Chapter Eighteen: Scare Tactics

Robb's Point of View

I told Loras I was getting a physical today. I wanted to keep him from worrying. But I am actually getting back the results of a test I had run a couple of days ago. I pace around the exam room waiting for my physician to come in and talk to me.

I check my watch again. I need to get home to Torrhen. Whatever this is I wish the doctor would have just told me over the phone. I have been stressing out over this for a month. I first noticed something was wrong right around the time Meera and I consummated our relationship. I don't blame her for anything, but that's when I noticed.

The doctor comes in. I sit on the exam table like a good boy. He takes my blood pressure and looks in my ears and tests my reflexes. I wait for him to ask his general questions before he gives me the results.

"The reason you've been so tired and irritable lately, Robb, is because you have diabetic hypoglycemia."

"So that's why I eat all the time," I say.

The doctor laughs. I just thought it was my metabolism. I'm not complaining, eating is something I quite enjoy doing. Meera will be so relieved.

"Um…is that why I've been passing out?" I ask.

"Yes."

The doctor explains everything I need to do to take care of this. First I have to tell my loved ones which is the part I am not looking forward to. He wants me to change my diet. I am not sure I am ready to do that either.

I leave the doctor's with a prescription for medication that I can take orally that will help. I am just happy I don't have to take shots. I am not so good with needles. On the ride home I question who I should tell first. Maybe I can tell everyone at the same time?

I find myself at home before I know it. I look in my rearview mirror at Meera's house across the street. I should tell her. She's my girlfriend. She's been worried sick over this for a month. Of course Loras has no idea anything is wrong. He has his own problems.

I get out of the truck and walk into my house where my entire family, except Jon, is waiting for me. I stare at the faces of my little brothers: Bran who has been in a wheelchair since he was seven and little Rickon who barely knows anything. It's not like I'm dying.

Sansa is holding Torrhen in her arms. I should get him checked out when he is old enough. He could have it too. Arya looks worried about me. My father has his arms around my mother. Are they waiting for me to announce I'm dying?

"I'm hypoglycemic and diabetic, apparently," I say.

My mom looks like she's about to fall down. I embrace her. She wraps her arms as tightly around me as she possibly can. I know this whole thing has scared her half to death.

"I thought you were dying," Mom says.

"I'm fine, Mom, really."

Arya hugs me next, and then my dad. He pats me on the back. I hug both my brothers at the same time. And Sansa hugs me and tries not to squish Torrhen between us.

"I'm glad you're okay," says Sansa.

"Me too," I say.

I go across the street to tell Meera. Then I realize she isn't home from play practice yet. Sansa and Arya came home early to find out my diagnosis. I go back inside and wait. I do homework at the table with Arya. I help her with math.

"Robb, Meera's home," says Bran.

"Thanks."

I go across the street to tell my girlfriend what happened at the doctor's office. She looks so pretty in her uniform. She smiles at me when I walk up. I suddenly feel nervous. The most beautiful girl ever is staring at me waiting for my news.

"Hi, Wolfy," says Meera.

I love you.

"I have to tell you something."

"Oh, how did it go at the doctor's?" Meera asks. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ears.

"That's what I need to tell you."

I don't waste any time. I explain to her what the doctor told me. A look of concern is plastered on her adorable face. I love it when she does this. Her nose scrunches up and her mouth turns down in one corner in a sort of lopsided frown. She's so cute.

"I'm going to take good care of you."

"I'm afraid you're cuteness is going to kill me," I tell her.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that to happen."

"Then stop being so cute."

"I'm not cute."

"You're unbelievably cute," I say smiling. She punches me in the arm. It feels like a mosquito bite. I laugh at her while she tries to beat me up. If she was any cuter I would die.

"You're pretty cute too," says Meera teasingly. She pets my arm. I want to purr like a cat but I don't have the capability for that. I get goosebumps all over from her touch.

"Oh great now I have cooties."

Meera rolls up my sleeve, "Circle, circle, dot, dot, now you have a cooties shot."

Take me, I'm yours.

"Thanks."

"Now kiss me," says Meera.

"Gladly," I tell her as I lean down to kiss her perfect lips. I put my hands on her hips and lift her off her feet to kiss her better. When I put her back down she giggles, but it sounds like a purr. She wraps her arms around me in a sweet hug. "I love you."

