groovygamers.com

Dave, Rob, and Greg are at the table.  They greet everyone as they arrive.  Dave is reading a book, as usual.  Greg has a script open on his lap and is going over it.  Rob is flipping through a car magazine.

"What's the script?" Sylvia asks, having sneaked in early in hope of dodging Alicia.

Rhys greets everyone, sits down, and once more pulls a tremendous sandwich from his lunch bag.

"Anything good?" he asks Rob, looking at the pages of glossy pictures of even glossier cars.

"A guy I know online sent it to me.  It's a short film idea he's working on for his final at film school."  Greg looks up, "It's not bad.  It's essentially the worst date ever that turns into a perfect night.  He's got good characters, decent use of flashbacks, and it's a good read.  I think he's too much into the close up though."


Rob nods, "This guy is doing a rebuild of an old Datsun Z car to make it a sort of Electric Hybrid.  He's taking the avenue GM did with the Volt though, the gasoline engine doesn't ever touch the drive train, just charges the batteries.  Pretty cool if you're into this sort of thing."

"That could get a little cumbersome," Sylvia agrees.  "Good morning, Rhys," she chirps and then turns back to Greg.  "I can't think of many examples of purposeful close-ups.  Maybe Bladerunner?  When they focus on the little origami animals?"

Sammy arrives, and opens some pretty good looking/smelling dinner leftovers.  Once again her appearance is slightly frumpy; loose fitting clothing, un-cute shoes, hair pulled straight back, absolutely no jewelry or makeup, and she seems to have bathed in... lemon juice? from the smell.  She says "Hi guys" and tucks into her food.

Sylvia shares a look with Greg.  "Pardon me," she tells him and slides over to a seat near Sammy.

"Hello," she sings.  "How's it going?"

Sammy looks at Sylvia a little oddly.  "Fine?" she says, cautiously, almost suspiciously.  Sylvia is never this cheery.  "You?"

Sylvia nods and taps the bulk of the bandages under her sweater.  "Okay, all things considered."  She pauses to figure out how to broach the topic.  "You look different."

Sammy relaxes and nods.  At least she knows now what is driving Sylvia's cheeriness.  Around a mouthful of food she says "Yup.  S'n'xper'ment."  She swallows the food and repeats her words.  "It's an experiment."

Sylvia invites explanation with lifted eyebrows.  "Uh-huh?"

Sammy smirks.  "If I tell, I'll ruin it, because then you'll know what I'm looking for."  Her brow furrows.  "Then again, now that you know I am looking, it might be ruined anyhow.  Hmm."

"I won't tell a soul," Sylvia says.  "Do I get even a hint?"

Sammy ponders things for a moment, then nods.  "OK.  Not a peep to anyone.  I'll think it at you, just to be sure."

Sylvia thinks about that.

Sammy thinks about it. 
"OK Syl, you caught me."  She pulls the tie out of her hair and lets it fall loose.  "I thought I'd do better on tests if I dressed down, cut out the distractions.  The lemon scent was to keep me awake.  I washed my hair in it so it would stick better."

"Peppermint," Sylvia says.  "Mitzi says peppermint is good for alertness, but it starts to smell funny, so you have to use a carrier oil instead of a tisane."

Sammy scrunches up her nose like she's taking it seriously.  "Maybe peppermint chapstick?  I got plenty of that at Christmas."

Alicia arrives in the lunch room and quietly makes her way to the Unusual Suspects table. Her outfit is low-key: jeans, sneakers, and a hooded sweater with a picture of a popular cartoon robot on the back and the caption "It's not stupid, it's advanced!" She's still wearing shades and gloves, but their effect is muted somehow.

Without a word, she makes her way over and sits next to Rhys. She nods at everyone, softly saying, "Morning." She stops to look at Sammy, her head cocked.

"Sammy, why do you smell like dishwashing detergent?"

"It's an experiment."  Sammy puts a big forkful of food into her mouth.

John comes into the lunch room and finds a seat.  He's flipping through a medical journal as he pulls out his lunch and begins to eat.  "Hey everyone."  he says as he begins to eat.

Alicia says, "Oh-kay," with a dubious tone. There is a moment of awkward silence that she tries to fill. "Thanks for inviting me over on Saturday. It was fun hearing you guys play."

She pulls out a brown paper lunch bag and begins eating her lunch, nibbling on her sandwich. Other than glances towards Rhys, she concentrates on her food.


Alicia nods. "Hi, John." She acts as if she's going to say something more, but then goes back to nibbling.

Rhys nods his greeting (chewing precludes a vocal response) and waves his sandwich.

He returns Alicia's glances and slides a little closer, pressing his thigh against hers.

Sarah shows up fairly on time for a change and joins the rest.  "Another beautiful day in the neighborhood.  Howdy neighbors."
She gives Dave a hug and says, "Excellent work as always Dave."

She digs out her sandwich and munches.  She gives her chocolate milk a shake before opening it.  "So whats new?"

Alicia relaxes a bit and gives a little smile. She somehow manages to hook her foot around his leg and rub it gently.


Alicia nods towards John. "We need to track down Gena Ballestra and talk to her."

"No problem.  Any time.  Oh Rhys-- you're in.  If you want."

She acknowledges the others as they arrive.

Rhys hurriedly swallows, eliciting a small burp for his efforts. "Oh, excuse me. Thank you, yes, I'd love to be part of it!"

He turns and gives Alicia a silly grin. They like me!

"There's more to it,  so you might want to think before you commit.  El plans to go on tour this summer, literally taking a bus around.  After that, it ends because he'll be going away to college. Or walkabout.  Or a european tour.  Something."

Alicia grins back and gives him a quick hug.


Alicia frowns slightly at the news. She wonders whether she could find an excuse to come along. The thought of traveling around the country with Rhys makes a smile tug at her lips.

Donnie comes in and sits down beside Sylvia. "Hey everyone." The sear on his cheek seems better, and he has resisted the temptation to slick and make his mohawk stick straight up. It looks more like a 'stripe' than anything else. He kisses the top of Sylvia's head as he sits, nodding to the US.

"Hey Alicia, nice friggin catch. That science student would have been sidewalk paste had you not caught him. What's up with Jessica Rabbit?"

