#and podrick hatches the start of a plan
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Iambic Pentameter
Catch up from the beginning. Read Chapter 2.
Sheâs Got The Look
Arya glared down at her notebook, blank except for the pen doodles in the margins. She would love her final period Literature class if only Mr. Dondarrion would let them read something written by someone other than old, dead, white men. Who decided that Steffon Fossoway had more literary value than Nymeria Ny Sar? Nymeria was a Rhoynish rebel during the Valyrian uprisings and her writings reflected the plight of her people as they fled across the Sunset Sea to Dorne. Fossoway just wanted to relive his âglory daysâ of war through stilted sentence structure and pretentious metaphors about sunlight. This wasnât what sheâd had in mind when sheâd petitioned Mr. Dondarrion to allow her to take the senior level class as a junior.
She would also love this class even more if there was a seating arrangement that didnât have Joffrey Baratheon sitting directly behind her. He kept knocking his foot against her chair leg and she was going to lose it on the little snot-nosed southern princeling if he didnât knock it off soon. She didnât care that their fathers were best friends, that his grandfather was on the Small Council, and his mother was THE Kingâs Landing socialite, he was a prick. One who seemed to know just how to push her buttons. If she could keep a lid on her frustration that would be a small victory for her.
Arya tuned back in to the lecture just as one of her classmates was lavishing praise on Fossoway, âHis prose is so romantic,â Marella Rosby was gushing.
Arya scoffed audibly, âRomantic? Fossoway? He was a misogynistic alcoholic who spent most of his life trying to shag Aerion Targaryenâs leftovers.â
From behind her Joffrey cut in, âAs opposed to a bitter, self-righteous twit who has no friends?â
Arya rolled her eyes. She could see Mr. Dondarrion sigh when she carried on as though she hadnât heard Joffrey, âI guess in our society being a male and an asshole makes you worthy of our time, Baratheon ,â she could hear his snicker. âWhat about Argella Durrandon, or Elissa Farman, or Nymeria Ny Sar? Why canât we read something from-â
The classroom door swung open, cutting her off. The half of the class that wasnât already facing Arya, and unintentionally the door, to watch her soapbox turned as one to see who was there. Standing in the doorway was Gendry Waters, his unruly black hair falling over his high forehead into his bright blue eyes, scruff decorating his sharp jawline, and the other reason Arya couldnât enjoy her Literature class. When he even bothered to show up to class he always sat brooding in the back corner smelling faintly of cigarette smoke. He never participated in discussions, she never saw him turn in work, and when it was time for partnered essay editing she always seemed to get stuck with him. Heâd flip through the first few pages of her draft before sliding it back to her with a wink and nary a word or a pen mark before slipping out of the classroom as soon as Mr. Dondarrionâs back was turned. It was infuriating.
âWhat did I miss?â His school bag was hanging haphazardly over his shoulder as he leaned against the door frame, everyoneâs attention now firmly on him.
Arya rolled her eyes, and turned back towards the front of the classroom, âJust the oppressive, patriarchal values that dictate our education.â
âCool,â with a crash the door swung shut behind him as her annoyance returned to whatever it was he did when he wasnât sitting in Junior Literature, ignoring her essays and winking those blue eyes at her.
Mr. Dondarrion sighed again, his head in his hands. âMiss Stark, thank you for sharing your opinion on Steffon Fossoway and our curriculum. Youâre dismissed.â
Aryaâs jaw dropped, she hadnât done anything today to warrant this, âBut, Mr. Dondarrion!â
âDismissed, Miss Stark.â
With a huff, Arya slapped her notebook closed and stood. She made sure to clip Joffreyâs shoulder with her elbow as she stepped past him, fuming, into the hall.
---
Miss Tarth raised a pale eyebrow as Arya swept into the Main Office. âMr. Dondarrion, again?â she asked, knowingly. Arya nodded before pointing at Ms. Smallwoodâs open door with a cocked eyebrow of her own. Miss Tarth sighed and gestured for Arya to enter the guidance counselorâs office. Ms. Smallwood was typing away at her computer talking under her breath as Arya stood in the doorway. Suddenly her head shot up and she shouted, âBrienne! Whatâs another word for âengorgedâ?â
Arya turned back to look at the secretary. Miss Tarth was staring at the ceiling with a long suffering expression and a slight blush before she replied, âIâll look it up.â
Arya stepped all the way into the counselorâs office, closing the door behind her, âTurgid?â
Ms. Smallwood cocked her head to the side and thought for a moment. âPerfect!â she chirped before making a few keystrokes and waving Arya into the plain wooden chair in front of her desk. âSo, I hear you were terrorizing Mr. Dondarrionâs Literature class again.â
Arya frowned as she sat, âExpressing my opinion is not a terrorist action.â
Ms. Smallwood looked up from her computer and adjusted her spectacles, âThe way you expressed your opinion to Elmar Frey? By the way, his testicle retrieval operation went well, if youâre interested.â
Arya faked a concerned smile, âGood for him. I still maintain that he kicked himself in the balls.â
Ms. Smallwood sighed, âThe point is Arya, people find you a bitâŚâ
âTempestuous?â Arya supplied.
