Things had gone well as Bobby and Shawn took to the empty baseball field behind the school. Dad and Mom had already put the paper work in--or so they said--and Bobby would be living in Shawn's house for the foreseeable future. Shawn had heard them discuss finding alternate ways, and came to believe that while Mom felt that the promise should be kept with Shawn having aced both the test and landed a movie role, Dad seemed to think that taking on another kid was a burden.

Still, neither had shown this to Bobby and while they weren't about to adopt him, it seemed that they weren't about to shop him off to a foster home either.

Bobby smiled as he took in the fresh air, the smell of rag weed and dandelions that could only come during the summer months.

"Summer time!" He yelled out in an expansive breath.

Shawn sprawled himself out on the pitcher's mound as months of tension seemed to explode out of him. "Finally! It's done!" He was talking about more than just school, but Bobby didn't need to know that.

"How do you like it? I mean, the school year?" Bobby asked, gesturing all around him in a motion that was expansive, arms spreading out.

Shawn had learned that this was a school for kids with acting or other jobs. Initially, he had thought that meant there were more kids like him. But, as it turned out, that was just something that the school advertised. It wasn't that the school was teeming with child-actors or movie stars--though there were a few--it was that the school administration, simply adopted a lazy attitude and a very lax policy on students missing school. Perhaps that was why Mom chose it. The school wasn't strict like most were about long absences.

"Don't get me wrong." Bobby said, palms extended outward in a gesture of surrender "I don't love school. And this year was different because I was home. I got to watch all of the Joes, every episode and the TV movie. I even got a few glimpses of the Robocop movie that's coming out. But what good is that if you're all alone. I like Ralph, but he's no substitute for other kids our age."

"This year, I couldn't go because...because.." Bobby's face scrunched up with uncertainty, trying to remember something that couldn't be remembered.

Shawn watched as Bobby arched an eyebrow, looking over at something in the distance.

Two kids were approaching. Baseball mitts in hand. It was hard to make out who they were at this distance. They were heading towards the field, playing catch as they moved closer and walked.

"It was okay. Kinda boring though." Shawn tried to imply with his words and tone that Bobby really hadn't missed out on much. Which he hadn't, really. School was pretty boring. He followed Bobby's gaze and noticed two more kids - he squinted at them, trying to see if he recognised them. "Huh, looks like they're here to play baseball."

"Cool." Bobby said. Shawn knew Bobby wasn't one much for baseball. But the boy seemed to have matured since that day at the log cabin long ago. Even if Bobby's memory was tainted with Crowley's concoction, he still felt like a kid that had grown some, the cruel world--and the Circus--having been forced on Bobby and Shawn alike.

"Do you know them?" Bobby asked, sunny disposition, cool and carefree.

Shawn could see the two come into focus. It was Eric Trenk and Eddy Hughs.

Shawn frowned. On a scale of people he wanted to avoid, Eddy and Eric ranked below the literally murderous, but he still didn't want to spend time with them. "They're from my school, but they're kinda mean. Wanna go play somewhere else?"

Bobby frowned. He didn't like the ominous tone of Shawn's voice. Shawn could hear his own voice drop a level.

"Want to go play on the swings?" Bobby suggested.

OOC: Shawn Chooses

1) Shawn walks away - Eric and Eddy see him walk away

2) Shawn Rolls Dexterity + Stealth and 'slinks' away, the boys do not notice.

"Sure, sounds good..." Shawn tries to be subtle about leaving, but he's not very good at it.

OOC: 23:06, Today: Shawn Cramer failed (no successes) using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 2,6,2,6,5.  Dexterity + Stealth.

Bobby followed suit. But along the way, Shawn tripped and fell. The noise was small, but it drew Eddy's attention.

"Oh, hey." He said tapping Eric on the shoulder. "I know that kid! He's a funny guy." he said with good humor. It seemed that Eddy had forgotten about calling Shawn a dickhead. Or perhaps the end of the conversation didn't leave much of a mark of his positive impressions of Shawn.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 00:37, Wed 05 Apr 2017.

"Stop right there!" Eric warned, pointing an angry finger at both Shawn and Bobby, even though they were some distance away.

Shawn looked back and forth between Eric and Bobby, trying to gauge both of their expressions. Should he run for it...?

Eric scowled, face all twisted up like he demanded an answer that hadn't been given.

"Run!" Bobby yelled.

He was no fool. At least not when it came to that 'sixth sense' that he seemed to share with Shawn. If nothing else, Bobby was a liar. Someone experienced in wheeling and dealing. The kind of person that had an innate street sense about him. Slippery and hard to pin down. More dishonest and tactful than innocent for many kids his age.

And so it was no surprise that he saw.....no...felt. That he felt the situation change. Like storm clouds on the horizon, Bobby's spidey-sense kicked in and he called for Shawn to run. To run away from both Eddy and Eric.

OOC: If Shawn Decides to Run then he rolls Dexterity + Stamina

Shawn needed no further encouragement. He started to flee...

OOC: 21:11, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 2 successes using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 9,6,7,9,2. Dexterity + Stamina.

"Hey! Why you guys running!?" Eddy said

"I said stop!" Eric yelled, his own voice seeming to boom. He hadn't started to run, perhaps he was used to people listening to what he said.

OOC: Shawn makes the same roll again