He takes out a sandwich and begins eating, looking around at the cafeteria.

Sammy notices Alicia's smile.

"We'll have a chaperone.  At least I will.  My parents insisted."  She frowns.  "You new guys haven't yet met Jack.  We'll have to fix that."

At the sound of Donnie's approach, Alicia tenses up enough for Rhys to notice.

She turns to face the approaching teen and freezes. She barely acknowledges his greetings but continues staring at him like a deer caught in the headlights, her cheek twitching. She purses her lips and clenches her teeth as a litany plays out in her head.

I'm not going to laugh. I'm not going to laugh. I'm not going to laugh. I'm not going to laugh.

Sylvia smiles up at Donnie when he arrives, but before she can say anything, he plunks himself down and makes conversation with Alicia.  Aw, hell.  Sit near Donnie?  Sit away from Alicia?  She settles for revving through her meal a little faster in the hope of making a quick escape.

Sammy looks over at Donnie and deadpans,  "Let me know when you learn how to flare that head crest.  It'll be cool to watch."  She takes another big bite of lunch.

Donnie gives her a raspberry. "I woke up late. Mom was laughing all the way to school too." He takes an angry bite of his sandwich. "Bastards."  he grumbles, good naturedly.

"Hope that's Iguana Chow on that sandwich.  Wouldn't want you to become vitamin or mineral deficient.  You'll get all pale and... oh.  Dude.  Veterinarian.  Now."

She smiles brightly.  "Sooo?  Gena?"

Donnie smiles sweetly. "So, Sammy, is your new super power to be lemony-fresh all day long, or is that a new lemon air freshener around your neck?"

Donnie seems happy. Happy that they can kid and prod each other again. Sylvia feels Donnie's happiness and notices the tense hunch to his shoulders relax minutely.

"It's an experiment," she replies.  "And I'm pretty sure its not working."  She turns to John.  "Does the lemon smell bother you, John?  Or any of you?  Cause I can go to the locker room and get rid of it."

Sylvia noshes, a little less uneasy in the glow of Donnie's happiness.  He's like a lighthouse of passions and emotions.  When he shines, he makes her feel safe as houses.  It's when the damned lighthouse catches fire that she's cast out to sea.

"You make me want lemon bars," Sylvia tells Sammy.  "We should cut class and go bake lemon bars."

"I feel like I am going to get yelled at for stepping on the lemony-freshly cleaned floors or something. Lemon bars? Are those the ones with the near molten lemon in the middle with th pastry crust? Oh gawd. Mitzi makes those and they are killer. I want lemon bars now."

Sylvia winces as she realizes she's derailing Donnie's diet.  "I was just joking.  I have to take a test this afternoon.  Although I'm beginning not to see the point.  Why memorize French verbs when I can just tap Colin's vast photographic memory?  Is that cheating?  Should I have a special test?  It's not like Colin's not cheating, too."

"Definitely not working," Sammy mutters good naturedly.  She starts eating more rapidly.

"Now now. Colin would feel guilty if you did that."

In a distant link, Donnie tries to ignore Pip's sudden excitement over the thought of lemon bars.

"It is a little overpowering, but don't change on my account, Citrus-Girl."

"Lemon-fresh, please.  Citrus-Girl makes me sound fruity."

"Ah, lemon?"  John says looking up from the medical journal.  He shakes his head, "No, lemon smell doesn't bother me."  He certainly seems like a man who walked into only part of a conversation.  John's gaze rests on Donnie.  "Ah, I have the feeling I missed something."

"For a guy with super hearing . . . " Sylvia mutters.

John chuckles.  "Yeah, tell me about it.  I generally try to focus so all the noise doesn't bug me." he gives a slight shrug.  "Sorry, I'm not trying to be anti-social or anything."

"If the basket fits.." Donnie goes back to eating. He smirks at John after Sylvia's comment.

Sarah says, "I like the new look Donnie."  She holds her hands up as to a lighted marquee and continues, "It says 'I'm not afraid to be different'  It also says, 'I shouldn't be unsupervised with scissors' but it says that second one a little more quietly."

She glances over to Sammy, inhales deeply and says jokingly, "Don'tcha just want to roll her in sugar and lick her?"

"And you," she says to Sylvia, "If you start rummaging around in my boyfriend's head for all the answers you'd better be sharing them or I will tattle and you'll probably get pooped on by birds all week."

Alicia relaxes enough to let a few giggles out. "O-okay. I'm sorry, Donnie, but all I could think of was what kinda bet you lost."

She cocks her head to inspect it. "You need a stud in one of the ears. That would make it perfect."


Alicia waves it off. "Don't worry. It offsets the odor coming from the jocks two tables over. They just came off P.E. last period and didn't bother showering." She wrinkles her nose in emphasis.


Alicia pipes up. "Lemon Meringue! She was one of Strawberry Shortcake's friends and..." She stops as she realizes what she's just said and hunkers down, blushing furiously. "At least that's what I heard."


Alicia just manages not to snarf her drink, covering it with a cough.

"He cheats!" Sylvia protests.  "He just knows how to speak French.  It's so not fair.  Meanwhile I'm killing a million trees by putting all my vocabulary on these little flash cards.  I could save the environment with telepathy!"

Sammy laughs and says "Its a good thing I'm not a real lemon or I'd be feeling kind of nervous right now."

I think it worked after all, just not how I expected.  Or on who.


"Why not make mental flash cards then?  With English words as your look up?"

"Wait.  Mental flash cards?  Is that like memorization?  Because that's what the paper flash cards are for."

"Maybe.  But you can't carry paper flash cards with you into a test."

"Bah!  I am a master of the human mind!  Your circular reasoning cannot confuse me.  For long."

"Yield to the Power of Vitamin Sammy."

"We totally need capes," Sylvia says, not for the first time.  "And a breakfast cereal to sell.  I think that'd give us the air of legitimacy we need to keep order in this school."

"Only if there were prizes in the cereal. Or contests on the back of the boxes.  Win a date with Jakob!"

"Girls scream and run, he says."  Sylvia waggles her eyebrows.

Sammy pastes an innocent look on her face.  "Which way?  Toward him or away?"

Sylvia just laughs.

