Grasping at pine cones (Open, Any)

[Freddie Franklin]

He woke up to the smell of fresh coffee and smoked bacon wafting through the house, it had been a solid night of sleep for him. Penny had gotten up for the twins every time they woke up, telling him to go back to sleep. Not that he would have minded getting up, but apparently she could see that he needed some sleep. Between revision and running a house hold, he was being driven into the ground or so she had told him at dinner that night.

He showered quickly dressing in lose fitting clothes he walked into the kitchen with half hour to spare before he needed to leave for school. His sister sat at the kitchen island eating porridge by the smell of it, the twins sat on the island to sleeping in their carry things.

"Morning." Freddie said taking time to kiss the kids on the head before kissing his wife. "Good morning." he said as he looked into the frying pan and smiled. "You know how to go after a mans heart, so whats it going to cost me today sweety?" Freddie said playfully to Penny who slapped him about the head for his efforts. "Hey no fair, you see what your aunt is doing to me sis." Freddie said to his sister who grinned at him.

"You deserved it Alfie." she said.

"Out of the mouth of babes Freddie." Penny said to him.

"I am so out numbered I think I'm just going to sit down and steal some of your porridge." Freddie said as he sat down at the counter. "They didn't cause you to many problems last night did they?" Freddie asked her.

"Nope they woke up for feeds and changes but that was about it." she said to him.

"What do you think baby boy, you think your mommy deserves some flowers today?" Freddie asked the sleeping baby he didn't get an answer but he got giggles from his sister. "So what do you plan to do today?" he asked Penny.

"We thought we would go shopping." Penny said to him.

"Oh so your going to spend my hard earned cash, I'll be broke by dinner." Freddie said with a smile.

"You need shirts ties and underwear, new socks to honey." Penny said to him Freddie blushed.

"Oh the horror of it all." Freddie said she laughed. "Have some fun today, I'll try to call you if its not to noisy at lunch." Freddie said to her.

"I won't hold my breath then." Penny said with a smile as she placed a bacon sandwich in front of him on a plate which he picked up the sandwich leaving the plate where it was. "Have a good day." she said kissing him.

"I plan to, hey sis make sure my wife spoils you. You know I happen to be filthy rich." Freddie said to his sister who giggled.

"Remember your brother is calling you tonight so please don't be late, he hasn't caught you the last couple of times he has called." Penny said to him. "You should invite him to come live with us Alfred, you miss him and he misses you both. Trying this the way your uncle suggested isn't working. And lets face it we could use another pair of hands around this place." Penny said to him.

"You want to book some tickets for him?" Freddie asked. "No you don't you already did, okay I have to go, but if he calls and I'm not here tell him he can come live with us." Freddie said his brother never took the time difference into consideration when he called. Which was a bad thing if it wasn't the weekend.

"I will, you want me to give him your mobile number?" she asked.

"Yes of course." Freddie said to her.

An hour later he stood in front of his locker placing books in the bag that he would need for his morning lessons. Closing his locker he rested against it, what to do next he ate breakfast, a proper English breakfast at home with the rest of his family. Their were people in the hallway, most of them goofing about which made him smile quite a bit.

Tag any one near by.

[felipe]

Stage one: complete. Felipe smiled in satisfaction as he wandered into the main school building. He couldn't wait to track down Jessica and tell her how he'd taken Patch Kimball's place on the soccer team. That was going to hurt him... and maybe Evan also as the pair seemed to be joined at the hip. The match against the Silver girl's team was later today and - with luck - Patch would be there to watch it. Even more salt into his open wound but it was nothing he didn't deserve. Ok, so he was taking Jessica's word for what had happened but he had no reason what so ever to doubt that she'd spoken the truth. The thought of them videoing the fire and then laughing overt it on You Tube made his blood simmer.

No, he wasn't going to let thoughts of that kind mar his mood. Today was a good day. The best, in fact.

He whistled softly to himself as he made his way through the coridors and to his shared locker. No Sign of Victor Webber and so he opened the locker door a touch warily in case another spider husk had been stored inside. It seemed safe enough and so he dropped down to rummage on the lower shelf for that morning's books.

He straightened and hoited his pack over his left shoulder, inadvertently striking another person in his clumsy haste. "Minhas desculpas," he offered. "I'm sorry... I didn't see you behind me. I trust I didn't hit you too hard... Some of my books for this morning's lessons are weighty. Particularly the ones for English!"

[Freddie Franklin]

Getting struck by a bag full of books had to go down as something that hurt, especially where he had been hit which had almost doubled him over. Then the boy started talking and apologising, accidents happened after all. Even if they hurt like hell, like that one in particular had.

"No problems, I'm not using that part of my anatomy at the moment." Freddie said as he tried to get the urge to not collapse like a girl to the floor under control. He did have a pained expression on his face. "Books in your bag, I thought you might have bricks in your bag or something." he said as he looked at the bag as if it might be deadly and attack him again.

He did think that the boy had been clumsy, and that he should have been more careful with where he was swinging it. Considering how heavy it was, it didn't take a brain surgeon to work that out. If he was in a private school he may have ripped the boy a new one, the old English school boy and lord in waiting sure did have a temper. Maybe in a lesser mood and sleep deprived he would have let rip, but he didn't want to spoil what was meant to be a good day by arguing. The boy had done it by accident, so it didn't really matter.

