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Post by Slate Cummings on Jan 12, 2010 0:57:37 GMT -5
Slate had brown bagged it for his lunch today. The lunches at school always left much to be desired. Besides his mother had made beef stew the night before complete with buttermilk biscuits and no one else had claimed them for their lunch so luck was on his side!
He zapped his food in the microwave in the cafeteria then headed outside. He found a spot under a nice shady tree to work on his homework and catch a few rays as well. He unbuttoned the top three buttons on his shirt and made himself comfortable.
He pulled out his economics book and started to study and enjoy his lunch. He wasn't much into the book when he started to squint. The sun was making a welcomed but annoying appearance, he countered it by putting on his sunglasses. He was able to resume studying.
The combo of outside, good food and studying was doing his soul good. Maybe it was because he wasn't stuck in a stifling school, he had freedom outside, if only a little. That feeling was short lived when a shadow fell over him, he didn't look to see who it was. "Umm sorry but you make a much better door than you do window." He said trying to dismiss them.
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Post by felipe on Jan 13, 2010 4:15:02 GMT -5
Felipe drew in a deep breathfueled by disappointment when his message to Jessica remained unanswered. He stopped by his locker and grabbed the lunch his mother had made for him and carried it outside. His books - along with his phone - were left in the locker. If Jessica had been going to reply he knew she would have done so by now.
The grassed area outside was already well in use and Felip headed for the large tree set in its centre. He came to a halt and rummaged in a pocket for a pair of sunglasses, unknowingly throwing his shadow across another boy already sitting on the ground.
"Umm sorry but you make a much better door than you do window."
Felipe turned to look down at the source of the voice. "Perdão? Eu sou pesaroso," he offered in apology, not all that sure what windows and doors had to do with it but rightly guessing it was relatwed to him blocking the sunlight. "I wasn't aware of you," he added before dropping down to sit for himself a short distance from the boy.
He set down his lunch and slipped his sunglasses on. "It is a fine day, isn't it?" he said in the hopes of opening up some sort of a conversation. He wasn't sure if the other boy would respond with much more than a terse reply as he seemed engrossed in his book but it didn't hurt to try!
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Post by Slate Cummings on Jan 14, 2010 2:38:34 GMT -5
An implacable accent was the last thing Slate had expected to hear. He looked up at the boy who had spoken. He wasn't sure what to say. "Umm it's ok, I'm kind of short so I can be easily missed!" he smiled and laughed a little. There were no hard feelings on Slate's end.
He set his text book aside, the words were starting to blur together. "Yeah it is, even though where I had lived it would be a bit warmer and much more humid." He took a deep breath. "Still I won't argue with a sunny day anytime." His southern drawl slowly coming out. "I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself, I'm Slate Cummings." He sat up and offered his hand to the other teen.
"I guess I'm safe in guessing you aren't from here either," it felt good not being the only outsider among the blond hair, perfect faces and plastic bodies. "Even though there is one blond I wish would show up, I met her once and poof she disappeared, not even so much as a glass slipper to track her down by."
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Post by felipe on Jan 14, 2010 3:03:08 GMT -5
Felipe nodded in complete understanding. "It's a lot cooler here than where I'm from also," he replied. "Brazil at this time of the year would be towards the end of its summer season but this is still pleasant enough.
Felipe reached across to grasp the other boy's hand. "Felipe," he provided. "Felipe Vila Nova... Part time door," he added with a grin. "And no... my home's originally in São Paulo," he added. He grinned when Slate went on to speak of a girl. "A blonde, huh? And instead you get me for your lunch companion." Felipe laughed slightly as he lifted his shoulders in a wry shrug. "Life can be harsh, can't it? Fort myself I am waiting for a friend to reply to my text. She seems to have vanished from school today. Luckily she has darker hair than blonde sio there's no fear we are pining over the same absence."
He nodded towards the discarded text book. "I hope I didn't interrupt something important," Felipe continued. "What are you reading?" Slate had been well engrossed when Felipe had made his appearance and so it had to be of some interest.
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Post by Slate Cummings on Jan 16, 2010 0:05:37 GMT -5
"Down south, we'd be dealing with rains and the end of hurricane season then we'd be hit with heat and humidity. That's one plus being slightly farther north." The eye candy was also a plus.
"Good to meetcha Felipe," he shook the boys' hand. "Brazil, you are a ways from home then." He mused. "Yeah, we talked briefly yesterday morning, I was kind of hoping to see her again. But as my nana would say some company is better than no company." He said to the teen. "You have your eye on someone too, I hope she answers your text. Course it seems like the female persuasion like to keep us males either clueless or hanging on for dear life!" He shifted slightly on the grass. "This is California, it could be the same girl, she just goes around in disguise."
