Lives Intertwined

Dany

August 2021 - Junior Year

"You have your passport," Rhaegar said, lugging three suitcases behind him. Dany held up the blue book over her head for Rhaegar to see.

"Wallet?" "Check." "Money?" "Check." "Snacks?" "Cheetos, Doritos, Fritos. You bought me every -rito there is."

Dany stopped before the security line. It would probably take an hour at least with all these people, but that was normal for JFK.

"So I guess this is it," Rhaegar said, letting the suitcases stand upright behind him, "You can turn back now. I'm sure you could go back to the New York campus." Dany slipped her passport into her purse.

"Rhae, it's only a semester," Dany reassured him, taking the suitcases from his hands, "I'll have Missandei there and you can fly over whenever. It's not like I'll be at some distant corner of the world. I'll have wifi. Everyone will speak english. It'll be easy. Plus, I've been to London before. Heck, I even stayed there the entire summer last year with you."

"I'll miss you to death, Dany," Rhaegar said, enfolding her in a hug. Dany pulled her hands around her brother, giving him one last squeeze.

"I'll miss you more." Dany looked at her phone. She really had to get on the security line. This was the worst of it, leaving Rhaegar. He meant everything to her and it was hard for her to imagine life without him even for just a semester. The last time they were separated didn't end up very well.

"Promise you'll call when you get in? And when you get to the apartment. Also, I expect an update when you take your first classes," Rhaegar pulled her cardigan up so it covered her shoulders. "Don't draw attention to yourself. Some men are animals." He stopped. "Oh my god, I'm turning into Mother."

Dany laughed and took her suitcases. "Don't miss me too much," she said as she turned to leave.

"You know I will," Rhaegar said, kissing the top of her head, "And when you come back next semester, I expect you to stay in New York."

"You know I can't live without it," Dany responded.

"The city or me?"

Dany smirked, blew him a kiss and entered the line.

. . . . .

Ever since she arrived in the city, life hasn't slowed down. She was spread thin, but she was also happy. She was thriving. New York had treated her well. Dany was now the one suggesting museums and exhibits to Rhaegar, not the other way around. When Rhaegar graduated from NYU, they moved uptown so she would be closer to school. It was definitely nice not waking up to honking horns and rowdy students in Washington Square.

She managed to make an arrangement with Horace Mann so that she didn't have classes on Friday. Instead, on Friday and Saturday, she would take the Q train all the way downtown to City Hall where she would work until she couldn't see clearly. Like her old law internship, there was still a heck of a lot of paperwork and filing to be done, but she was also in close contact to one of the most important people in New York City. Plus they had free catered lunches on Fridays. Dany thought it was worth it.

Life at Horace Mann was pretty spectacular. After she experienced some rough times when she first started, by her senior year, she was completely and utterly happy. She loved her professors who made it a priority to sit and talk with their students about god knows what. Debate team was going well. They placed in the championships and she expected them to do it again.

Rhaegar thought she was getting too smart for her own good, talking about philosophers and ethicists. At least the tuition was going to good use, but still no filet mignons on the lunch menu.