"It's the lemon," Sammy shrugs.  "Makes my humor tart."

John's head moves with the conversation, and then he blinks and goes back to reading.

Rhys mutters "I know which way I'd be going..." but he grins and cuddles up closer to Alicia.

"Both?" Sylvia asks archly, eyes bright.

Rhys snorts, nearly coughing on his sandwich, before laughing out loud hysterically.

Colin arrives with the puzzled look of someone who's desperately trying to remember something important.

"Hi guys. Sorry about yesterday. I'm not sure why, but I didn't wake up when I got the message. I'm glad there was no trouble this time."

He leans in to kiss Sarah's forehead, and takes a seat beside her.

"I'm sure I would have been woken up if any of you actually got in trouble. I usually don't sleep this deep. It's like something happened tonight while I was dreaming, something I should remember, but I can't."

He retrieves the brown bag with his lunch.

"What's the word of the day?"

"Lemon," says Rhys, followed by another belly-laugh.

Colin looks around.

"Did somebody drop a jug of lemonade around here?"

"Lemon," says Sammy, simultaneously, then calls out "Jinx!"

"Lemonade.  I'll add you to the list of people who seem determined to eat me."  Sammy points at herself.  "Its me.  An experiment.  It'll be gone tomorrow."

"Oh, it's you? Is it supposed to be good for your hair? Or your skin?"

He frowns, trying to remember.

"The skin. I've read somewhere that fruit acids are good for the skin. Is that it?"

"I was using it for the scent, but it's not doing what I expected.  Maybe I'll try peppermint tomorrow, but not as... loudly?"

OOC:  oops.  Kat forgot!  How could Kat forget this after the great college roommate hair debacle?!  Lemon lightens hair. Sammy has brownish hair.  It's going to have blond streaks in it, or be several shades lighter all over, when she finally rinses this stuff out.  Its been in for hours now.

Just call her Jeannie and find her an astronaut.

"I'd warn you not to expose your skin to the sun, but unfortunately there's not much sun to worry about."

He munches on his tuna sandwich some more.

"Peppermint should be safer. And it might suit you. From a certain point of view, you're similar."

"Explain?" Sylvia asks.

"Maybe you were fighting off a bug or still just recovering from the robot attack?" asks Sarah.  I hope I didn't poke you with my stick.  That wouldn't be a friendly thing to do.

She squeezes Colin's arm and leans on his shoulder feeling a little bit possessive.  Jealous of myself?  How weird is that?

She grins at Sammy, "If we're going to eat you can you go for gingerbread tomorrow then?  Then you can zip through the halls crying, 'Run, run, run as fast as you can, you can't catch me.  I'm the ginger-bread Sam!' "

Sammy busts up laughing.  "Ooh, look out, hot girl on gingerbread girl action!"

"I'd pay to see that!"

Colin shrugs. "Well, peppermint is a hybrid. A cross of two varieties of mints, that creates something unique." He says with a smile.


"Maybe. I don't know. Maybe it'll come back when I'll need it."


"Hey." Colin leans his head on hers. "Did you miss me during the week-end?"


Colin laughs. "You'd just have to stay clear of foxes. Though it should be flying foxes in your case. What was the japanese flying fox with nine tails called again, Donnie?"

"Mmmhmm," murmers Sarah keeping all the little recent events to herself. 

Alicia smiles at first, but after Sylvia's comment, she looks confusedly at Rhys.


This gets Rhys a mischievious poke from Alicia.

The mention of eating, though, suddenly reminds Alicia of something. She starts and hesitates, biting her lip.

"Um, guys, you're busy Thursday night, right?"

Donnie bursts out laughing, resting his head on the linoleum table until the giggles subside.


"Kitsune."


"I have my weekly torture session with Jack. But I could be convinced to spare myself the bruised ego and sore muscles.."

"Uh, no, why?"




 >:D

"Are you talking about one of those Japanese anime fox demons?" Sammy asks.  Then she blushes and adds "My dad likes to watch all kinds of bizarre stuff."


Saved! from the eternal embarrassment of having a geek as your beloved father!  "Nope, why?"

Alicia gives everyone a pained look then mumbles, "My mom wants to invite you guys out to pizza Thursday night."

This is business as usual in the Jameson household.  "OK.  Does she want my mom or dad to come in so she can meet them too before they leave me there?"

Alicia frowns uncertainly. "Dunno. I guess. I can ask her, I s'pose."

She gives a rueful grin.  "She mostly wants to meet you all to make sure I'm not running with the wrong crowd. " She gives Rhys a significant look.

"OK."  She looks around.  "So how come we're all dodging the topic of Gena?  I know why I am, but I'll get over it."

"Gena?"  Sylvia is out of the loop.

Alicia is glad to switch away from her topic. She shrugs with a grin. "I think we keep being distracted by the fresh lemony smell."

She points. "John's the one who recognized her. Maybe he can help us get her to talk to us."


"During the robot attack, John got hit protecting her from something that definitely didn't come from the robot. She was also the one who dressed up as Jessica Rabbit at the Halloween party, which means she may have been at the construction site we found the beer cans in."

"You were out of it by the time that happened.  So was I.  I found out about it later."  Sammy's voice is very neutral, not judging anybody in any way.  She's just stating facts.

"Well, where is she?" Sylvia says.  She turns to look toward the end of the table.  "Mr. President?" she asks Dave.  "Where's Gena today?"

"I'll explain later..."


"Seems only fair. I'd love to." He takes her hand in his and kisses the back like some Victorian gentleman, and then giggles about it.

Dave takes the bookmark from his book and slides it over to Sylvia.  Written on it is Gena's class schedule.  She's a Junior and has lunch another period.  Right now she's in Chemistry class.

Rob looks at his phone for a second.  "She's here today, and is in class."


"All of us?"  John asks.  "Does she realize how much teenagers eat?"  It might be a joke.  But, this is John.

Sarah tosses a cookie, raspberry filled not lemon, to John and says, "Maybe she does but the polite thing for you to do would probably be to eat a big dinner before you went over so she doesn't think you've got a tape worm.  Then you can gulp down two or three slices for a light snack while you're there."

