A/N: My thoughts go out to everyone effected by the shooting in Colorado.

All things belong to their respective owners.

Check previous A/N's and Wikipedia for information on rowing. Time magazine had a special Olympic issue, in which rowing was mentioned (well, more then just mentioned).

erg test - a test (on an erg) of how much distance a rower can row in a set time, or how long it takes a rower to go a certain distance. It is used to decide boat placements and to measure a rower's improvement.

power ten - A call for the rowers to take "power" strokes, giving it everything they can for a certain number of strokes. This is used in races to make a move on another crew and, in practice, to build stamina and let rowers realize both how hard they can pull and how that affects the boat's speed. Can also be a "Power 20" or more.

ready all, row: a call to begin rowing, said at the beginning of a race or a piece


Arya's first class on her second day of class was Geometry, located in one of the trailer's in Harrenhall's back lot. Despite having a huge campuses, there simply were not enough classrooms for all of the students, so Harrenall had a small village of trailers in the back of the school. She hadn't realized that the classroom was in a trailer, so she ended showing up five minutes late. After an awkward conversation with the teacher and being stared at by the whole class, Arya took the one empty seat in the back right of the class.

The teacher started talking about the properties of triangles, which Arya had already learned about at King's Landing, so she started drawing obscure shapes in the margin of her notebook.

"Hey, are you the first men's eight new coxswain?"

Arya looked up to see the boy next to her that was asking the question. He had pale blonde hair and dark blue eyes that could have possible been purple.

"Uh, yeah, how did you know that?"

"My name is Edric Dayne, but you can call me Ned. I row on the second eight."

The swell of nerves in Arya's stomach relaxed slightly. His name is Ned, just like dad.

"Really? Wow, I didn't get a chance to see any of the other guy rowers. It's nice to meet you."

Ned's cheeks became a little red, a smile spreading across his face.

Arya and Ned spent the rest of the class whispering to each other, until they were called out by the teacher.

When the bell rang, Ned tapped Arya on her shoulder as she got up from her seat.

"See you at practice tonight?"

Arya smiled. "Yeah, definitely."


Arya, still in a good mood after meeting Edric that morning, decided she was actually going to use one of the cafeterias for lunch that day. She instantly regretted her decision when she open a door to the cafeteria and was hit with a wave of mystery smells.

Harrenhall did not just have one cafeteria, but two - one referred to as the "Black Cafe" and the "Red Cafe", in homage to the school's colors. Arya thought it sounded a bit morbid.

Each cafeteria was about the size of three basketball courts. In total, both cafeterias had seven lunch lines. The Red Cafe had a regular lunch line, a sub sandwich line, and a lunch line that exclusively sold pizza. The Black Cafe had a large snack food with two cash registers and three lunch lines selling regular food.

Although the meals were different every day, there was always a food constant staple at Harrenhall; french fries. Any student could buy french fries for the lox price of fifty cents. Arya stuck with a brown bagged lunch that Nan had packed her.

Arya started to walk towards one of the few empty tables and pulled out a black chair, preparing to set her bag down- until she heard someone call her name.

"Arya! 'Ey yo girl! Arya!"

It was Travis, who leaped up from one of the tables, undulating his arms in the air while continuing to yell "'Ey yo girl!". Chris jumped up out of the seat beside him and started moving his body in tandem with Travis's.

Arya couldn't help cracking a smile. Though she had only meeting her rowers for a brief moment the night before, they seemed like a group of people she could get along with. Except for Gendry and Hot Pie. She suspected the rest of the season would be extremely awkward between the three of them.

She walked towards his waving body, but stopped short when she realized who he was sitting across from the two boys - Gendry and Hot Pie. Hot Pie was munching on pie crust when he saw her. Crumbs spilled out of his mouth. Gendry took no time with his reaction.

"Ah! Ms. Stark, please, please take a seat," Gendry patted the empty seat next to him.

Arya decided, against her better judgement, she should sit with the guys. Gendry smiled when she plopped down on the seat.

The group ate in silence, save Travis, who was telling everyone about the time he convinced his English teacher that he was a direct descendant of Mao Zedong.

"And I'm not even Chinese!" This earned a chuckle from Chris.

"Travis," Gendry said, "I hate to interrupt the story, but our friend Hot Pie has something he would like to say to our brand new coxswain."

Arya looked up to see that Gendry had scooted back his seat so Hot Pie and Arya could see each other.

"Arya, I- I am sorry for-" He looked and Gendry, who nodded, "I am sorry for cursing you out."

Gendry looked at Arya, who had a blank look on her face. She hadn't expected an apology from Hot Pie.

"I'm sorry for almost punching you in the face."

"You almost punched Hot Pie? That's awesome!" Travis said, but everyone ignored him.

"Ah!" Gendry exclaimed, "Now we don't have to spend the rest of the season being extremely awkward."

"And Gendry, thank you from stopping me from punching Hot Pie."

Gendry shrugged and took a bite from his apple. "The pleasure was all mine, ma'am."


"Alright you sorry son's of whore, gather 'round!" Yoren bellowed. The varsity male rowers (plus Arya) crowded around him. They had just came back from the warm up jog around the school. Arya found a place next to Gendry and elbowed him in the side to get his attention.

"What was that for?" He rubbed his side.

