Chapter 34

Daenerys Targaryen POV

I haven't talked to Cersei since our argument, and I'm honestly fine with that. I thought I would miss her more, but I actually feel relief. I feel bad saying it, and I did miss her a little bit at my last shift. I thought I would still be missing her, but she really started to contribute a lot of negativity and stress into my life.

I'm walking on campus when I see Cersei walking in the opposite direction. This is weird, we've never just bumped into each other like this. We make eye contact, and I wave shly at her.

"Hey," I say when we meet. "Funny seeing you here."

"Just going to class," she says. She clearly couldn't tell that I was making a joke. "How are you?"

"I'm okay," I say. "You?"

"Fine I guess," she says. "Albeit a little concerned now that I don't have a job."

I just roll my eyes, she's never had to worry about money a day in her life. I haven't either, but I don't try to pretend I have.

"Cersei, I didn't tell the manager," I say. "I have no idea who it was, but I promise you it wasn't me."

"I don't think I believe you," she says. "You would do something like that to teach me a lesson."

"Why would I have waited to tell on you?" I ask. "Why wouldn't I do it immediately the first time you drank on the job if I was going to do that?"

"I don't know, Dany," she says. "You tell me."

I take a deep breath and look up at the sky, I just don't know what to do with her anymore.

"You know," I say. "I wanted to stay supportive of you, but you're making it really hard."

"Oh, I am?"

"Yes," I say. "Ever since you started dating Bronn—actually way before that— you've become even more unhinged than usual."

"You mean with my partying?" She asks. I just give her a look. "Come on, I had to take care of you when you got drunk in high school all the time."

"Yeah, because Khal Drogo would be constantly feeding me drinks," I say. "God knows what was in them." I really mean that, he would give me drinks and I'm almost positive he used to drug them.

"Still, I took care of you," she says. "I didn't have to do that."

"That's what friends do," I say. "That's what sisters do, you always said we were sisters."

"So I have to do it for you, but you complain when you have to do the same for me?"

"I've taken care of you when you were drunk so many times, Cersei," I say. "And I've never conplained."

"But you judge me," she says. "You've made that very clear that you don't agree with what I do."

"I've come home to you passed out drunk and high on Xanax, and I was the one to get you water and put you to bed," I say. "Don't you dare try to tell me I haven't been there for you."

"I didn't even ask for your help those times," she says. "How dare you judge me for something you inserted yourself into."

I pause. I can't believe she would put it like that. What was I suppsed to do, let her stay laying on the floor in her own vomit? Any decent person would help someone after seeing them in that state.

"I don't know what else I can do, Cersei," I say. "Am I supposed to not tell you when I'm concerned about you?"

"It's beyond concern," she says. "You're judgemental and you hover over me. If you were actually concerned, you would have brought it up privately instead of just trying to be a babysitter."

I'm not sure what she expects me to do. I wasn't about to let her hurt herself, and she should know I can't rationally talk to her when she's like that. When I have tried to bring it up, she just snaps at me. She does the same thing to Jaime.

"I know you don't like that I'm with Jon and that we aren't partiers anymore," I say. "I'm just trying to help steer you in the right direction so that you aren't harming yourself."

"Well maybe I don't need that," she says. "Maybe if I needed or wanted your help, I would ask."

I pause for a moment, I can't imagine treating her like this after everything we've done for each other. This is not the same best friend I've always had.

"I've just been worried about you," I say. "That's really all it is."

"Well don't," she says. "Worry about your perfect grades and your perfect job and your perfect boyfriend. You've always only cared about being perfect."

"Fine," I say, starting to tear up. She can't see me cry right now. "Don't expect me to respond to your texts or pick up your calls anytime soon."

I walk away from her and head to class, I'm not sure I should've said that. I don't know what I'm going to do with her. We've always been there for each other, since we were six years old. I never thought I would be in this predicament with her. I thought we'd be there for each other for the rest of our lives.

I wanted to stick by her and help her through whatever it is that she's going through, but I'm starting to think I can't anymore. I'm starting to think she wouldn't do the same things for me that I've done for her, even though I always thought she would.

The fact that she doesn't believe me when I say that I didn't cause her to get fired is pissing me off. She clearly has far less faith in me than a best friend should have, even Jaime is starting to see through her and distance himself. I never expected that to happen. I love her and we grew up together, but I'm starting to think I can't do it with her anymore.

