I had three texts and two missed calls from Charley the next day. I ignored them. I already knew what she was doing. I didn’t want any part of that place, that school. I should have just kept my head down and my mouth shut.
But there was something undeniably provocative about Robert Lannister. It was difficult to do exactly that. Instead, I threw myself into my community college courses and took care of my older mother. She was sixty-one, and was close to retiring. I lived with her my whole life, even after my father died three years ago. To this day, I had no idea how to fill the void his absence left, but I was trying. It didn’t help that he had asked me to go to South Haven with him that day, the day of the attack, and I refused. Maybe if I had just said yes…
I couldn’t think like that. I knew it. It had been three years. But that decision haunted me even today. I didn’t even remember why I said no.
Not that it mattered.
I said no, and he was dead.
I tried to live life the way I thought he would have wanted. Part of that was to get an education, even if it was just an AA degree from a city college since that was all me and Mom could afford.
On the third day, Wednesday, I was ready to collapse. I just had a midterm in Bio and I had a paper due in Brit Lit tomorrow that I still needed to proofread. But the second I stepped into our small apartment and smelled the camomile tea, I knew my mom had a visitor.
“So she is alive.”
I nearly dropped my book bag.
What the hell was Robert Lannister doing in my house?
Despite the fact that he wasn’t tall, his presence overwhelmed the space. It was like being smothered even though he was tucked in the dining room Mom and I created by shoving a small dining table in the corner of the kitchen. He was sitting by my mother, Target tea cup in his hand like he wasn’t used to fine china, dark eyes on me, like I was the only girl in the world.
Which was the worst feeling in the world.
My mother chuckled - her laughter could never be referred to as giggling but it was something girlish and amused without being dramatic. I loved my mother’s laughter - especially since there wasn’t much to smile about.
But now?
It grated on my nerves.
“You’ve been ignoring Spider’s texts?”
I refused to acknowledge him. I turned to look at my mom. “What is he doing here?” I asked.
My mom tilted her head to the side and wrinkled her brows. “Lara-Jayne,” she said in that non-nonsense tone. “I know you aren’t being rude to our guest. I know I raised you better than that.”
I pressed my lips together. If I could erase the blush currently splattered across my face like blood residue, I would have. As it was, I had to jerk my head so more of my hair fell into my face, hoping that was enough to mask its presence.
“This is Robert Lannister,” my mother said as though it wasn’t the most obvious thing in the world. She gestured with her natural grace at him, widening her eyes as if to say, This is a big deal so don’t fuck it up.
Except my mother would never say such a bad word.
“Yes, we’ve met,” Robert said. I hated that he still looked at me. That gaze was paralyzing. “Actually, Hilda, I didn’t know your lovely daughter here knows about quantum physics and the like?”
“Oh, she’s always loved things like that,” my mother said, leaning back on her chair. There was pride in her voice, and warmth fluttered in my chest. “It goes over my head, you know. I was never a fan. But she really jumped into the sciences. She likes understanding how the world works.”
“I get that.” Still looking at me. What a weirdo. “Totally get it.” Finally, finally, he turned to look at my mother. “Hilda, tell me, dear, why isn’t she at Godslayer?”
I nearly choked on my own spit, something I managed to control when he referred to my mother as dear.
My mother’s eyes widened at the question, hand covering her chest. “Oh, what a question,” she said. “I always thought she had a mind for it, you know. Always the smartest girl in her class. Valedictorian at her high school. You know she had to give a speech and everything?”
“Did she now?” Robert’s eyes widened as he looked at me again. “A speech, you say?”
He wasn’t being rude to my mom. More like he was directing whatever this attitude he had at me. Like it was my fault we couldn’t go to his fancy school.
“Sorry, but we couldn’t afford the tuition,” I said bluntly, finally stepping into the kitchen to grab something to eat. Where was my Crispix?
“Apply for a scholarship,” he said quickly. The scrape of his seat alerted me to the fact that he was out of his chair, following me in the kitchen.
“Now, Lara,” my mother said. “It’s uncouth to talk about money -“
“I’m just being honest,” I said as I opened up the fridge. I glanced over my shoulder at him, still a relatively safe distance away. But he was teetering the line. “And since we can barely keep our heads above water after what happened in South Haven -“
“Lara,” my mother said.
“You were affected by what happened in South Haven?” Robert asked, persistent.
“Lara,” my mother tried again.
“My dad died,” I said. I snapped the fridge door closed, taking the milk to the sink. “He was the one with the income. My mother can’t work. So, if I want any kind of education -“
“Why didn’t you apply for the Med Fund?” Robert asked.
I turned away from the tinkling cereal as it hit the bowl to contort my face into something resembling disbelief. “The Med Fund?”