She looks over at Alicia and says, "There are eleven of us all together that's kind of a lot to inundate your mom with.  Do you think she'd want to do shifts or maybe she'd be willing to turn it into a pizza and potluck dinner?  We could all bring over something."

"I was just speaking in general terms."  John says, obviously a little self conscious about the subject.  He munches the cookie quietly.

"Don't get self conscious on me now," Sammy murmurs, seemingly to herself,  "I've got travel plans.  Buffet City in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  The China Buffet in Missoula, Montana.  The Okefenokee Restaurant in Florida.  There are a lot of open Saturdays before we graduate from high school."

"I could get in her head," Sylvia tells the others (although it might seem clear by now that she doesn't address or acknowledge Alicia directly), "but I'd rather not.  Does someone want to volunteer for schmooze-duty?  Interview her?  Ask some probing questions?  Find out who's trying to kill her?"

John smiles.  "And if we're lucky, we'll be able to fly to some of them separately."


"I think the interviewing thing should come first.  I don't like you having to expose yourself like that.  It's got to be sort of....it's got to be hard."  john fumbles with his sandwich for a minute, then goes back to eating.

Sylvia looks at him for a long moment, her expression solemn and unreadable.  Then she leans up against Donnie and seems to put some effort into looking lively and pleasant.  "Is that you volunteering?" she asks John.

Alicia raises an eyebrow at his shenanigans, while gleefully squealing in her head.

She warns the group, "I didn't tell Mom about your abilities, so that secret is safe, OK?"


Alicia shrugs. "Dunno. I suppose; she kinda sprung this on me after Saturday." She gives Rhys a sideways look.

"Our place is kinda small, which is why I think Mom suggested going out. I can check with her and see what she says."


Alicia takes the implicit snub in stride; she seems to be giving Sylvia a lot of slack. "Well, there's two ways we can do this. Have whoever's got the best chance to smooth-talk her approach her. Or we corner her with numbers and lay the situation down."

Subtlety is not a common tool in her toolbox.


Alicia joins Syliva in looking at John expectantly.

John glances back and forth between Sylvia and Alicia.  "Ah, no.  When I go to talk to a girl they assume things.  I mean some of them do.  Besides, I'm not on the school paper.  I don't interview.  I move things out of the way of other things mostly."

Alicia snaps her fingers, "Yeah, a reporter. That's the way it's done, isn't it? Have someone interview her about the robot attack, or whatever. And, like, go to the newspapers or the library and find out about her family. Maybe we can even case her house and see who comes and goes..." She's on a roll.

Sylvia pins him down, with a grin.  "Are you saying you're too cute for this job?"

Donnie smiles as Sylvia's nearly predatory necessity to follow a lead catches John in a snare. "Reeeeel that fish in." he says, enjoying the spectacle.

"Sarah or Colin could talk to her. They are on the paper. I am a little conspicuous right now, with my lizard frill. Oh, and I think my mother would have a heart attack if I got an ear pierced."

John changes colors.  "No.  too socially inept."

Alicia grins. "And a tribal tattoo. Something with dragons on it."

She absent-mindedly runs her hand down Rhys's arm.

Donnie's mouth twists in a wry smile. "Now tats I think I could do. Dylan has one.." His eyes light up as the possibilities start running through his head.

Sarah rolls her eyes and goes, "Y'Duh!  Of course he's too pretty.  He's an available hot ticket item."  She grins at John, "Having said that it occurs to me that John could inquire into the well being of the girl he saved.  On the other hand if he'd rather not remind too many people about events that might be a bit blurry then someone else reportery could try."

She wrinkles her nose at the tattoo mention.  "Owie.  I mean if I could get an instant one like Colin that would be okay... maybe?  But a zillion needle pokes... no thank you."

Donnie grins, a bit of predatory look to the smile. "Life is full of pain, Sarah. If you can't embrace that, you'll be scared to try new things. Did you worry about snapping a leg when you started the urban runnng parkour thing you do? Nope, you just decided you wanted to do it, and you did it, fully embracing the possibility of pain. I have heard tattos can be almost soothing in the repetitive administration of needle pokes." He looks to Rhys for confirmation.

If she watches his arm as she does that, the tattoos there shift into a tribal dragon pattern. He grins at her.


Rhys snorts. It is entirely unclear just what he means by it...

Alicia catches the motion out of the corner of her eye, glances at it, then jokingly sticks her tongue out at him.

Joining forces with Sammy, she tries to put the issue of Gena back on the floor.

"So Colin or Sarah will do the reporter thing with Gena? How about finding more about her family, where they live, that sort fo stuff?"

"Dave?" Sylvia asks.

Sammy continues eating, letting the rest of them work out the details while she watches.  Everybody's chummy today.  Yep, it just works differently than I thought it did, but I bet I'm somehow right.  Lemon tied them all together, and Gena gave them a purpose.  Things are good.  Rhys and Alicia sure got chummy fast!

She smiles contentedly.  Happy, happy, happy.

"Back of the bookmark.  Address, phone number.  Only child, middle class parents. Blah Blah.  Welcome to Oak Park."

"You'd think such happy kids from stable homes would have better things to do than pursue world domination and petty vendetta."  Sylvia copies out the information on several little scraps of Hello Kitty notepaper and slides one to everyone, including Alicia.

Alicia studies the address and works out the location in her internal map.

"Lotta brownstones in that neighborhood, if I remember right. Might be tricky to set up an observation post. Chances are their security system is crap, though."

"I'm confused.  I thought we were going to talk to her here.  We have bad luck when we go to people's houses."  John says, trying not to drip mayo on the table and talk at the same time.

"Well, yeah. But it doesn't hurt to be prepared."

She takes another nibble of her own sandwich. "Y'never know."

She starts in surprise and leans in to whisper, "You guys have broken into houses before?"

Sarah shakes her head.  "No," she says, "we knocked."  

Alicia looks a bit abashed. "Oh."

She decides to concentrate on her sandwich for the moment.

Sammy looks up from her own lunch.  "No breaking into houses.  John's right, the whole going to the house thing -- we've had some bad luck with that before.  Really bad luck.  Let's just stay away from that, ok?"  She glances quickly at Rob, then away.  "No rooftops, hospitals, or cemetaries either.  No ritual sites.  I'm not doing that again.  Some nice, neutral, public place is good."

