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Post by Nightcrawler on Jul 7, 2023 13:57:58 GMT -5
The August sun beat down on the back of her neck as Gina zipped through the park. Her roller blades were doing their job in getting her around the park, despite how the concrete pathway was worn down and cracked after decades of park-goers.
She wished she could use her rollerblades on the track team at Bayville High. If she didn't make the track team this year, Gina didn't know what she would do. Just moving was her life, but she hated the rules and regulations of regular, organized sports.
At some point, she paused beside one of the many park benches, collapsing next to it and taking out a water bottle that she had attached to her hip. Taking a few minutes to people-watch, Gina was a little surprised at seeing other folks that she didn't recognize. Granted, Bayville was big enough that there were plenty of strangers around, but Gina felt that there were more new people this summer than before.
Maybe a lot of them were tourists. (Wednesday, August 2, 2023 - open)
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Post by Incognito on Jul 9, 2023 17:48:27 GMT -5
Mason thrived in the heat. He could run all day long and felt like he would never get tired.
He did a couple of laps around the park already, jogging to burn off some excess energy. His physiology helped him want to move and he could only hope he'd tire himself out enough to get some sleep during the night. He'd probably go and jump in the institute's pool when he was done with the park.
Vaguely, he wondered if he would get caught trying to take a midnight swim if he was still full of energy even after sundown. Then again, he could probably just put on the air conditioner to help calm himself down.
Mason slowed his jog to a walk, wiping some of the sweat off of his forehead with the small towel he had swiped from the manor. Anyone he passed by he greeted with a nod and a casual smile, finding that there were a good amount of people out despite the heat. glancing down at his towel, though, he did frown slightly as he realized there were some flakes of skin on there.
It was the worst part of his abilities...
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Post by Nightcrawler on Jul 10, 2023 20:50:25 GMT -5
One such guy passed Gina by, someone that she had seen looping the park a couple of times. He appeared friendly, granted folks he passed by with a nod and a smile, and Gina tried to place his face. She guessed he was around her age and was definitely in shape enough to make it onto a high school team of some kind.
He wasn't familiar, though.
"Don't think I've seen you just walk yet," Gina called out to him when he started going by the bench she had collapsed by, enjoying the feel of the grass tickling the underside of her legs. She had granted him a crooked smile when he had given her one, still being a little puzzled in trying to figure him out. "Honestly, think I was getting ready to get heat stroke just from watching how many times you jogged the expanse of the park." ( Incognito, open)
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Post by Incognito on Jul 12, 2023 7:30:08 GMT -5
Mason wasn't expecting anyone to actually talk to him as he passed by, so he was a little confused when another commented on seeing him walk by instead of jogging. Mason paused, of course, as the girl spoke to him and he couldn't help but chuckle because of her words.
"I love the heat," he admitted. "It is really hot, though, so we gotta be careful, but for the most part this is my favorite kind of weather to go jogging in."
Mason couldn't admit that if he tried jogging in the winter, he ran the risk of falling asleep in the middle of his routine. He hoped that being at the institute when the colder weather came would give him some ways to help battle that part of his mutation.
"What about you?" Mason asked. "There a special reason why you're on the ground right there? You're not hurt, are you?" His tone turned from casual and teasing to a degree of concern, noting the girl's roller blades. He hoped she hadn't wiped out and sprained her ankle or something.
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Post by Nightcrawler on Jul 13, 2023 7:02:04 GMT -5
"You sound insane," Gina said casually when the other teen mentioned how much he loved the heat and that it was his favorite weather to jog in. She took a long sip of her water bottle, unabashedly surveying the teen in front of her.
"Think my favorite time is the tail end of summer, early fall," she said thoughtfully. "Still warm enough to enjoy it and possibly cool down in a pool or at the beach, but not hot enough that we're melting into the sidewalk. I'm down here trying to prevent that.
"So, no, not hurt, don't worry," Gina continued, shaking her head. "The grass is cooler to collapse on than a metal park bench or the sidewalk's concrete. I've done a couple of laps around here myself this afternoon, trying to kill some time, get rid of some energy, and stay in some sort of shape for Bayville High's sports teams. You part of any of them? You look like you should be." ( Incognito, open)
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Post by Incognito on Jul 14, 2023 6:53:05 GMT -5
Mason's lips twitched into a crooked smile, feeling amused at how blunt and casual the other teen was in front of him. She mused about her favorite time of the year to exercise and Mason nodded along, agreeing with her logic. She then revealed that she was sitting in the grass in an attempt to cool down just a little.
"I'm glad to hear you're not hurt," Mason said and, despite her words about the metal park bench, took a seat on the bench next to her. "I'm not part of any of Bayville High's sports teams yet. I'm new here, so September will be my first time in those halls. Figured I'd try out for something, though. You sound like you know your way around Bayville High's athletics scene. What sports are you part of? And do you have any suggestions and advice for me?"