Yoren cleared his throat and the group of boys silenced.

"Although it is only the second day of winter training, we will be doing a recorded 2,000 meter piece."

"AN ERG TEST ON THE SECOND DAY OF WINTER TRAINING?" Travis shouted dramatically.

"Shut up Travis. It is not a test, but your scores will be recorded." Yoren waved a hand, dismissing the boys, who disbanded and wandered off to the erg machines, strapping themselves in and taking a few warm up stokes.

Gendry did a little bow to Arya. "Well, excuse me, ma'am, but we must part if I am to complete the erg test."

"Am I your mother? No. Don't call me ma'am."

"How about sweetheart? Or honey? Or babe, pumpkin, sweet pea, baby doll, cuddle muffin, lady love, or how about-"

He stopped when she silently turned and stomped away. But when she had gone about two yards, she came back to him, a look of internal conflict on her face.

"Do you want to- do you want me to cox you through the piece or call some power tens or something for you?" She was staring at the ground.

"I am touched!" Arya looked up and sneered at him, causing him to smile. He actually was touched. "But no, not today Arya. Maybe another time."

"Suit yourself." She walked away, but turned back to give him a last look. There eyes met for the briefest of moments, and something shifted in Gendry's mind.

He shook of the peculiar feeling and hopped onto an erg that was off to the side, away from all the other boys. He strapped himself in and rowed about twenty strokes to warm up. Yoren cleared is throat and raised his hand, signalling the boys that he was about to start the test.

"Ready all..." Gendry brought himself up to half side, readying himself for the piece. His muscles tensed, his arms twitching with anticipation.

"... row!" And they were off.

The collective groan of twenty four erg's handles being yanked back filled the hall. Gendry's own voice filled his mind.

Ok, Gendry, power ten to start it out.

ONE. TWO. THREE. FOUR.

We can do this come on.

FIVE. SIX. SEVEN. EIGHT. NINE. TEN.

100 meters down.

Gendry had never really developed a system of thoughts to get through an erg test, but he always started with a power ten. He loved watching the split on the screen drop suddenly.

For the next 1,400 meters, Gendry's mind wandered through the events of the day. He thought about a math problem in class that day. He tried solving it in his head, but it disintegrated in his mind. He thought about the girl in his 9th grade English class that had gotten pregnant sophomore year, failing to remember her name. All the while, he made sure that he was pulling hard, trying to keep his average split around 1:35. It soon became clear to him that he would not be able to hold this split, that he could only pull a consistent split of 1:45, so he chugged along.

He could barely hear the grunts around him. He heard Arya somewhere in the distance, encouraging some kid on the third eight who was slowing down.

His legs were burning, he was light headed, and everything fiber of his body was screaming at him to stop, to slow down. He chugged along.

Once Gendry hit the last five hundred meters, he prepared to enter the sprint, and he began thinking about his mom and the way she use to sing to him when he was little.

When he his 101 meters left to go, Gendry picked it up, and hit his last power ten.

ONE. TWO. THREE. FOUR.

Almost done almost done.

FIVE. SIX. SEVEN. EIGHT. NINE. TEN.

ONE MORE STROKE-

And then it was over. The part of the screen on the erg that showed Gendry how many meters he had left was at zero. He looked to the part with his time. Six minutes and forty five seconds. It wasn't his fastest time (his fastest being 6:23, three seconds away from qualifying to be on America's Junior National Team that represented the U.S. at the World Rowing Junior Championships). He knew that it was too early in the season to start being hard on himself about scores.

If only I had trained harder over the summer...

"Wow."

Gendry wiped the waterfall of sweat pouring from his head and unstrapped his feet from the erg. He turned to see Arya behind him, with an amazed look on her face and a little notebook in hand.

"Did you know that's-"

"Good? I guess. Good enough? Not by a long shot." Gendry took a gulp from his water bottle. He didn't want Arya to know how disappointed he was in himself, so he looked down at his hands and picked at an old callus.

Arya crinkled her face. "You rowers know that picking at your calluses really doesn't help anything. At least you aren't- stop that! That is disgusting!"

Gendry's hand was up to his mouth, chewing at the callus under his middle finger, tearing off a piece of rough skin.

"My body my choice!"

"That doesn't even make sense!"

Gendry shrugged.

"Well, since you finished the test, I guess you can go- ACH!"

Gendry got up at patted a sweaty, callused hand on Arya's head.

"Sorry, babe, I would lave to stay and chat, but I have to bring Hot Pie home."

"Don't call me babe!" But he ignored her and walked on over to Hot Pie, who was lying on the floor, exclaiming how much he had overly exerted himself. No one payed him any attention. Arya watched Gendry poke Hot Pie on the side with his foot.

"Get up. I'm taking you home."

Hot Pie groaned and rolled around. Arya was reminded of a documentary she saw on Animal Planet where a walrus was having a hard time turning on it's side.


A/N: Please review. I listened to The Dark Knight and Sherlock Holmes soundtracks (both by Hans Zimmer) to help focus.

I did see The Dark Knight Rises Monday afternoon. It was very good, and I teared up a little bit at some parts, just because I found it very inspiring in my own twisted way.

Rowers get blisters and calluses from oars and the erg. I like to pick at mine. A lot of rowers also kinda gnaw at them... an act I am guilty of.