“Lannister Industries created a fund for everyone personally involved in the aftermath of what happened,” Robert said, taking a step towards me. The right side of his body leaned against the counter, which was strange since his fancy suit was pressed into a countertop that hadn’t been washed in months. “It helps everyone. Everyone affected qualifies -“
“Yeah, well, that’s not what I was told when I applied for it three years ago.” I set the cereal on the counter and opened the milk. I didn’t want to talk about this, especially not with him. And not in front of my mother.
“That’s impossible,” he said. “I specifically -“
“Look.” I slammed the milk on the counter, causing droplets to shoot up and litter the surface. “That’s what happened. If you said something or the rules said this, I don’t care. I applied. I was rejected. Apparently, we make too much, which is hilarious, because even as a part-time records specialist at the police department, I’m only allowed to work ten hours a week because of some weird rule they have with benefits. So, sure, eighteen fifty is great, but when I’m only working ten hours a week, that’s not enough to get by.”
There was silence. As calmly as I could, I placed the milk back into the fridge and replaced the cereal in the small pantry. I wouldn’t look at him as I made my way to the table and plopped down in front of my mom.
“Let me look into this,” he said, walking over to me. “That’s not supposed to happen.”
I shrugged. “You can do what you want,” I said, scooping up some cereal on my spoon, “but I’d rather not hear about it.”
Robert dropped into his seat just as I shoved my spoon into my mouth. Placing his arms on the table, he leaned towards me.
“Is that why you won’t apply for a scholarship to the academy?” he asked.
I rolled my eyes. Eating my cereal after school was supposed to be cathartic. I still had to look over my paper and I didn’t need Robert Lannister’s voice in my head the whole time, distracting me.
“What’s your opinion?” Robert turned to my mom when he realized I wasn’t going to answer him with my mouth filled with food. “Do you agree with this decision?”
My mother sat back. “My daughter is an adult and she’s faced a lot of hardships in her life,” she said slowly. “She makes her decisions and I support her because I trust her.”
I locked eyes with my mom and gave her an appreciative smile before wiping away some of the milk that dribbled down my chin.
“What? Her potential -“
“With all due respect, Mr. Lannister, what do you know about her potential?” my mother asked. I took another bite of my cereal, hiding my smirk behind my spoon as best as I could. This was her no-nonsense, don’t fuck with me voice. “You said you encountered her a few days ago in the lecture hall because she accompanied her best friend to a meeting. That took what, ten minutes? How could you garner anything about her potential in that time?”
“I’m going to be straight with you, Hilda,” Robert said, using his hands to gesture even more. “I’m pretty good at reading people. Your daughter talked about the trident like she knew it. And unfortunately for her, she was wrong.”
I blinked. “Wait, what?”
“I tested what you had to say, just to see,” he said. “The second I decreased the light, the blast force dropped by fifteen percent. So, you’re wrong.”
My mother shook her head. “I beg your pardon?”
“I need her at the academy,” he said, turning to face her. “I need her to learn what ninety-nine percent of my students can’t grasp in their heads.” The intensity of his voice increased as he pressed his index finger into his temple to emphasize his point. “Some of my own employees don’t pick up what she does and it’s a travesty that she’s not living up to her potential.”
I finished the last bite of my cereal slowly.
“Please. Apply for the scholarship. I will see to it personally that you get accepted, that you get relief for -“
“I don’t want your pity.” I stood up abruptly to put my bowl in the sink. “And I don’t want your money.”
“What do you want?” he asked, coming to stand next to me. “Name it.”
I jerked my head back. “What? Why? Just because I made a snippy comment about your trident?”
“Uh, yeah.”
I looked at him then. This had to be some kind of joke. Stuff like this only happened in bad fanfiction. Not real life.
“I don’t -“
“You stood up to me,” he said. “You weren’t afraid to say something. And you were wrong. But you still said something, and you understood the science behind it, and I think it’s important that we constantly question everything. I need someone to question me because…because what if I’m wrong? I mean, not that that will ever happen, but…?”
I gave him a long look. For someone as arrogant and as god-like as Robert Lannister was purported to be, I was surprised by his passion.
I looked at my mom. She gave me one back basically implying that this was my choice to make.
I sighed. “When do I need to apply for the scholarship?”
He clapped his hands together, brilliant smile littering his face. “You know I’m never wrong, right?” he asked.
I rolled my eyes. “Then why do you want me at that school, anyway?”
“ Because everyone comes so they can go and fight the gods,” Robert said, suddenly serious. “And that’s cool. That’s fine. That’s what everyone wants to do. But no one ever wants to explore the mind, the science behind everything. Everyone wants the glory.”
“Don’t you?” I asked, arching a brow. “It’s not like you’re hiding your accolades, your successes.”
“Consider it, okay? The academy needs minds like yours. And you need the academy. Whether you want to admit it or not. It’s the truth.” He handed me something - his card.
I took it and he turned back to my mom. “Thank you for the tea, Hilda,” he said. My mother started to stand but Robert held out his hand. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll see myself out.” He put his aviators back on as he looked at me again. “And I’ll see you tomorrow, nine am, lecture hall C.”
And then, he was gone.