"I love you, Wolfy."

I laugh. I kiss her again and go back across the street to my house. I have the best girlfriend ever. I take my son upstairs, Grey Wind follows. I give him a pat on the head. He barks a greeting to me. I spend time with my son. He stares at me. I can see Jeyne in his eyes even though they are blue like mine. It's a shame her parents want nothing to do with this precious boy.

I put Torrhen to bed and contemplate calling Loras. I know I should tell him. He deserves to know. I look for his number in my phone's catalog. I can't bring myself to dial his number. Finally I put the phone down.

I get out of my truck at school and seven girls are waiting for me. All of them are giggling and batting their eye lashes. This is weird. The girls don't usually act strangely until I'm inside the school. A girl I assume to be the leader steps up holding a pink box.

"This is for you," she says.

I accept the box and take the top off. Inside are ten cookies shaped like wolves. They are each decorated a different color. I look at the girls who are staring at me intently waiting to see if I accept or reject their gift.

"Thank you," I say.

I really hope these aren't poisoned because they look delicious. I bite into one. It's so moist and chocolaty I drool a little bit. If only I had some milk. I spot Loras by my locker staring out into space when I arrive.

"Cookie?" I ask offering him one.

"No, thank you. Do you think Quentyn is cute?"

"He's not my type," I say taking my homework from last night out of my backpack. I grab the rest of my books and shove the pack in the locker. I put the box of cookies in the top, but not until after I snatch another.

"He's got a quality," says Loras dreamily.

"You seem distracted."

"I'm sorry what?" Loras says.

"Want a cookie?"

"Do you ever stop eating?" Loras asks.

"I need to tell you something."

Now, I have Loras's attention. He leans against the locker beside mine and stares up at me with those big honey colored eyes of his. The scent of peaches makes it way up my nose. I smirk. I take a deep breath and tell him.

Loras hugs me tightly. I hug him back for a moment, but he won't let go. He nuzzles his head against my chest and I am left with no choice but to pat his hair.

"Don't die, I love you."

"I'm not going to die, Loras," I tell him, "Please get off me."

Loras straightens up. He kisses me on the cheek quickly. I wipe it off before someone notices. I bite into the leg of the wolf cookie.

"Oh, I almost forgot, I have something to tell you too."

I am not sure I like where this is going, but he listened while I gave him my news so the least I could do is return the favor.

"What?"

"You're not going to believe this."

"Try me."

"I was hanging out after school yesterday waiting for Quentyn so we can start tutoring and I stumbled upon a meeting, more like a cult gathering, but anyways, you will never guess what it was."

"Was it a gathering of sorcerers?"

"No. It was your fan club."

"I have a fan club? Did you hit your head?"

"Yes! No, I didn't hit my head. Robb, there were forty girls in this classroom and they were saying pledges to you, and they have this collage with a million photos of you."

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head?"

Did he say a fan club? Since when do I have a fan club? I'm not famous. He must have fallen down the stairs or something.

"Robb, I'm serious. The president of the club is your ex."

"Okay, now I know you're kidding. This isn't funny. It's actually a little creepy."

"That's what I said."

"Look, I don't know what kind of joke this is, but I have to get to class. I'll see you at lunch. If you want a cookie they're in my locker."

I walk away leaving Loras with his stupid story about fangirls. He is letting his new role go to his head. What a ridiculous idea? Why would I have a fan club? That would explain the mysterious girls with the box of scrumptious cookies, but maybe they were being nice.

More importantly, why would Jeyne be the president of my fan club if I did have one? Wouldn't it make more sense for Meera to be the president not that said fan club exists? I can't focus on any of my morning classes because this stupid joke of Loras's is all I can think about.

I bump into a girl after class who hands me a mixed CD of different songs. There are four Ironborn songs on here. She tries to strike up a conversation, but we are interrupted by another girl who smells like my cologne.

Damn you, Loras.

If he paid these girls to freak me out I'm going to kick his ass. This is getting really weird. I mean weirder than usual. I duck into my father's office to escape the four girls who showed up to walk me to my next class.

"Robb, what are you doing?" asks Dad.

"Hiding," I say.

"From whom?"

"Girls."