"So what has you in a hurry?" he asked.

[felipe]

Felipe offered the other boy a wry smile of apology. The books had struck him hard and in a particularly vulnerable section. I had to have made his eyes water - at least. "Yes, they are heavy enough to be bricks I agree. And my haste surely isn't for my first class. I don't think anyone would rush to government... Not even those in the senate itself. I was hoping to see someone before class. Jessica Pruitte... Do you know her?" Would her name have its usual effect of instilling fear into the other person's eyes, closely accompanied by a swift retreat..? "I have news to share with her."

With the absence of Jessica perhaps this boy could be the recipient instead? "I have been accepted onto the school soccer team," He lifted his hands slightly in an action that smacked of wryness. "Soccer... Football as it is in my home country... It is my passion and so getting onto the team is really great!" Plus he knew Jessica would be over the moon when she heard exactly who Felipe had displaced. The icing on an already sweet cake.

"Do you happen t also play soccer? I have yet to find out who else is on the team. Quite possibly no one that I know as I haven't been attending this school for very long." It would be good to see at least one friendly face though.

[Freddie Franklin]

Freddie smiled, "No sorry the name doesn't ring a bell, I have yet to meet everyone of importance at the school. I should do something to rectify that situation, but I always seem to have more important things to do than to mingle with people my own age." Freddie said with a twinge of sadness to his tone. It was school life or family life, he couldn't always have both so usually he sacrificed his school social life. "Maybe thats something I should do something about in the future." Freddie said.

"You made the football team, thats great news. someone who isn't American can show the American's how to play football without picking it up. I'm more of a rugby and polo fan, it runs in my blood, but I hope to be able to teach my kids to play the game as they grow up. So what position did you get put into, you don't look like a defender." he asked him.

"I haven't a clue who is really on the teams... but it won't be that long until you find out. The two teams are playing against each other today aren't they." he asked.

"I'm Freddie by the way." he introduced himself.

[felipe]

"Good to meet you Freddie. I am Felipe," he replied along with an out-stretched hand. The other boy gripped it firmly. "But yes, I am glad the school has a proper football team as I have never really understood the one where the ball is thrown. I haven't played rugby but have watched it on TV. Nor polo. Water or on horseback? The position I was given is that of attacking midfielder. One of my idols played in that position for our mutual home country. Pelé." Surely there wasn't a person alive - male OR female - who hadn't heard that magical name. He couldn't wait for the match later today, albeit one against a girls' team. It would still be great fun... and more so if Jessica was there to watch. Even better if Kimball was there too. "Yes, the friendly match is today. Silver girls."

"My other passion is fencing. The sword kind and not building barriers around gardens," he quickly clarified with a grin. "I was lucky enough to find a place close by that teaches it." He shot his companion a quick sideways glance. He didn't seem awkward or shy and yet... "So why do you not... ah... mingle." Felipe struggled momentarily to recoolect the unknown word Freddie had used although its meaning was pretty clear.

[Freddie Franklin]

Freddie grinned, "Polo is kind of a high society game, not a lot of people who are down to earth or who don't have a stick shover so far up their ass you could attach a mop to it and mop the floor while you walk." Freddie told him. "Its good fun if you don't mind horses, at the family estate we have a stable of horses. We've had some winning horses over the decades, it was my grandfathers thing really. Something I don't really have an interest in." Freddie explained.

"Fencing, seriously LA has a school that teachs that. Wow thats something I may have to look into." Freddie said with a smile he smiled wryly as he was asked why he didn't mingle with people at school he held up his left hand and pointed at the wedding ring on his finger. "Its not a pretty decoration, I have a wife and three kids at home, only two are mine the eldest is my little sister. Since our parents died my sister has lived with us, it was in the will that was revealed after they died, I had been married a while by then. So I have twin new borns at home, and they kind of take up my time so does being married." Freddie said to him. "With age and marriage comes responsibility, mine just came a lot younger than most people." Freddie said to him with a grin on his face.

[felipe]

It was hard to follow everything Freddie said. He spoke quickly and used some words the Brazilian boy had yet to encounter before. Polo, though... He grasped enough to know it was a game played on horse-back and by monied folk. "Ah yes, I know the game you mean. I have never played polo but there are a few clubs in the area where I lived. Mata Chica club and Sociedade Hipica de Orlandia. They are both well known in Sao Paolo. Only those with a lot of money attend." Not that Felipe's family could be classed as poor... Just not in that same league.

"I love to ride horses but..." he shrugged slightly "... I seem to spend a lot of the time climbing back on after falling off. Still, I will keep trying! I am sure you would enjoy fencing. Kian O'Connor also attends the same academy as I do... Do you know him at all? I would be happy to sign you in as my guest one day so that you can try it for yourself. You may not like it and it would be dumb to join and pay a membership until you know for sure!"

He glanced down at Freddie's hand when he held it up for Felipe to see. "Você é casado? Wow... married. That is a big responsibility and I can see why you have little time for friends at school." It was clear to him that Freddie loved his life, though. His smile told him that. Still, he might like the chance to escape family life and try out fencing.

Felipe scribbled his cell number onto a scrap of paper. "Give me a call if you are interested and we can work out a day and time."