Cersei Lannister POV

I can't believe Dany is acting like this towards me, especially after everything I've done for her. I could've been a lot meaner since I know she's the one that got me fired. And honestly, I'm right. She's always cared the most about her image above anything else, we both know it.

After my class, I head over to Bronn's place. I planned to sleep over there tonight, and I really don't want to deal with Jaime right now.

He opens the door after I knock, and I immediately walk in and head to the kitchen. "I need a drink," I say, opening his cabinets. "Dany is pissing me off."

"I just have beer," he says. "I ran out of the other stuff."

"Well can we go get some?" I don't mean to snap at him, I'm just incredibly on edge right now.

"Of course," he says. "Are you okay?"

"I'll tell you when I have alcohol in me," I say. I walk out of the kitchen and see Jorah on the couch. "Oh, hi Jorah."

"Hi Cersei," he says. "Are you staying here tonight?"

"I was planning on it."

"Yeah, man," Bronn says. "I told you that."

"Is that okay?" I say.

"Yeah," he says, getting up and heading to his room. "That's fine."

Whatever, I don't have time for this. We leave and go to a liquor store. We mostly don't talk on the drive there or back, and he waits in the car while I go and get it. We get back, and I immediately go into his room and slam the door behind us.

"Can you tell me what's wrong?" He asks me.

I sit on his bed and take a deep breath. I pour some alcohol in a glass that was on his nightstand and take a large swig.

"I ran into Dany on my way to class," I say. "She and I got into it."

He sits next to me. "I'm so sorry," he says. "About what?"

"She said she's been feeling like I've been more unhinged lately," I say. "Mainly since I started dating you."

"She just brought that up out of nowhere?"

"Well no," I say. "She asked me how I was, and I brought up that I was still upset that I got fired."

"Do you still think it was her that snitched on you?" He asks me.

I take another long drink. "I know it was," I say. "No one else would've cared enough or wanted to teach me a lesson enough to get me fired."

"You're probably right then," he says. "Do you think she'll ever admit it?"

"No," I say, taking another drink and then pouring myself more. "All she cares about is being perfect, and that's what I told her."

"What did she say to that?"

"She started tearing up to get sympathy like she always does," I say, taking yet another swig. "She then said she didn't want to talk to me for a while and she walked away."

"How do you feel about that?" He asks.

"What do you mean?" I respond.

"Are you upset that she doesn't want to talk to you right now?"

I take a deep breath. "Honestly, no," I say. "I've always cherished our friendship, but she's getting on my last nerve. Her little-miss-perfect attitude has always annoyed me."

"Was she like that in high school?"

"Yeah," I say. "I think the fact that everyone thought she was perfect already got to her head. She used to whine and cry about her dad all the time to me, I know she just wanted a fucking pity party."

"I don't know her that well, but I know Jorah was in love with her for so long," Bronn says. "He might even still be."

"For real?"

"Yeah," he says. "He told me. He was hoping she'd break up with Jon."

"Dany is pretty, but she's obsessed with Jon," I say. "He should definitely let it go."

"Hopefully he has by now," he says. There's a pause. "Do you want to have fun. I finally got coke, I almost never can get it."

"Why didn't you start with that?" I ask. "I've never done it before."

"I wanted you to get off your chest whatever you needed to," he says. "But I know you'll feel better after we do some."

I finish my drink and he gets it ready. I do immediately feel happier, I'm not sure why I didn't try this before. I feel like I could do anything. I know it's bad, but I just did one line and then another later in the night. I don't know why everyone always tried to scare us away from drugs, but it's really not that dangerous if you pace yourself.

"Do you feel better?" He asks me after a while.

"Yeah, this is awesome," I say. I playfully shove him. "I hate you for not getting this before."

"It's hard to get ahold of," he says. "You know that. And I had to set some aside to sell first."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, whatever," I say, laughing. "What if I can't sleep?"

"We'll just do some Xanax," he says. "That'll knock you right out."

"Is that safe?" I ask, even though I realize I don't really care as I'm asking.

"If you wait a bit," he says. "You shouldn't just do one after the other, and definitely don't alternate between the two."

"Okay," I say. "I trust you."

I wish Dany and I weren't arguing like this, but I more wish she would just be honest. I'd be pissed, but at least we could talk openly about it. I don't know where our friendship goes from here, she's working my last nerve at this point. I love her, but I don't know what to do.