Sarah says, "Somewhere public... and in the future it will become known as the IHOP incident.  I agree though, let's chat with her at school.  What exactly are we asking her?  I'm really not good at the improvisational questioning thing."

"I'm guessing 'who might want you dead?' is right out?"  John says before taking a long drink of water.

Alicia shrugs. "Don't they say honesty is the best policy?"

"Works for me," says Sarah. 
"I have a question about that whole fight.  Did you see who or what or where that attack came from?  What direction?  Was it from the students outside?  The parking lot or from somewhere else like the gymnasium?"

John shakes his head, "All I saw was a glint of light off something shiny and moved.  I just assumed it was shrapnel off the buss or the robot.  Little did I realize it would get stuck in my back.  Good thing it didn't hit her, it would have gone right through her and kept going, maybe hit more people."

"Did anybody keep it?"

Alicia sits silent for a moment, then quietly flexes her hand.

A stainless steel spike is held between her fingers, ready for throwing.

Sylvia looks at the spike, looks at Alicia's face, and says, "If this were CSI, we'd have someone to take a long look at that thing and give us all kinds of useful information.  Since this isn't CSI . . . Colin?  Have you looked at this thing?"

"Not IHOP.  Waffle House.  Nobody would notice.  Strange things always happen at the Waffle House.  I saw a guy named Jose dive right through a carry out window after another guy in a car.  I only know his name was Jose 'cause I heard a waitress yelling Jose!  Jose!"


Sammy pales.  "Sweet baby J3sus!"

Alicia impassively spins the spike so that it's pointed butt end towards Colin and stretches out her hand so he can take it.

Alicia glances at Sammy and says, deadpan, "Jose was the guy in the car; the waitress was trying to warn him of the ambush."

Sarah blinks in confusion.  Then she waits all zen like in the knowledge that soon all will be revealed.  Or not.  Worst comes to worst she could just put her shoes on her head and walk out.  Or clap one hand or something. 
Or I could ask what the heck they were talking about. "Huh?"

Alicia turns to Sarah and in the same tone says, "That's what the guy at the salad bar said."

She doesn't quite manage keeping the straight face, though.

"Did I hear something about pizza?"

Jakob takes a chair at the table.

"Sorry," he says in answer to the quizzical looks he's likely to draw.

"I heard a bunch of stuff you guys were just talking about that I don't really understand.  Pizza I understand."

Alicia nods. "Thursday night. You're not busy then?" she asks, tentatively.

Sarah chirps up, "I'll be there.  Just let me know where and when."

"OK. I'll ask Mom about how many can come and where we're going and all that stuff."

There is a thin veneer of teen-age chagrin at her parent's antics under a layer of gratitude at the group's willingness to participate.

"OK."

Sammy looks around the table.  "Does anybody know the date of the Valentine's dance?  I'm wondering if it conflicts with the party El is planning."

"I hope not," replies Rhys. "I'd like to go to both."

He gives Alicia a sideways glance and a big smile.

Alicia simultaneously asks, "Elrod's planning a party? I heard they're real cool." and glances over at Rhys with a questioning look.

She catches his return look and grins before looking down.

Donnie finishes up his sandwich. "Whelp, I'm off to the library for some last minute cramming before the quiz next period. See ya!"

He gathers his stuff and heads to the library.

A little later (likely after lunch) Sammy gets a message on her phone.

Smy, I am nit sure if I am invited or not to Alic pizza thng. Cn you fnd out 4 me plz?

He gets a reasonably quick response.

ok.  If not U cn go as my date n Syl can go w John.  Give him camoflg. :)

Alicia gets a message, assuming she is carrying the phone again.

A, are Don n Syl invited 4 pizza?

The answer comes back:

yes if dey wan to come.

Sent to Donnie:  Yes U R invited. Syl 2.

A few seconds later, another text message pings on Sammy's phone:

?!? did d / s ask u? wat, 2 good 2 ask me? >:-(

Alicia reads Sammy's text message and closes the phone with a snap.

The rational part of her mind acknowledges the logic of the situation. That doesn't stop her from fuming as she stalks down the hall.

The worst part is that she's not even sure what exactly is bothering her.

The next day, Alicia sends out a text message to the group:

Mom sez its ok 4 all 2 come !!! Place is Dino's on Madison St. She sez we cn meet after skul f we want

text to John from Sammy

Muskogee, OK with a stop in Okay, OK? :)  Golden Corral in Muskogee!

A few minutes later she gets a reply. 

Sounds like a plan, so long as I don't have to wear a cowboy hat.

Sounds good to me.  See you then.

Friday afternoon John arrives at the US table with a girl in tow.  "Hey everyone, this is Delaney Brennan.  She's new here, and Mrs. Pulowski asked me to show her around."  John pulls a chair out for Delaney and then gets one for himself.

OOC: Surprise, new player!

Alicia pauses from nibbling on her sandwich and playing footsie with Rhys to greet the new arrival. "Hey, welcome to the freak show."

Alicia is wearing her usual: faded concert T-shirt, worn tight jeans, well-loved sneakers, army surplus jacket. Her eyes are hidden behind dark shades and her hands are covered with black slim gloves. A new addition to her apparel is a leather choker necklace with a ring on the front, a small cross made of wood nails hanging from it.

OOC: In case folks have a hard time visualizing the cross:

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31r2dCWp2hL._SL500_AA280_.jpg)

Sammy looks up, smiles briefly, and mumbles something about needing to annex another table Real Soon Now.  Its that or eat in shifts.

Rhys says, "Wow. I sure wasn't the new guy for very long." Delaney notes a strong Welsh accent. Rhys stands and offers her his hand. "Rhys Gruffudd*, pleased to meet you."

(*Pronounced "Reese Griffith")

Alicia's face tightens for a second when Rhys gets all gentlemanly, but acts as if nothing's the matter.

{Psh. Rhys is nice to everybody. Is Alicia really that jealous? ;) }

OOC: Well, she tries not to be. :angel:

Speaking of which, we demand a description. What does the new blood look like?

