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Dave is absent from the lunch table today as the others arrive.  Greg relates he's running an errand, but didn't get any details.

Colin arrives and gets out his lunch bag and a couple letters.

"Greg, I'm writing a letter for Calvin and one for TJ. I wanted to send them a photo of us." he shows it to him "Would you like to sign it too? I'd send one to Matt too, but he hasn't left an address."

"I'll sign anything."  Greg says, "So long as it's not an agreement to do another school play."  He sets down his stack of script notes.  "The advantage is that I've already convinced some of the drama kids to help out on my next movie."

Megan makes her way into the lunchroom with Kansas as they head towards the cheerleading table.  She was only feeling a little bit sore after last nights training with Jack.  It was not that she had been lax in practicing what he was trying to get them to learn, but more that she was in good shape already from cheering and now running all over the city every week.  Besides, after Tuesday night covering most of the Chicago suburbs, getting zapped by Spark and carrying Katie a few miles, a little rough falling and the like was nothing. 

"I'll be right back."  Greg says, getting up and heading towards Megan and the cheerleading table.

"Megan."  He says, to get her attention, "There is an outing tomorrow to go see some Hitchcock films at an old art theatre in the city.  I was wondering if you'd like to go.  I know it's short notice, but these trips usually are."

Megan looks over at Greg as he intercepts her on the way to the table.  Stopping as Kansas continued on the blond gave Greg a smile as she said, “tomorrow?  What time?  I sort of had something planed for the evening already.”

Sylvia wanders in, having caught up to Donnie in the hall.  She's asking something like "So I was wondering, since it's too cold to do stuff out, if you'd maybe, um, show me how to play one of those games you have?"  She' searching for common ground, perhaps, or maybe just an excuse to go up to his room again.

"Well, the first show is at midnight.  If we watched both films I could have you home by 4AM or so."

“Midnight?”  Megan asked, a bit surprised.  “Umm, I’m not sure, I’ll have to ask my mom.  How many people are going to be going?”  The blond teen was wondering is she would be able to get away with that, particularly as she was going to would be two dates, or at least one date and one sorta date, that night.  It also hopefully wouldn’t be too hard to fit both in.

"Well, if all the drama kids go that want to, and you and me, that would be eight of us.  I can arrange for some adults if it'll help with your folks."

“Well, I don’t know if there needs to be that, but I’ll mention that as well.  I’ll give you a call tonight when I have a chance to talk to my mom after the game.”  Megan says with a smile.

As Sylvia and Donnie arrive, Colin looks at Greg going to talk with Megan. He raises an eyebrow, but doesn't say anything.

He gets out his phone and texts Sarah 'Math today too? I hope not. I got new cookies to share.'

Shortly after entering the cafeteria, Sammy cruises by the table.  She hands a bright red folder to Sylvia and says loudly, "Thanks for the help.  I wouldn't have figured it out by myself."  More quietly she adds, to anybody who can hear her, "Anything going on that I need to know about?"

"On my part, nope. I'm going to the PCD later so I'll probably have some updates tomorrow. Sammy, would you like to sign a photo for T.J.? I'm sending a letter to him and Calvin." he gives the other photo to Sylvia and Donnie, since he isn't sure Sammy actually knew Calvin.

Sammy looks at the picture and shakes her head 'no'.  "We barely knew each other.  He probably will not even remember who I am."  She  looks around the table.  "Well, if something does happen, you can find me with the marching band at the game tonight.  I'll be the one playing the instrument that sounds like a moose with a sinus infection."

Colin laughs and offers T.J.'s letter too to Donnie and Sylvia.

"Well I think I'll be taking some photos for the paper, hoping this time they stay on the paper rather than getting all over six o'clock news."

Sylvia writes a quick message with lots of hearts and exclamation points.  "What TJ did was gross," she laments, "but I miss him."

"Maybe you could take some photos of the band.  Our director would love that; he'd probably ask for copies to hang in his office."  She smiles.  "And a marching band never makes the 6 o' clock news unless it is picked to march in a big parade or perform at a political function, so I think you'd get your wish."

She waves hello to Heather, who is just sitting down at one of the band tables.  "Oh boy.  I guess I should go talk to Heather and find out if she still has a date to Homecoming.  That boy who was attacked by the bees was the one who asked her to go to the dance with him.  It seems weird that she was attacked, then he got attacked too.  It makes me a little worried for anybody hanging out with her."

After promising to call Greg as soon as she talked with her mom, Megan continued on her way over to the cheerleading table and took her spot. 

