Game of Thrones: Passions and Hopes
Chapter 1 of a new Game of Thrones story, the second in my GOT marathon, enjoy.
Disclaimer: Game of Thrones belongs to George R.R. Martin.
Chapter 1
The bell rang to signal the end of another school day. For one student, this was usually a welcome sign for her to get the hell out of school and many students claimed jokingly that you could always tell exactly when school finished for this student was always first out of the classroom.
Yet there were days when said student surprised them, for they always claimed they made it a rule not to go to school anymore than they had to. Yet today was one of those days when they would be staying behind after school.
Said student was a girl aged seventeen with shoulder length brown hair and grey eyes, being from the North she had paler skin than was normal and a long narrow face. Her name was Arya Stark, the middle child and youngest daughter of Eddard Stark and his wife Catelyn. The Starks were the oldest, richest and most powerful family in the North, while through Catelyn, Arya was related to the Tullys, a similarly rich and powerful family in the Riverlands, where her school was located.
Yet neither family, and Arya especially, saw fit to flaunt their wealth. Arya knew her sister did have a thing for designer clothing, but no more than any other teenager or young adult. Arya herself certainly didn't have that issue, as her current outfit of ripped jeans, a simple tank-top, short denim jacket and combat boots attested to.
Arya was certainly not like a lot of the girls in school, and the complete opposite of her sister, Sansa.
'Sansa is the girly girl, the perfect little lady, then there's me.' She reflected to herself. 'The combative tomboy.'
She shook her head; she had no interest in girly things, even as a child she hated dolls and such, she always preferred playing with her brothers than her sister Sansa. It caused no end of exasperation to her mother and sister and Arya wondered if her father and brothers also had difficulties with it. They were high society after all and while never flaunting their wealth they were expected to portray a certain image.
Arya scoffed. 'But that's ridiculous, I wouldn't let something like that stop me being who I am...why should any of us...'
She sighed however, thinking about that; it was that very mindset which caused friction in the family. Nothing major, but it was there. Still, Arya did her best to put the thoughts from her mind before entering the girls changing room at the school gym. This was another difference between Arya and her sister.
Noted for her athleticism and surprising gracefulness, which were actually by-products of her fencing lessons with Syrio, many expected Arya to follow her sister in joining the school's cheer squad. Arya had laughed in their faces and joined the school soccer team instead. She wasted no time getting ready, changing out of her clothes and pulling on her soccer gear.
She loved the one advantage that came from the fact it was simply a training match, having the locker room to herself.
Entering the gym hall Arya grinned as she spotted the rest of the team. It was true, she was the only girl on the team. But she wasn't treated any lesser because of it; all her team mates and the coach appreciated her skills and valued her as part of their team. The only downside, that Arya saw, was whenever there was an actual match she had to share the locker room with the cheerleaders.
"Hey guys." She greeted two other members of the team as she joined them.
Devan Seaworth and Edric Storm both grinned and replied at the same time. "Hi Arya."
She nodded and, as they prepared to begin, Arya scanned the bleachers.
'Why am I doing this to myself.' She thought angrily.
She knew it would only bring pain, that it would never change, yet she couldn't help it. It didn't matter if it was just practice, or if it was an actual match.
She shook her head. 'It doesn't matter how much this means to me, they'll never show, they never do...'
She had been looking for any of her family, only to once again be disappointed as none of them turned up to watch her. But someone had and when she spotted him, Arya managed a small smile, her spirits lifting a little.
For sitting on the bleachers, smiling at her, was a young man of twenty-two, tall and muscular with shaggy black hair and blue eyes. It was her boyfriend, Gendry Waters.
'Another point of contention with my family, dating a guy five years older than me.' She reflected, but brightened up. 'But he's here...he's always here, he never misses a game.'
So, while still wishing her family was present, Arya nevertheless felt once more relieved by Gendry's presence. With those thoughts all firmly in the back of her mind, Arya focused as practice started and the training match got underway.
End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.