((I'm gettin' around to it.))    ::)

John entered the cafeteria with a petite, pale girl whose long, black hair was pulled tightly back in a fashionable clip.  She’s wearing a fuzzy knit sweater with a pink floral pattern, brand name jeans wrapped pleasingly close around her slender curves. Her tennis shoes, however, aren’t truly tennis shoes at all, being heavy things of a brand only known to those who wear work boots, steel-toed and out of sync with the rest of her ensemble.

She dutifully followed him through the crowd to the table.  With uncanny grace, she skillfully dodged a spontaneous wrestling match, a pile of slick spaghetti strewn across the tiled floor, the out flung arm of a babbling cheerleader displaying a new move, and a deliberately protruding foot intended to trip her.  All this without sloshing a single drop of her soda into her tray, which she set down only after John introduced her.

That’s when a zipper gave out, and her new history book dropped right into her lasagna as she was easing the backpack from her shoulder.

“Thanks, John.  It’s just Laney.  Um...Nice to meet you, too,” the girl mumbles, raising her gaze from the disastrous scene.  Her eyes are startlingly blue and dark as an evening sky, sparkling with starlight – eyes which, for a few seconds, stare blankly at Rhys.  Then her stoic expression, the acceptance of her humiliating fate, softens into a broad and sincere smile, and she grips his hand.

“You may claim the honorable title of The New Guy as long as you want.  Oh!  I didn’t get stuff on you, did I?”  Laney reaches for a stack of clean napkins and overturns her soda.

Alicia casually shifts her sandwich away from the spreading spill without even looking as she hands some napkins to Laney.

WTF? Okay, she's gotta be paranormal, since she got handed off to John. So what's her schtick? Applied karma?

She looks at the rest of the table for suggestions, then shrugs.

"Ah, screw it. The suspense is killing me. Sit down, chica. We have an initiation ceremony here at the Freaks 'R' Us table called 'I Show You Mine, You Show Me Yours.'

"Basically, we're all here because we're... different in some way. Some of us more obviously." She punctuates her last statement by lowering her shades with one finger enough to let Laney see her yellow-green slit-pupil eyes.

"So what's your angle, girl?"

Rhys looks sideways at Alicia, raising his eyebrows.

That was fast... She hasn't even been here a minute yet.

Sammy groans in embarrassment and a little bit of frustration.  "Aaahh-leee-shi-aaa.  Quit it with the Freaks 'R' Us stuff, ok?  At least let her clean up and sit down first."

As Rhys seems to have pacified Alicia, Sylvia's been coming around the lunch table again.  She settles into a seat on the Greg-Dave-Rob end of the table and looks over at Laney, then at John.  Whatever prescription she got for her still-healing laser burns must be some good shit because she doesn't utter a word about it beyond.  "Hi, I'm Sylvia.  I read minds.  Don't freak out."

Alicia makes a face and waves Sammy off. "Oh please. Like I'm going to sit here while you guys dance around the subject."


Alicia looks down for a second, then resumes her attentive posture towards Laney.

Laney responds with a witty, “Huh?”  She makes no attempt to conceal her absolute confusion while she dabs at her abused textbook with a wad of napkins and lowers herself into the chair.

She was sure John would have them seated with the jocks; he seemed the type.  He’s nice, but…well, look at him.  Typical of her luck to end up at the psycho table.

Not wishing to make an enemy of the girl with the creepy contact lenses or her friends, Laney timidly adds, “Oh.  Hi, Sylvia.  I’m Laney.  I’m from northern Virginia.”

Sarah walks in and spots another person at their table.  She mutters to herself, "Oh my gosh.  Was there a superhero convention in town about sixteen years ago that attracted a lot of groupies or something?"

When she arrives she smiles at the gang and sits.  "Jakob, Alicia, New kid and now?"  She smiles at  Laney and says, "Hi!  Welcome to OakPark.  I'm Sarah Rollins.  It's nice to meetcha."  She glances at the lasagna splash.  Bummer for the first day, "Ouch.  Hey if you'd like, I've got some spare stuff in my locker you can borrow?  Sucky way to go through the afternoon on your first day." 

Sarah is an average looking teen, which means nothing at all really, but she has shoulder length red hair and a pale complexion.  She's wearing a loose brown hoodie sweatshirt and comfortable jeans along with a pair of well worn Vans.  Clearly not going for fashion is our Sarah.  Unless comfy is in.  In which case she is totally in the scene.   

Rhys mocks chocking on his sandwich. "You haven't forgotten my name already, have you?" he says with a smile.

Sarah just grins at Rhys.

Sammy gapes at Alicia, then at Sylvia.  You guys are scaring me.

She sighs in relief at Sarah's normal greeting.  Her unevenly blond-streaked brown hair (obviously a poorly done home job) flutters tentatively around her head.  "My name is Samantha.  My friends call me Sam, or Sammy.  I can get you some stuff too if you want it."

Alicia huffs in impatience. "Fine. Take your time. No skin off my nose. Welcome to Oak Park. Make yourself at home. Blah blah blah." She goes back to subjecting her sandwich to the Death of a Thousand Bites.



Alicia chimes in. "Oh yeah. These guys," she waves a finger vaguely around the table, "They love to help out. Give 'em a chance and they'll fix any problems you may have. Poor grades, bad friendship, stalker boyfriend, you name it."

Alicia gives him a playful shove. "Well, it is so hard to pronounce. 'Reeeee-iss'," she says, drawing out the name and giving it a heavy Spanish accent.

Awww craaaap. Sarah thinks.  

Dave, Rob & Greg smile wave.  John blinks a few times.  "We're not freaks."  he says simply and begins to eat.

Alicia shrugs. "Okay, fine. I'm the only freak here. Everybody else here at the table is 100% A-grade normal."

Rolling one's eyes is ineffective as an expression when wearing sunglasses, but Alicia manages to evoke the sentiment nevertheless.

"I'm from San Francisco," Sylvia says.  And that seems to be enough conversation for her for now because she lets Sammy and Sarah sort out the clothing situation without further comment.

"Does my mohawk make me count as a freak or A-grade normal?" Donnie walks up, tray in hand. He is of middling height for a fourteen year old boy, slightly pudgy with blue eyes and glasses. He has a rather retro haircut though, with his blonde hair spiked up in a mohawk. One side of his head has a red weal of a fading injury and a couple stitches in one cheek.

