the problem is that if I do something, money makes all of my issues go away, but when someone like Mycah does something, he's severely punished and suffers for the rest of his life," she explained.
"Did Mycah get into some kind of trouble with the law? In alert, Ned looked at Arya.
"No," Arya said. "But, he was punished for my actions all because he was poor and needed to be made an example of."
"Arya—"
"Dad," she interrupted. "Mycah's dad didn't deserve to get fired. Mycah doesn't deserve to have that weighing on his conscience, especially when he didn't do anything wrong."
"Arya, where's this going?"
"Even if you can't hire his dad back, can you get his a better paying job?" Arya crossed her arms and looked at her dad.
"Sweetheart, life doesn't work that way…"
"Yes, it DOES!" A hard glare was thrown at her father. "Robert wanted Mycah's dad gone and like that," she snapped her fingers. "He was out. Joffrey gets away with tons of shit and no one does anything because of who his family is. I see it all of the time—not just with the Baratheons," she spat. "But, with other rich people as well. They love us here, dad—Winterfell loves the Starks. They love you and would do anything for you. The only reason Mycah's dad hasn't been hired at a better job is because people think he angered the honorable Eddard Stark. If you'd just—just let on that it wasn't like that, then…it wouldn't be so hard for them."
Softly, Ned sighed.
"Arya, I can't promise you anything, but I'll see what I can do," he said.
"That's not good enough," Arya said, passionately. "Dad, you and I both know that what happened back then was fucked up on so many levels. I'm not saying get Mycah's dad hired for a job he isn't qualified for, but your word goes a long way and would really make a difference."
With that, Arya gave her father one last look and walked away.
~*~*~*~
"Mom, did you make this sauce," Robb gushed, as he poured some of his chicken.
Catelyn smiled. "No, Arya did and she helped cooked dinner too."
"Really?" Robb and the rest of the table whipped their heads to look at Arya.
"Yes," Arya said, as she rolled her eyes. "And the house didn't catch on fire—what a shocker."
"You say that as if it's not a reasonable conclusion," Rickon quipped.
Her family chuckled at the playful jab, while Sansa laughed a little too loud.
Arya knew that Rickon didn't mean anything by it, but jokes like that made her uncomfortable, especially because her sister was laughing to make her feel bad. It wasn't as if Arya couldn't laugh at herself, she could, but certain subjects were sore spots for her. Such as the one Rickon told: it was like a reminder of her incompetence at being "girly" enough. People wondered why she wasn't drawn to it like other girls as if it should be natural to her because of her gender. They wondered why she was good at it and told her that if she wanted a husband and kids, she needed to know how to cook. When she stomped her foot and huffed, 'No!' They playfully 'teased' her about being born in the wrong body, but it wasn't just about her indifference to cooking, it was everything: her aversion to dresses, rolling around in mud, plying traditionally boy games, not caring for boys, and so forth.
Even at a young age, Arya knew that she never wanted to be a boy; she just liked the freedoms that boys had. But, also, many of the behaviors and activities people wanted to be apart of Arya, it wasn't authentic to who she was. Even though her family had their thoughts on how a proper young lady should act, they weren't so bad. She hated the expectations, but she could deal. It was the other people, who were judgmental, that drove her crazy.
"Well, coming from a person who actually did have a kitchen fire, you don't have any room to talk."
Catelyn whipped her head towards Rickon. "You had a kitchen fire?" She then looked at Arya. "And you waited until now to say something?"
Arya stuffed food in her mouth and concentrated on chewing.
"Mom, it wasn't that big of a deal," Rickon dismissed. "It was a small kitchen fire."
At this, Arya made a noise as she choked on her food.
"Rickon!" Catelyn's eyes widen as she picked up Arya's implication.
"Thanks, Arya," he said, sarcastically.
"You're welcome." Arya smiled, as she ate the rest of her food.
Later on, as Arya lay in her bed and finished up on her assigned reading, Jon knocked on her door as he opened it. Arya threw a look at him and waved him in. She bookmarked her page, and then placed it on her nightstand.