Sammy can see the light of imagination igniting in Colin's eyes.
"That is a very good idea, you know? I'd love to take some photo of the band. It would be better on a day game though. Maybe the ligths will be good. I'll probably have to put all my magic on it. See you later then. Tell your friends your brassware has to shine!" he says with a wink.


"Has T.J. given you the result of his research before leaving?"

Donnie is enthused about Sylvia's interest. He is babbling about different 'game systems' to 'try out' until she found one that suited her 'style of play', oblivious to the obvious context it could be taken in. For once, the innocence of he and Sylvia saves them from embarrassed silence and awkwardness.

He signs the notes and continues to babble to Sylvia, in a nearly incomprehensable terminology until he realizes her blank face is a result of him practically speaking a different language. He winds it down with a "Well, Colin was interested too, and since Sarah is an old hat at it maybe we could the four of us get together and hash something out."

He is happy, despite the achiness from the previous night's workout with the old fighter dude. He sees Colin texting on his phone and says "Tell Sarah I owe her lunch because of a certain greedy little pig confessed he's been stealing her lunch in the newspaper homeroom."

"I could help," Sylvia offers.  "We could kind of make it a training exercise."  Sylvia doesn't quite get the sedentary nature of gaming.  She knows Cheetos are involved.

Colin was only vaguely following the conversation, but he perks up at the proposal.
"Sure. I'd love to."

He texts Sarah again about Donnie's proposal and Pip's confession.

Sarah reads her messages as she makes her way to the cafeteria. 'Cookies!  Pips alwys frgvn & GAME ON''

She eventually makes it to the table stopping by to grab a couple of milks along the way.  "I have returned... more or less.  I was told there would be cookies!"  She sits down next to Colin satisfied in her mind that it is to be as close as possible to the source of cookies and not just wanting to sit next to this boy. 

Donnie gets up and tugs on Sarah's shirt-arm. "Let's go, supergirl. I owe you lunch. Pip just confessed this morning.."

Sarah gives Donnie a smile.  "Go?  But there are cookies."  She sighs, "Well I suppose.  It's no problem about Pip.  Hey is he going to grow or is he full size?"

Colin looks at her and in his eyes she could read exactly how much he missed her and how much he'd like to be alone with her for a moment. After such an intense stare, he looks away in embarassment.

He gets out a big box of cookies with a smile. "This ones are a bit different. I hope you like coconut." They are quite different indeed, they're softer, and less dry than the last ones.

"So... I know we would have to play a character. Got something in mind?"

"He's full size, but his appetite is far beyond what his body should be able to hold. I dunno how he eats so much. Magic I guess. "  Donnie grins as he pays for their lunches. "Sylvia has shown interest in gaming, maybe for my sake, but since Colin sounded intersted as well, perhaps we could do something fantasy, since we have the Super Heros thing kind of down. Maybe Changeling the Dreaming. Thats an awesome game. What do you think, Sarah?

"No, I don't have any of it.  I'll go see Mr. Heep later today, maybe he will know something."


Sammy wanders away from the Usual Suspects and over to her normal lunch crew.  She sits down near Heather.  "Hey Heather.  How's it going?  Any word on your Homecoming date?"

To Colin she shrugs, "I'll have to think about it... what sort of characters?  Hey maybe I should dress up like Velocity!"  She strikes a quick Velocity pose, right down to the confident smirk before giving a wink and heading off with Donnie.


[quote author]Maybe Changeling the Dreaming. Thats an awesome game. What do you think, Sarah?[/color]
[/quote]

"Works for me, though I'll have to brush up on the rules.  I'm just a simple little d20 girl.  Besides I've been playing more FPS's then RP lately... though come to think of it I haven't really played any this year.  I've been too busy with everything else." 

"But..." he laughs and waits for her to come back.

"I was talking about the game, not Halloween, wondergirl."

"But you're right, there's that too. I tried some ideas, but nothing I really like. You?"

Sarah puts her lunch tray of food made by somebody else on the table next to Colin and considers...  "Maybe I should still dress up as Velocity."  Sarah considers it for a bit.  "Nah, too chilly for that outfit.  Speaking of which, how do heroes stay warm in the winter?  We can't all have a temperature regulated supersuit.  What's the hero on a budgets solution?  Parka with the word Superhero written on the back?"   

"Heh... well if you change your mind, maybe you should ask Megan too about that. About winter costumes, I really have no idea. Maybe we could ask the Banners, though I don't know if the Hulk actually gets cold. Parka doesn't sound like the right thing to wear if you have to do a lot of running and fighting."