"Do what you need to do," says Dad. He pats me on the back. I watch from the window in the main office as the girls gather around waiting for me to come out. I am going to kill Loras. When the bell rings I wait until the hallway clears before I go to my locker. I get a late pass from Dad.

I make it through the rest of my morning classes. I book it to my locker to put my books away before lunch. I grab Gendry when he asks if I want to walk to lunch with him. I use him as a shield.

"Are you on drugs?" Gendry asks.

"I think there was something in those cookies," I say.

"What's wrong with Robb?" Loras asks when I get in line behind him. I grab him by the shoulders and shake him. "Wow, calm down. You look deranged."

"Tell it true. Did you pay those girls to freak me out?"

"What girls?"

"Girls have been following me around all day trying to give me presents. Some of them tried to walk me to class. It's freaking me out. One girl smelled like my cologne."

"I tried to tell you this morning. Where do you think your shirts went?"

"Why is this happening?"

"I don't know. I was just as freaked out as you are. It's creepy and I don't like it."

"Did I miss something?" asks Gendry, "Other than Robb going crazy."

"Hi, Robb," says a girl I don't know. She touches my arm and I nearly jump out of my skin. Another girl appears at the other side of me. I start seeing them everywhere.

I feel like I am about to pass out. I need to sit down. Gendry helps me to my seat on the high platform, Loras pays for my lunch and brings back two plates. He rubs my back while I munch on chicken strips and fries.

Margaery and my sisters join us. I glance around the cafeteria for Meera but I don't see her. When Gendry sits down I ask him if he has seen my girlfriend. He shakes his head no. Finally, Meera arrives accompanied by Dacey Mormont, who has been sitting with us off and on for two weeks. She has an open invitation.

I give my girlfriend a sweet kiss and pull her chair as close to mine as allowed while at school. I put my hand on her knee. She giggles. I breathe in the scent of her shampoo and feel myself starting to stiffen.

"I have something for you," says Dacey.

Not her too.

She puts two folded shirts in front of me. One of them is my Ironborn shirt. The other is a purple stripped shirt with a collar that I planned to wear on a date with Meera but it was taken out of my locker. I am so happy to have them back I hug them close to me.

"How did you get these?" I ask.

"I saw some 10th grade girls arguing over them near your locker. I recognized that Ironborn shirt. You are one of the few guys in this school cool enough to like that band so I figured it was yours."

"I could hug you," I tell her.

"Please don't," says Dacey.

"I second that," says Meera.

"Honey, you don't have to worry about me, I am not interested in Robb-o like that. He's a bit too thin for my taste. I like my men with some meat on their bones. I could go for some of Gends," she says winking at Gendry.

"You want some of me, baby?" Gendry winks.

Arya wedges herself between them.

"What about me?" Loras asks.

"I don't go for the pretty guy type," says Dacey.

"At least one of you has a brain," says Arya.

"Speaking of pretty guys, Margaery, how are things going with Aegon?" asks Meera.

"He's so dreamy. We went to this fancy Italian restaurant and then he took me to the park where we had a dance in the moonlight. It was so romantic," says Margaery.

Gag me.

"He asked me out for this Friday," says Sansa.

"Well you're going to back out of it, he's my boyfriend," says Margaery.

"He is not your boyfriend. You had one date. Aegon and I have been on two," Sansa says.

"Girls, enough," I say.

They put Meera between them. I am forced to sit next to my sister instead of my girlfriend. I push Sansa's chair away from me. Its weird having a girl I'm related to practically on my lap. Instead I focus on Loras who is unusually quiet. He's sighing and staring off into space.

I wave my hand in front of his face. He snaps out of it, blushes, and looks at his milk carton. He has not touched his lunch. There is something really weird going on with him. He's been distracted all day.

"Dacey, since you don't like pretty guys, what do you think of Quentyn?" Loras asks causally, I notice a little pinkness in his cheeks.

"Martell? I like his olive skin. I think it's exotic. He's not bad. He's still a bit thin for my taste. That boyfriend of yours is pretty hot though," she says.

"Renly and I broke up," Loras says.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear it."

"You know, D, Renly and I look alike, does that mean I'm hot too?" asks Gendry.

She winks at him. Arya clears her throat loudly. Why did Loras ask Dacey if she thinks Quentyn is hot? What am I missing here?