He cocks a near-invisisble eyebrow at Sylvia, who has wedged herself safely between Rob and Greg, before pulling up a nearby chair and placing his tray lengthwise on the table.

popKSHHH goes the first can of coke. "Donnie Douglas. Welcome to the school."

Sylvia, who's been affecting stoicism, brightens when Donnie appears.  It's like someone changed a burnt-out bulb and set the whole Christmas tree a-sparkling again.  She smooches him on the cheek and impulsively cuts in on any introduction the new girl might make for herself.  "This is Laney.  John brought her."

Donnie beams a straight-toothed smile at Sylvia for the kiss. "You'd think parents would be taking their children out of this place faster than they come in.."

He hands Sylvia a rare find from the lunchline-a veggie pita overflowing with sprouts. "They made one for me without the dressing."

"Ooh."  Sylvia shows the same excitement a classroom bunny might, nibbling around the edges of the sprouty bonanza.  "Thank you.  Hey, are we going to the dance?  Mitzi wants to know if you have a costume."

Alicia perks up. "Dance? A dance?"

She turns excitedly to Rhys. "We're going to it, right?"

Her face clouds with mock-seriousness. "Ponder the answer to this question very carefully."

"It's one syllable!" Rhys protests.


"And I'm from Wales. Or 'Welshland,' as some of you crazy people call it," he says, giving Alicia a nudge in the ribs.


"Don't need to," he says between munches of his sandwich. "Of course we're going."

"We might be playing," Sammy comments.  "If you're talking about El's party."

There is a pause while the girl secures her history textbook and piles the soiled napkins into one, monstrous glob, which she hides poorly under a single clean tissue.  The culprit (that faulty zipper) proved to be functioning properly now.

She looks down at her pretty sweater in resignation.  The addition of tomato sauce added nothing positive to the patterns in the knit.

“I have a t-shirt under this.  Aunt Jean’s gonna flip.  She only took the tags off this thing last night.  You’re looking at the walking dead.   No, thanks.  I don’t want to cut your lunch time short.  It’s kind of you to offer.”

Laney smiled politely at the newcomers, revising her original estimation from psycho table to geek table.   Or maybe psycho geek table?   While that made her feel slightly more at ease, it was a larger group than she’d ever sat with.  So many faces.  More new faces would mean more questions; she was very tired of questions.

Jeers from strangers for her ridiculous predicament would’ve been equally uncomfortable to endure as this crowd of friendly faces.  Ann was right: she’s not ready for this.  She longed to return to the impersonal classroom.  How long before the bell?

“Well…I mean…unless you think we’d have enough time?”  Laney looks pleadingly from Sarah to Sammy, cringing at the sensation of cold, wet cotton clinging to her stomach.  In her zealous cleansing efforts, she’d pressed the stains through to her t-shirt in spots.



“Um…Anyone want some lasagna?”

"There's plenty of time," Sammy says.  "Come on.  Unless you want to eat first?"  She  nods at Sylvia.  "Her mom is good at making things; maybe she'll be able to fix that for you."

"No...I um... I'm not hungry anymore.  History's not my favorite subject. 

Some things can't be fixed, anyway.

You sure it's alright?  You would really be saving my high school life.  Are there medals for that?" 

"I already have that one, a couple of times.  Come on."  Sammy has started keeping a spare change of clothes in her locker since Alicia went feral that one day.  "If you don't like mine, you can use Sarah's.  Our lockers are pretty close.  All the freshman lockers are in one general area, so yours should be there too.  You are a freshman, right?"

Laney slowly stands, handling her backpack so cautiously that one might think it full of eggs or something equally squishy.

"They threw me in where they could fit me.   I um...Yes, my locker's in the freshman hall, but I'm a junior - or was supposed to be a junior.  Um...I have a lot of classes to make up.  The school board is reviewing my -"   She glances around the cavernous room with its numerous exits.  "Poor John.  He's been so helpful, and I'm a lost cause.  Which way is it?"

"Forgive me for a moron, but what dance is this again?"  

He makes inroads on his salad.

Sylvia eyes Laney's sweater and nods.  "Mitzi can get that out.  She once got bouillabaisse out of a white silk shirt."


Sylvia blinks at Donnie and then makes brief eye contact with Sammy and rolls her eyes, figuring Sammy will understand.  "Valentine's Day," she says with elaborate patience.  "Elrod's throwing a party is the school buzz, and I assumed we'd be invited.  The theme is Bonnie and Clyde, I hear, so I guess that means shapeless dresses, suspenders, and rolled-up sleeves.  I don't really get the connection."

Donnie frowns. "Valentine's Day? I seem to remember hearing something about that. Wasn't there some mob shoot out in the 20's?"

He tries to keep a straight face, and succeeds, mostly.

Sylvia isn't quite pouting, but she's giving him the look every girl has given her boy since men moved to Mars and women to Venus.  "That has nothing to do with Bonnie and Clyde.  And the best way to prevent a massacre on Valentine's Day is showing up on time with flowers and chocolate."

'Or take out the competition before it does the same to you.

I don't know...A Bonnie and Clyde theme seems more of a romantic "Until death do us part" kind of thing.  He doesn't really want people dressing up in 1930's outfits, does he?  Who is Elrod?'   

Laney hovers, shifting her weight nervously from foot to foot, listening curiously.  She should know who the "in" people are around here, even if she's a galaxy away from them.

"It would be impolitic to answer that question before Sammy does," Sylvia says, giving Laney the answer without really giving her the answer.

"Oh all right, I go to this little 'dance' thing you speak of, as long as you bring me chocolates and flowers.."

Sylvia laughs.  "Okay, but what color is your dress, so I know what kind of corsage to get?"

Donnie pretends to primp non-existant long hair. "Blue perhaps. To match my eyes."

"He's my boyfriend," Sammy says.  "He likes to have interesting parties.  Even if you don't dress up, you should come.  The music is always good.  That's a guarantee."


"Be careful what you wish for, Donnie.  This is a costume party, and Mitzi is creative."

Rhys smiles broadly and nods.

