Dorms Gym - Saturday Night

[notlikebobby.livejournal.com]

A bored Jack McCallister was not a happy Jack McCallister. Thankfully, he was good at keeping himself busy. He hadn't had any Saturday night plans (as usual lately) so when the crawl on his skin that came with restlessness appeared, he made a snap decision to do something. Jack bounced the basketball against the court floor a few times before shooting the ball at the hoop. It hit the backboard and the ring before falling through the net.

Yep, shooting hoops on a Saturday night. How exciting. As Jack retrieved the ball, he silently acknowledged that he really needed to make more local friends.

Comments

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

He grabbed the ball, turning it in his hands to look it over for a moment before bouncing it experimentally. The thwonk was the same. Weird noise. "Nope, not from around here or nothin'," he explained. "'M George Cooper. What d'we do here?"

[notlikebobby.livejournal.com]

"Jack McCallister," he replied. "Put the ball," Jack pointed to it. "Into the basket." He pointed up behind him. "But you can't run with the ball. If you want to move, you have to keep bouncing it."

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

"Can ye tackle?" he asked, experimentally taking a few steps as he continued the bouncing. "Or check th'cove off th'ball?"

[notlikebobby.livejournal.com]

"You can block shots and get in the other guy's way. It's more tactical than physical," Jack explained, watching him, expecting a sudden movement. It's what he would've done. "You're not from around here but you know checking?"

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

"Watched a lot of hockey last winter," George explained. "Had a team here for a few months. Professor Deadpool was th'coach."

He took another step forward and threw the ball up experimentally towards the net. And missed. Of course.

[notlikebobby.livejournal.com]

Jack grabbed the ball and bounced it as he walked back to the line. "Your turn to defend. I didn't know the school had any sports teams."

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

"Twas a club," he replied, obviously more comfortable as he positioned himself to defend. Keeping someone from getting past him was just a bit more familiar. "Meself an' Kyle an' Bobby did start it. Twas fun, but we didn't have no one t'play against."

[notlikebobby.livejournal.com]

"Do you win when you're playing yourself?"

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

"When one's playin' wit' themslves, tis more about how ye play th'game, no?" George asked, failing at sounding innocent.

[notlikebobby.livejournal.com]

"It might be different if you have a team playing with you." Jack faked left, then darted right to try to get off a shot. "Some people get pretty competitive."

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

"D'ye know much about that?" he asked, taking half a step to long realise the fake and trying to jump back towards Jack.

The impulse was to try to trip him, but George figured street rules probably weren't the way to go here.

[notlikebobby.livejournal.com]

Jack's knee was grateful for the lack of tripping. The ball didn't go in this time because of the awkward angle. "I'm competitive," Jack admitted. "I don't usually do team sports though."

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

George jumped up to grab the ball as it bounced off the backboard. "D'ye have 'em at home?" he asked curiously, starting back towards the line and remembering to dribble about halfway there.

[notlikebobby.livejournal.com]

Turning, he got ready to defend again. "Lots of them. Truman had football, basketball, baseball and lacrosse to name a few. I ran track. There were some team relays, and we competed as a unit, but it was mostly solo races."

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

He snorted a little as he moved more confidently this time, trying to barrel past Jack. "'M secure enough in meself t'admit I've no idea of most of th' words ye just said."

[notlikebobby.livejournal.com]

Jack tried to defend, keeping his arms out, but giving George too much room while keeping back from the barreling shoulder. "Team sports were a big deal," Jack clarified. "But mostly I ran a lot. We'd race for competition against other schools. You sound English or Irish, something around there. I must be way off if you don't know football."

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

"Tortall," he confirmed, pushing past and coming to a sudden stop as he remembered he had to try to shoot the ball. "'Nother world an' all that. We don' really play many sports like that."

[notlikebobby.livejournal.com]

George would have found a hand suddenly waving in his face while Jack got back into position to defend. "What do you do for fun in Tortall?" He didn't understand a place with no sports.