âBitch from the Seventh Hell is the term used most often. You might want to work on that.â With that the older woman gave a firm nod and turned back to her computer screen.
Arya stared at Ms. Smallwood for a moment before standing to leave, obviously dismissed, âAs always, thank you for your excellent guidance. Iâll let you get back to Aegonâs quivering member.â
The door swung shut behind her and Arya heard Ms. Smallwood mumble, ââQuivering memberâ, I like that. Iâm going to use that,â as the frantic typing resumed.
---
The day finally ended and Pod found himself back in the main courtyard with Hot Pie again. Hot Pie was going on about some hostile take-over in the KLP Baking Club that had his croissants branded âstore-boughtâ much to his offense and dismay. Pod nodded along vaguely as he scanned the courtyard for shining copper hair, straightening slightly when Sansa Stark finally made her appearance. He wasnât the only one who noticed her arrival though, sprawled on a low wall near them was a small group of guys ringed around a smug-looking blond who was clearly their leader. One of the boys nudged the blond as Sansa approached with the same friend from that morning. Both Sansa and the blond made eye contact as the girls walked by, Sansa smiling shyly and tossing her hair as they went. Just as they passed the blond called out, âLooking good ladies.â
Both girls glanced back briefly as he gave them an appreciative once over before they continued on through the courtyard, giggling as they made their way towards the parking lot. Pod felt nearly invisible as Sansa and her friend passed by him and Hot Pie without so much as a glance in their direction. He sighed quietly and turned back towards Hot Pie who was shaking his head slightly at Podâs reaction.
Before either of them could speak they heard one of the boys in the circle around the blond say, âSheâs out of reach even for you, Joff.â
The blond scoffed, âNo oneâs out of reach for me.â
âWant to put money on that?â the other boy replied.
âMoney Iâve got. This Iâll do for fun.â Joff sneered.
Pod huffed in disgust and it was Hot Pieâs turn to sigh. Slinging an arm around Podâs shoulders he turned them away from the other boys, âThat, my friend, is Joffrey Lannister. Richest asshole at KLP, donât mess with him. Rumor has it he once had a kid expelled for taking the last energy drink out of the vending machine right before he got there. Heâs a model too.â
âWait, heâs a model?â Pod laughed.
âMostly regional stuff, but word on campus is heâs got a big tube sock ad coming up.â
âReally?â both boys snickered before Pod looked back towards Sansa who had paused with her friend at the edge of the courtyard, âMan, look at her. Is she always so-â
âVapid?â Hot Pie commented.
âHow can you say that! Sheâs-â
âTotally conceited,â Hot Pie deadpanned.
âNo! Thereâs more to her than you think. Just look at her. Thereâs something in her eyes. Sheâs totally pure. Youâre missing whatâs there!â Pod exclaimed quietly, aware that his voice could carry through the crowd if he wasnât careful. He wanted to woo Sansa, not have her start off thinking he was a creep.
âNo Pod,â Hot Pie sighed, âWhatâs there is a haughty little princess wearing a strategic sundress that makes guys like us realize we can never touch her. And guys like Joffrey realize they want to. Put her in your spank bank and move on, man.â
âNo, no. Youâre wrong about her. Well,â he paused for a moment, âmaybe not about the last bit but the rest, youâre wrong.â
âOh Iâm wrong?â Pie smirked slightly, âYou know, sheâs actually looking for a Volanti tutor.â
âThatâs perfect!â
âYou speak Volanti?â Hot Pie questioned, looking surprised that Pod had jumped on his suggestion so quickly.
âUh, no. But I will!â Surely it couldnât be that hard. They could learn it together if he could just stay a lesson or two ahead. Heâd just moved here, no one needed to know heâd taken two, broken up, years of Braavosi. The root language was the same, he could fake it, right?
#iambic pentameter#gendrya#gendrya fanfic#10 things i hate about you AU#arya stark#gendry waters#my writing#chapter 2: she's got the look#in which we meet arya and gendry#and podrick hatches the start of a plan#we've reached the 10 minute mark of the movie
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