Sylvia grins at Sammy.  "Hey, can we go in drag?  I'll wear the spats and suspenders; the boys can wear flapper dresses?"

Donnie sniffs. "Not going to happen. I cannot possibly walk in heels and I look dreadful in sequins."

Sammy smiles back.  "I don't see why not.  You and Donnie would be cute that way.  I don't think El will care one way or the other.  All he wants is a good party.  And Donnie?  I'll excuse you from sequins.  But fringe!  Ah, fringe will sway delightfully as you sashay into the room."  She exaggeratedly swings her hips side to side.

"And the little headband with the feathers?  And the pearls?  Oh, please?" Sylvia begs Donnie.  "Please?  I'll be your best friend forever.  And I promise I won't post too many pictures."

Donnie bats his eyelashes at the girls, hamming it up. "Dahlings, all the tea in China couldn't get me into enough fringe to cover these hairy legs."  He turns an imploring look at the rest of the table. "Will someone please get me a gin and tonic?"

"But that's what waxing is for," Sylvia says.  If she could control minds, Donnie would be in trouble, but all she can do is smile winsomely and bat her eyelashes in vain hope.

Donnie replies in kind. "Let me know how that goes once you get back from Brazil, dear."

She'd seen grown men in Georgetown dress that way normally; she thought they were depressing.  But she stifled the urge to defend Donnie from his peers.  It wasn't her place - and he might look better in sequins than she.



"Oh! Sorry. I didn't know that um...Well, if I survive my first week, I'll think about it.  Thanks."    A snowball's chance in hell.   Laney silently calculates her odds.

"Huh?" Sylvia says and then catches the image Donnie is broadcasting like premium cable.  She looks aghast.  "Where the heck did you see that?"

Alicia fakes a pout, then says to Rhys, "Well, I'll make sure to dance where you can see me, then."


Alicia's forehead creases as she mulls over the idea. "'Bonnie and Clyde'? That means the 30's, right? Like in Indiana Jones and stuff like that? I can think of some things to wear. I'll get Mom to take me shopping." It's obvious that nefarious plans are brewing behind the dark lenses.


Alicia asks, trying for a casual tone in her voice, "Um, only people from school are going, right?" She almost manages it.


Alicia fakes a spittake. "I'd pay money to see that happen," she adds with a wicked grin on her face.

"No way I'm going in drag, though. I'm not going to miss the chance to wear a slinky dress." She gives Rhys an enticing look.

Donnie waggles his eyebrows. "The internet is an amazing font of knowledge."

Rhys leans in close and whispers very quietly (meant for her ears only, although I know there are some with super-hearing present) to Alicia "Can I be the slinky dress sometime?"

Sylvia leans in closer, which doesn't keep Alicia and John from hearing her.  "But I need those.  Otherwise how is anyone going to tell I went through puberty?"

The heat coming from Alicia's eyes could melt the plastic lenses. "You're such a bad boy, Ree-is. Now I'll be having naughty thoughts all day," she purrs.

"And what makes you think that wasn't my plan from the start, hm?" He snuggles up closer to her. "What good is being an angel if you can't be a little devil now and again, too?"

(murmuring) I wouldn't want you to put yourself through that pain anyway. I was just getting you back, sweetheart..

"I'm wearing spats and suspenders anyway," Sylvia tells Donnie, no longer trying to keep it down.  "Given what's happened at every other party we've been to, there's no way I'm getting caught in heels."

uh oh.  Dueling Love Fests. Time to go!  "So!" says Sammy brightly to Laney.  "Ready to go before these guys set off the sprinkler system?"

Laney struggles to summon a diplomatic answer to that.  Failing, she simply says, "Yes."

"Excellent!  Sarah, ready?"

Jakob enters the lunchroom and arrives at the table.  It takes him a moment but he notices the new arrival - "Hey there, I'm Jakob!"
It takes him another moment to notice the elevated pheromone level at the table and that some of the crew are making ready to leave.

"Got room for one more?"

“Hi!  I’m Laney.  I just transferred here.  John was showing me around, but I um…Well, nice to meet you.”

She smiles and waggles her fingers in a brief, friendly wave, reluctant to lessen her hold on the shoulder strap of her backpack for more than a few seconds.

Alicia looks down at the millimeter-thin space between Rhys and her and smiles wickedly. "Move any closer and you will be the slinky dress." It's hard to say whether her words are meant as a warning... or an invitation.

OOC: Does Oak Park have a policy against PDA? Y'know, Public Displays of Attention, aka, making out like crazed weasels in the middle of the lunchroom? ;D

OOC: Yes.  A brief hug or kiss are fine, but lip locks and tongue wrestling are serious offenses.

OOC: Well then, unless Rhys objects, Alicia will explore just how far she can bend that rule. ;D

{Rhys objecting? You're funny...}

Alicia places her head against Rhys's, her shades sliding down enough for them to lock eyes. She murmurs some words that would cause virginal ears to burn red. Her fingers gently trace the tattoos on Rhys's arms, her claws peeking out enough to tickle the flesh.

Rhys replies with some words of his own - in Welsh - and plays a little game with her by changing the tattoos around...

Alicia growls playfully and starts playing tag with the tattoos, the claws running along his arms just lightly enough to avoid scratching.

Let's see now, Alicia thinks as the game continues, I'm sure with a little research I could find a nice private corner somewhere in this building...

Sarah darts after Sammy and Laney.  Ah my eyes!  Alicia and New kid having a tongue wrestling competition at the table.  "I'm coming Sammy."

Alicia glances over at the departing trio.

New girl has a secret power. Why else would she get thrown in our direction? Just gotta keep an eye out and see what happens. Maybe ask Sammy later if she's found out anything.

This reminds her of another unresolved issue, which causes her to pause in her play. I need to talk to Sammy anyway, after yesterday. I need to make sure we're cool on stuff.

She sighs. Things were so much easier when you didn't give a crap what other people felt.

Sammy looks really relieved to be away from there.  She relaxes visibly when they are out of the cafeteria.

(then I'll switch to the new thread)

Laney's ears were indeed burning - and she didn't even overhear what was said.

With that last thought, Alicia eases off on the love play.

She pats Rhys's arm and leans back a bit. "We better cool it. I've had enough visits to the principal's office for this week."