"It was nothing too important," Slate assured him. "Just economics, one of the topics the confuse the hell out of me. I know it shouldn't be so hard, I mean people have money, people want money and the two need to meet up."
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Post by felipe on Jan 16, 2010 3:59:00 GMT -5
"I suppose the summer in São Paulo can be a bit humid too and so am looking forward to a little less of that. As for the girl I am hoping to hear from... We're just friends." At least he thought so... Weren't they? Felipe had a feeling there was more to him and Jessica than just that... Close friends? More? Their hug had certainly felt that way as it had lingered for longer than a friend's show of comfort normally would. It confused the hell out of him but knowing Jessica as he did he wasn't about to say - or do - the wrong thing. More likely than not he'd end up with her knee in his groin if he made any sort of wrong move.
"The same girl in disguise?" Felipe laughed. "But for myself I need no help to be clueless. I wonder if feminine ways are taught or if they are just second nature," he added with a wink.
"Ecomics, huh? Another enigma. I was lucky in that I escaped that particular torture although government class has to come a close second! Tell me, Slate, what do you do after school has finished? I have recently taken up fencing... I used to study it back in Brazil. Other than that..." He shrugged slightly. "... I have to join a football club of some kind... Either a school one or one around town somewhere. Football is my passion... Football, fencing... and girls," he clarified.
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Post by Slate Cummings on Jan 17, 2010 4:02:08 GMT -5
"I do enjoy the feel of the cool air at night though, everyone thinks I'm odd because I keep my window open but it helps me sleep." He said with a smile. "So, friends. Always nice and welcomed and if more happens then it happens."
Slate laughed a bit more. "This is what my friends back in Georgia warned me about. With all the movie and television studios, the slap a wig on a girl, alter her makeup and she's a new person. Who knows, maybe its true, maybe its not." Someone else who was thinking about the mystique of the female. "Personally I think its inherited from mother to daughter. I know my mom and sister will team up against my brother, father and myself all the time. Half the time, we have no idea why."
"I had to go for the lesser of the two evils, even though they're very close." He closed the book. "I take karate lessons on Mondays. I enjoy it. I don't like it when I have to use it on someone though, which has happened on occasion." He was surprised to hear of Felipe's activity. "Fencing? That has to be something! Sounds so regal." He was puzzled on the football though. "I thought both schools had football teams, unless you mean soccer, and even then I thought there were teams." He snapped his fingers with an idea. "I know the YMCA usually has booklets going around with different activities you might want to check them out."
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Post by felipe on Jan 18, 2010 4:17:50 GMT -5
Soccer? What was that? And then Felipe remembered. That was what football was called here. "No I mean soccer. We call it football in Brazil. The one where the ball is kicked and not carried. Soccer? I must remember that or I will end up playing a game I have never tried before!" he said with a laugh. "Karate looks to be fun, though, but I think I am more suited to fencing, being so tall. It's hardly regal," he replied with a grin. "Countless people have died at the point of a sword throughout history. Mainly in Europe but usually at the hands of normal ordinary people. It was commonplace although I admit it happens rarely today! It can be quite brutal... particularly if heavier blades are used. I prefer lighter ones and so am able to use my speed and reflexes rather than strength."
Felipe threw Slate a wry smile. "I can bore anyone into a coma once I start talking about fencing," he added. "And I get all sorts of reactions when I tell people my hobby. A couple friends back in São Paulo found it particularly funny. I remember asking them if they knew of a place where I could study fencing..."
* * *
"As in gardening?"
"As in swords, dufus," Felipe retorted and after a series of Musketeer jokes that he endured patiently enough Rafa dug out a local directory and began to look...
"So what's the interest in swords?" Bennie asked. "I mean, it looks a bit crazy to me... All that gear and crap. Where's the danger?"
"It's not meant to be dangerous," Felipe answered. "The idea is to build strength and agility as well as an immaculate hand-eye coordination. I started with a foil and am now learning to use an epee. After that I get to play with the big one. A sabre."
"Like in pirate movies?" asked Rafa.
"I guess. At least there's no plank-walking involved."
* * *
"They could never understand the interest," Felipe finished after relating the exchange to Slate. "I guess its hard to explain but I might try out karate myself. It has always looked interesting."
The end of lunch bell sounded and Felipe glanced at his watch in surprise. "That went fast!" he declared. "I must have been talking far too much. Perhaps you can let me know sometime where you meet for karate? I could then take a look for myself."
He got to his feet and brushed grass off his clothing. "I'm glad I got in the way of your sunlight," he added with a friendly smile. "Otherwise I would have passed a far more lonely lunchtime."
(tag for a wrap?)
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