Sansa Stark POV

We got our cheer practice schedule for this week, a while ago, but I'm just now checking it. I really shouldn't procrastinate like this, but I've just been so busy lately. I skimmed it a couple days ago, but I didn't remember everything that was on it. I'm looking over it while I'm waiting for Myrcella to be done with choir. I'm driving her home today.

As I'm looking over the schedule, I notice that I have cheer practice on the day of Arya's fencing competition. Shit, there's absolutely no way I'd be able to make it. We have a cheer practice for most of the afternoon, and those fencing matches are always at least 30 minutes away.

As I'm going over my predicament, Myrcella gets into the car. "Hey," she says. "Sorry for keeping you waiting."

"It's fine, it was just a few minutes," I say. "How was choir?"

"Good," she says. "How was cheer?"

"It was fine, but now I'm stressing."

"Why, what's wrong?"

"I just looked at my schedule for thw rest of the week," I say as we start driving away from school. "I have practice on the same day as Arya's fencing competition. I promised her I would go."

"Well I'm sure she'll understand," Myrcella says. "You're the captain, you kind of have to go to practice."

"I know," I say. "I hope she understands, but she's been feeling down and was really excited to get back into competing."

"Is anyone else going?"

"Yeah," I say. "My younger brothers and parents are going."

"See?" Myrcella asks. "It's not like she'll have no one there to support her."

"I know," I say. "But I still feel bad."

I drop Myrcella off and immediately head home. I make a plate of food that my mom made for dinner and head up to my room. Arya is in our room reading. I know I need to tell her, I'm just nervous because I feel bad.

"Hey," Arya says. "How was cheer?"

"It was fine," I say, sitting down with my food. "But I wanted to talk to you about something?"

"What is it?"

"I won't be able to make it to your fencing competition," I say. "I just realized I have practice that day."

She stops reading and looks at me. "Why didn't you tell me that when I first asked?" She asks.

"I just checked my schedule," I say. "I know I should've checked earlier, but I didn't think about it."

"I told you that you coming was important to me," she says. "You knew that."

"I know, Arya," I say. "But it wasn't on purpose, I really didn't mean for this to happen."

She pauses and takes a deep breath. "I finally have gotten back into doing the stuff I love," she says. "I was so excited for you to come see me."

"Come on, it's not that big of a deal," I say. "You've done this a million times before."

"But I've been feeling really down," she says. "This is the first time in a while I've felt up to competing."

"It's not like you need for me to be there," I say. "Mom, dad, and the boys will be there to support you."

"Well I really wanted you there," she says. "And the main issue I have is that you promised me you would come."

"I think Bran is even bringing Meera," I say. "You like Meera."

"You're the most important," she says. "I feel like you've almost never seen me fence."

I didn't know my support was the most important thing to her, I didn't think it mattered this much. "That's not true," I say. "I've seen you fence lots of times."

"Not really," she says. "And definitely not in a long time."

I pause, I'm unsure of what to say. Clearly she's upset, but there isn't much I can do. I really didn't expect her to be this upset, I didn't think this would be as big of a deal as it apparently is.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Arya," I say. "It's not like I can just not go to practice."

"You haven't missed one all year," she says. "Can't you skip this one since you already committed to my thing first?"

"I'm the captain," I say. "No, I can't just skip one practice. Cheering is as important to me as fencing is to you."

"Clearly it's more important," Arya says under her breath. That really pisses me off.

"Arya, come on," I say. "I know you wouldn't do the same for me, would you?"

"I might," she says. "Especially if I already committed to going to your thing. Besides, this isn't even a competion. It's just a regular practice."

"Well I have to go," I say. "I'm sorry I didn't check sooner, but there isn't anything I can do about it now."

Arya sighs and closes her book. She gets up and heads towards our bedroom door.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"I'm sleeping in Robb and Jon's old room," she says. "I can't be around you right now."

She walks out of our room, slamming the door behind her. She's being ridiculous, this really isn't a big deal. I had to cancel something and she's extremely overreacting. Like I said, our parents and siblings will be there to support her.

I know she's been having a hard time lately, but that doesn't mean it's right for her to expect me to give up what's important to me to support her. I know I promised her that I would go to her fencing competition, but things change. I really just made an honest mistake, that's it.