"You're finally spending time with me before I leave," Arya said, while Jon grabbed a chair and pulled it next to her bed.
"I'm sorry, Arya, I just had some shit to take care of," he apologized. "I didn't know it was going to interfere with spending time with you."
After the dinner they had Arya's first full day back, Jon and Arya discussed spending time together, but then Jon got called away on business and was tied up.
"I'm here now." Jon rested his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands as he looked at Arya expectantly. "What's going on at…the Core?"
Arya knew better than to tell her brother she was having sex now. Although Jon was her favorite and they got along great, she didn't think he'd take that news too well.
Nonchalantly, she shrugged. "Nothing worth talking about," she lied. "Schoolwork, teamwork challenges, character building workshops—the norm."
"I mean, besides that," he brushed aside. Widely, he grinned at Arya, and then asked, "Do you have any special male friends?"
"God no." Arya shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I'm not interested in dating," she declared.
"Why not," he inquired.
Arya shrugged. "I'm just not; it doesn't appeal to me. All the relationship bullshit and other shit that comes with it—no thanks."
Jon laughed.
"It doesn't have to be that way, you know?" Jon moved to sit next to his sister as an amused expression appeared on his face. "You just have to find the right person."
"Yeah, but does it have to be right now," she shot back.
For a moment, Jon seemed to consider her words. "No, I just think you'd enjoy having a boyfriend—someone who'd let you boss them around," he joked.
"I'm not bossy," Arya shouted, to which Jon laughed. "I'm not!"
"Sure, you aren't," he said, sarcastically.
"Whatever," Arya brushed off. "Besides, what the fuck is up with me wanting to date? You're weirder than dad when it comes to guys looking at me."
Jon looked at his sister. "I just told yo—"
"I know what you just said," Arya interrupted. "But, it's weird. You've always been overprotective of me and now you want me to have a boyfriend to boss around?"
At this, Jon sighed as he looked at his hands.
Naturally, he felt protective of Arya because she was his sister. Sansa was his sister too, but she treated him like an outsider—as if he didn't belong, which she picked up from his stepmother. But, Arya always loved him and treated him like he was her full-blooded brother, but honestly, he didn't think Arya would care if he wasn't her real brother—she'd love him just the same. Perhaps, it'd be heartbreaking at first, but they truly had a bond that was deeper than what they had with their other siblings.
"Arya, you're overthinking this," he said, as he tried to steer Arya in another direction.
Arya rolled her eyes. "I'm not stupid, Jon."
"Of course you aren't," he agreed. "But, you're not a little girl anymore and I've come to terms with that."
"Oh, really," Arya smirked. "So, if I told you that I was spending my time having hot, sweaty sex, you wouldn't freak out about that?"
Jon's blank expression told her that he was indeed freaking out. Slowly, he turned and looked at his little sister with panicked eyes, and then smiled.
"But, you're not having hot, sweaty sex," he choked out, and then faked laughed. Nervously, he scratched his head. "Dating doesn't mean you're having sex."
"Yes," she agreed. "But, it eventually leads there."
"Not always," he denied.
"But, most times, especially with teens—you were one once," she added.
Jon stood up. "It's getting late," he said. Jon knew Arya was messing with him because he wasn't being forthcoming behind his interest in her dating life. If Jon were her, he would find it odd as well that he was inquiring about her dating life. "I need to get to bed."
Honestly, Jon hadn't given Arya's dating life much thought until Ygritte asked about it. Jon's dated a few girls who inquired about his siblings, especially his sisters, but all of them gravitated to Sansa due to her feminine nature, warm attitude, and overall shared interests. Arya's tomboy nature and sarcastic one-liners usually steered them away from trying to get to know his younger and favorite sister. The other girls knew how close Jon was to Arya, but they were too annoyed and/or intimidated by her to actually put in effort.
On Arya's part, she either didn't think too much of them or believed that they tried too hard. Then, there was the other part she wouldn't admit: she was afraid that she would become less important to him and he'd have less time for her. As much as she'd tried to brush it off as irrational, she couldn't help but be insecure when it came to the women Jon dated. Eventually, he'd get married and have a family, then where would she fit?