He paused a moment before extending his hand. "My name is Mason Perez, by the way."
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Post by Nightcrawler on Jul 16, 2023 20:53:12 GMT -5
Gina raised an eyebrow, judging the other teen when he opted to take a seat on the metal bench despite what she just said about it. She hoped the burning metal wouldn't scorch him, but there was also a tiny part of her that wanted the metal to burn him just a little to prove her right.
He seemed nice, at least, so she was mostly hoping she'd be wrong. When he extended his hand and introduced himself, Gina did the same, saying, "Gina Perry. Gonna be a sophomore. What about you? Don't tell me you'll be a freshman."
Mason was too tall to be only fourteen or so.
"I'm part of the co-ed baseball team," Gina said, "although I think technically I have to try out again later in the month. I'm not worried, since most of the team last year had been seniors. I'm positive there will still be a spot for me."
Although they did lose their coach at the end of last year. Gina vaguely wondered who would be the new coach.
"That's something I should tell you about," Gina said, thinking aloud. "In the second half of the month, the coaches tend to start doing the tryouts. You or your parents or whoever should sign up on the school's website to get notified as to when whatever sports team you want will be holding their tryouts. Anything in particular you're thinking of? You look like a basketball player." ( Incognito open)
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Post by Incognito on Jul 18, 2023 6:46:29 GMT -5
Mason chuckled when Gina bluntly told him not to tell her he'd be a freshman.
"Nah, I'm going in as a junior," Mason said. "Kind of sucks to be joining a new school in the middle of my high school years, but..." He shrugged. "What are you gonna do?"
Gina spoke about being part of the co-ed baseball team and Mason briefly considered that. It wasn't really a sport he had been thinking of, not really keen on spending much of the time either waiting for his turn to bat or waiting in a field position for the ball to come to him, but he probably would get used to it.
He was a bit surprised when Gina mentioned trying out for the team again. "You wouldn't have a guaranteed spot? I understand freshmen having to try out, but if you made the team last year and wanted your spot back, you still have to try out again?"
He did laugh when she mentioned he looked like a basketball player, but he shook his head. "Wasn't thinking of that, but it could be a possibility," he acknowledged. "I was thinking of track, in all honesty. Just simple running for me."
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Post by Nightcrawler on Jul 19, 2023 16:10:37 GMT -5
Huh, so he was considered an upperclassmen. Interesting.
Gina wondered what kind of social status he would end up with. Tall, good-looking, obviously a jock, and pretty friendly to boot. Mason would probably be just fine in Bayville High's halls.
"It does kind of suck to join a school smack in the middle of your four years, but I'm sure you'll be fine," Gina said. "What made your family move here? Can't imagine there's anything special enough here in Bayville to make anyone want to move here. Parents transferred or something?"
Mason seemed confused (rightly so) about the sports teams' try outs. "I think its more like I have a guaranteed spot but it's off the record, ya know? I'm not going to be replaced, but it makes the school look good by being 'fair.'" She put down her drink to do the air quotes.
"At least I won't have to compete with you," she said when Mason mentioned going for track, giving him a grin. ( Incognito)
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Post by Incognito on Jul 20, 2023 6:21:54 GMT -5
Mason could only shrug when Gina agreed with his comment about it kind of being a bummer that he had to move in the middle of his high school years, but she was casual with her confident comment about him being fine.
"Guessed it in one go," Mason said, opting to go with the angle that his parents transferred for a job. "Mom will be a new English teacher at the high school. If you have Noelle Perez as a teacher for your literature class, that's Mom.
"So far, Bayville isn't too bad," he said with a chuckle. "Maybe I'm still in the honeymoon phase, but I'm sure this city isn't as boring as you're making it out to be."
Gina said something about not having to compete with Mason, and he laughed louder. "Right back at ya," he said. "Good to know I won't be going into Bayville High with an athletic rival."
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Post by Nightcrawler on Jul 21, 2023 6:56:51 GMT -5
Mason confirmed that it was indeed due to at least one of his parents' jobs that they had moved to Bayville, and Gina tried to remember who she had as a teacher for her literature class.
"I forget the teacher's name for this year," she admitted, "but if it is a Ms. Perez, I'll be sure to drop your name so I can get some brownie points."
She smirked when he mentioned that Bayville didn't seem too bad, and said, "Guess it depends on where you came from. If you came from the middle of nowhere, I suppose anywhere else will be exciting. Still, hope you don't lose that sense of novelty too quickly."
Gina took a moment to take another sip of her water and used the back of the bench to help herself get back up on her rollerblades. "Good thing, too," she said in reference to the pair of them not being athletic rivals. "We got plenty of wannabe professional athletes at Bayville High already."
With a wink, she added, "Besides, you wouldn't be able to keep up with me," and started skating away. "See ya around!" ( Incognito, end thread?)
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