#rivervale_lodge

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Summer time; endless vacation. Relaxation. Chillin'.

Unless your part of Rivervale Lodge; there are patrols, after all, that won't patrol themselves.

"Adam" the voice of parental authority, his mom calling.

He bounces the basketball a few more times with a sigh, and turns to head home. "Coming!"

As he's walking in, an attractive blonde girl races by on the street. Blonde hair, toned!

He turns his head, of course.... watches..... Bounces his ball.

Tall, she looks about his age, maybe a little older. She turns seeing him, mmm Shorts, a top of blue, smirks abit to show she knows he's looking.

He bounces again, shirtless, shorts.... just dribbling in his driveway......

New kid.

She looks tempted to talk to him...

but then "Adam?!" from the house

He flashes her a grin. "Just a second, mom...." He calls over his (bare) shoulder.

When he turns to look over his shoulder, and then turns it back, the hot chick is gone.

He bounces once more, and turns to head inside.

"What on earth was keeping you?" His mom says.

"Sorry, mom." He puts the ball away and wipes down. "I was just in the middle of a practice. Gotta keep my skills up, right? Going to try out here. Might as well."

"Well, put those muscles to work helping me with this chair... " Ah, new furniture. Mom must have her mark.

"Sure." He pulls on a tee shirt and gets to work.'

"Great... this is going to look so good in that upstairs study don't you think?" With the two of them, it's not that hard. "And I'm glad you'll try out for the team. Maybe you'll make new friends. I know you miss Danny and Joe."

"Yeah."

"Oh, what language did you pick for your requirements? You know you have to take one more year of language"

"Well......" He hedges, and she knows it.

"I was thinking..... maybe... French?"

"Or, that might be too hard, Spanish?"

"Not German."

"French? " They settle the chair down "Is that to impress the girls?"

A shake of her head at the too hard part, "GIven some of the blonde girls that seem to be jogging around here I can see the German influence."

He grins. "In New Jersey?"

"Not everyone's italian or Irish based, Adam," She smiles though and looks "mmm maybe on that side of the room"

"Sure" He manages it, not with a single effort but with some work.

"Thanks. Your father's got that meeting or I'd..well, actually You'd still be working, just with him" She admits, "now.. it sounds like you have NOT yet picked the language?"

An easy shrug. "S'Ok. There's weeks before school starts."

"Not that many. Internet age, Adam. I know when the deadlines are too."

"Aw, it'll be fine mom." He sets the furniture in place. "Can I go?"

"Yeah yeah.. dinner's going to be a bit late anyway. If you're hungry grab an apple."

"Thanks!" And he does, and heads back outside, shedding his shirt as he goes. It's true; he does want to keep his b-ball skills up during this stupid summer move.

And back to bouncing drills and running the ball up to the net.

Let it bounce, catches, dodge, duck, shoot.....

The ball moves and then he notices a dog lopping by. Huge, white and furry!

He catches the ball and draws back, watching. Just in case. He's not afraid but....

The dog wags slightly at him, then goes back to intense searching for.. something. Sniffing the ground and air.

He watches, waiting. Maybe concerned.

And just like that, the dog shoots off with a growl chasing... nothing?

He watches the dog leave.... shrugs.... and bounces a few times to get back into the groove and picks up the drill where he left off.

"Get him Oak" A voice says, female

He notes, despite his best efforts, but keeps on the drill. Whatever. Drill.

Bounce, move, dribble, spin.... wait....

And then the blonde girl shoots by as if running for her life or ..no wait, she's running towards something

.... fall down....