But, Jon was more focused on the present and if he and Ygritte fit.
He knew she wanted more than whatever they were, but Jon was unsure if he could give it to her. Although his feelings ran deep for her, he was coming to terms with the reality that they didn't blend well, but instead, they reacted to one another like oil and water.
Admittedly, this conclusion flat out conflicted with Ygritte's desires for their future: meeting each other families and moving in together. She said she wouldn't mind being married to him if they ever made it that far. Despite this, Ygritte informed Jon that she hadn't mapped out their life, but rather, their relationship showed potential of lasting. Unfortunately, Jon really couldn't see that. There was this feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him they had a short shelf life and that he shouldn't prolong their relationship.
Jon shook the thought from his head as he recalled the conversation he had with Ygritte about Arya. Although she and Arya had never officially met, they did talk on Skype a few times when she happened to be at his place while he was conversing with Arya. After one of those occasions, she asked about Arya's dating life. At first, Jon was confused, and then immediately became defensive at the thought of some twerp trying to date his sister.
"You know nothing, Jon Snow," Ygritte mumbled, as she shook her head.
"I know nothing," he said in disbelief. "I know how guys think and I'm sure as hell not going to let them near my little sister."
"How," Ygritte challenged, as she laughed. "You two are literally thousands of miles away from each other. What are you going to do when, not if, Arya comes home with a guy one day? Beat the shit out of him?"
"Ygritte," Jon said in a warning tone.
"I'm just saying, Jon." Ygritte spun around in the desk chair as she explained her opinion on the matter. "You go on about how smart Arya is, but then get all overprotective at the thought of her dating as if she'll get duped by some guy."
"Because I know how guys think," he repeated.
"No, because you know nothing," she mockingly repeated. "If you knew your sister then you'd know she wouldn't get involved with guys like that—she's too smart for that."
"And you know my sister better than me," he questioned.
"Apparently," Ygritte shrugged. "From what you've told me about Arya and from what I picked up talking to her, the last thing you have to worry about is her getting duped. She's got her head on her shoulders and would eviscerate a guy if he ever thought about trying to pull a stunt on her."
Jon quietly stared at Ygritte as spoke.
"Even if a guy had intentions of 'duping' Arya, he'd immediately be dissuaded after really getting to know her. He'd be certifiably insane to stick with such a plan."
"I guess I'm so protective of Arya because she has always had it difficult growing up," Jon explained. "She's just so misunderstood—even by me and understood and I don't want some douche trying to play her."
"And that's why you know nothing," Ygritte said, affectionately this time. "You're too busy worrying about the wrong thing. Arya can take care of herself; you should be worried about her finding a guy who accepts her as she is and adores her."
"Ygritte, besides the fact that I know Arya isn't interested in dating right now, she'll plenty of time to find the right guy—as in, guys who are older and actually mature."
Ygritte sighed.
"Jon, it's not a question of maturity," she explained. "Undoubtedly, they'll be guys interested in Arya: she's pretty, smart, and adventurous. But, at the same time, she's very opinionated and stubborn. She does what she wants and doesn't to all of that societal bullshit. For girls like that, when they do want to date, it gets lonely because they guys that are a catch are rare and the guys that aren't worth shit are common." She took a deep breath and looked at Jon. "And then when you do meet the 'right' guy, he could be this incredibly mature and fantastic guy, but he doesn't truly understand you. Then what? You can't just bank on everything working itself out."
"Ygritte, why do care so much," Jon asked, softly. "Arya's my sister not yours." As if Jon knew he said the wrong thing, he immediately said, "Let me guess: you were about to say I know nothing."
Silently, Ygritte looked at Jon and gave him a sad smile. "No, I was going to say, Arya reminds me of myself when I was her age; we may not be exactly alike, but I get certain parts of her. That's why I care." Ygritte got up and walked to the door. "I'm tired, I'm going to go to bed."
Jon was confused. He felt as if he missed something.
"Ygritte," he called after her and she stopped. "I appreciate you trying to look out for Arya, but you gotta admit that boys her age are stupid."
Ygritte leaned against the doorframe, and then folded her arms. A pensive look crossed her face.
"Boys at any age can be very stupid," she replied tiredly.
Jon felt as if he should know what that meant.
"Goodnight." Ygritte mumbled, and walked to his room.
In contemplation, Jon looked at his phone. Should he call her?
~*~*~*~
The rest of Arya's time home was spent hanging out with her family and siblings. It seemed to end just as quickly as it began.
Earlier in the week, Arya had gotten the morning after pill before she went over Mycah's. She could feel the pharmacist's judgmental eyes on her, but she didn't care. Society already judged everything she did and would find more reasons to criticize her, so why should she invest in their opinions of her? Regardless of what they thought about her having sex or, any young girl for that matter, it'd be a shit storm if she were to get pregnant as a teen. That's not even including how here family would react. Nope. She didn't have time for it.
Arya stuffed condom boxes deep in her suitcase, and then threw clothes on top of them. She didn't know if they'd be enough until Thanksgiving, but she hoped it was. She then closed the suitcase and exited her room. As she walked down the stairs, Robb appeared beside her and took the suitcase. They said their goodbyes as Robb but her suitcase and other things into the car. Rickon and Bran hugged their sister and told her that they'd see her again in a few months. Lastly, Jon pulled her into his arms and talked about how good it was to see her and that he'd he be better about coming around and seeing the family.
Arya arrived back at Wholistic Core after dinner and tiredly fell to her bed.
A light knocking on Arya's window awoke her. Groggily, she rubbed her eyes, and then opened the window already knowing who was other side. Involuntarily, a smile appeared on Arya's face. "Hey, Gendry."
"Hey," he said, returning her smile in equal vigor. "I knew you were supposed to return today and when I didn't see you I just figured you were busy or something."
"No, just tired," she explained. In a companionable silence, they looked at each other as she stood in her room and Gendry stood outside. "Get in here," she commanded, as she stepped away from the window.
Happily, Gendry hopped through the window and stood in front of Arya. He gently grabbed her hips and pulled her forward, and then hungrily kissed her.
"I missed you," he admitted.
Arya kissed him back.
"I missed you too," she said seriously.
Truth be told, Arya not wanting to come home was mostly about Gendry. Although she did mean the other things she explained to her mother, she couldn't leave Gendry without saying goodbye. And she already had a hard enough time as it was with the idea that they'd have to separate once she graduated.
But, they could keep in touch, couldn't they? Who said that they'd have to lose touch once she moved back home? They weren't children.
Slowly, they made their way to Arya's bed and laid down facing each other. In her mind, Jon's words were on repeat.
"It doesn't have to be that way."
"You just have to find the right person."
"You just have to find the right person."
"You just have to find the right person."
"It doesn't have to be that way."
"You just have to find the right person."
Their legs became tangled as they settled comfortably on the bed. Carefully, Arya moved closer to Gendry as he closed his eyes.
"We should date," she whispered.
Gendry stopped breathing for a second, and then resumed a moment later.
His eyes remained shut as he said, "Okay."
"Okay," she nodded, and then smiled before kissing Gendry. After a moment, she gave her words some thought. "By date I mean be boyfriend and girlfriend not go on a date," she clarified.
Finally, Gendry opened his eyes.
"I know," he smiled.
"Okay," she said. Arya flipped onto her back and looked at the ceiling. "We're dating," she said to herself. She didn't feel different, but she did. She then looked at Gendry. "You're my boyfriend."
"You're my girlfriend," he shot back.
"You're my boyfriend," she repeated, and then deeply kissed Gendry. "You're my boyfriend."
With a smile on her face, Arya sleepily closed her eyes as she lay in Gendry's arms.
"Don't forget to leave before wake up call," she warned.
"I'm not," he assured.
Overall, relationships didn't appeal to her, but a relationship with Gendry did.