(Untitled)

[turnthebadinme]

With classes over and so many important people disappearing on her all the time, Serena found herself missing New York more and more. At least at home, most of the people who mattered would have been there, and there was no shortage of distractions available. After nearly two years in this place, she longed to go home, and not just for a few

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[learnwhatsreal]

"I think you kind of need more people if you don't want to just be running for the ball all the time," Jenny pointed out, grinning as she crossed the few remaining feet to Serena. She wasn't sure that was going to be particularly different in playing, but that wasn't the point. Just then, the distraction was much needed, especially when it came in the form of spending time with someone from home. With the number of people who'd disappeared over the past few months, she was beginning to be relieved every time she so much as passed anyone she was close to. It meant there was one more person who hadn't yet gone. "You wanna play a game?"

[turnthebadinme]

"You're on," Serena said brightly, tossing the volleyball Jenny's way. It was always good to spend time with Jenny, more so than she would ever have imagined back in Manhattan when she'd seen the girl as nothing more than Dan Humphrey's little sister. That was, she supposed, one change for the better. Besides, it was way more interesting than just standing around on her own. "You can serve."

[learnwhatsreal]

Jenny caught the ball easily, grinning all the while, and made her way over to one side of the net, shifting her weight from foot to foot. "I can do that," she said, perfectly self-assured, though she waited for a moment, tossing the ball up once into the air and catching it again. As far as distractions went, this definitely wasn't going to be a bad one. "You ready?"

[turnthebadinme]

"Always," Serena said, utterly assured of this as she stepped back to get in place, poised to return whatever came her way. "Bring it on, J." She was, she knew, good when it came to athletics. School had drilled it into her, lessons had helped and there was no avoiding it here where there was little else to do but run around and swim and stay in shape.

[apoorupbringing]

Chase was in a shit mood, for more reasons than he would have cared to enumerate, but most immediately because he'd had to take off his hoodie and his shirt to cover up the mogwai in his backpack so it didn't turn into a fucking gremlin in his backpack. Or did feeding it after midnight make it a gremlin and the water made it multiply? Shit, he had to watch that stupid movie again, he couldn't remember.

"Sorry," he said, scooping the ball up, bouncing tossing it lightly up and bumping it with the heel of his palm in her direction with practiced ease.

"I have to get my mogwai someplace it can't get wet."

[turnthebadinme]

Serena stepped forward to catch the ball easily, brow raising. "You have it out here?" she asked, taking a few quick steps over to fall in beside him and letting the ball fall again near the net. It wasn't hers, after all, and someone else would want to play with it. She, however, was always amenable to finding something else to do, easily distracted by the promise of something different. "Doesn't that mean it's gonna turn evil or, like, spontaneously combust or something?"

[apoorupbringing]

"Nah, check it out," Chase said, turning a little and lifting the flap of his bag, then several layers of folded t-shirt and thicker layers of hoodie. The hood itself was caught over the little creatures ears, which lifted a little as it looked up. Chase was careful not to raise it too hi- it wasn't super sunny out, but he still didn't want to risk hurting the little guy.

It made a curious cooing sound.

"He's good. Just can't be too careful, right? He's been kinda depressed lately, though, and I promised him we'd get something sugary from the compound, so." He shrugged.

[turnthebadinme]

"I don't know the rules," Serena admitted. It had been so long since she'd seen the movie, all she knew was what she heard from Chase and promptly forgot again. "Poor little guy. What's got him down?"

She could sympathize. In spite of her smiles, she'd been feeling less than great herself lately. Something sugary sounded pretty good to her, too. It didn't occur to her that she'd just invited herself along.

[bennet_beauty]

Jane could not help her look of bemusement as she carried her books with her to the shore in order to read in the shade. "I am afraid I am not in the least athletic. I do not even think I could muster a run for more than five seconds! You must look for better talent than I," she said cheerfully to Serena with a note of apology in her voice.

[turnthebadinme]

"Oh, come on," Serena encouraged, grinning as she carried the ball with her, walking toward Jane. "It's easy. I bet you're better than you think." If Jane didn't want to, though, she certainly wasn't about to push much. "What are you reading?"

[bennet_beauty]

"Cookbooks! Nothing of great consequence, but I am thinking of hosting another party and wish to know what foods I might provide," she remarked as she met Serena halfway with a calm and pleasant smile upon her face. "And I have never been very good at anything. Even in games, I would watch my sisters run about while I made sure to mete out safety."

[turnthebadinme]

It always made Serena smile to hear Jane talk of her sisters, even if she was sorry Jane couldn't see them anymore. She envied her, a little, the warm family life she seemed to have had. "You're good at being a friend," she offered, "and mother and hostess. If there's anything I can do to help, you just let me know."

[quileutejacob]

Jacob didn't know the girl but he wasn't about to say no to a game of volleyball, especially not when the girl playing seemed to be about his age. There weren't enough of those people around.

"I'll play if you don't mind a new face. I'm Jacob."

[turnthebadinme]

Serena tucked the ball under her arm, grinning as she headed over to him. It was always a relief to see someone else her age around here. Even if she got along alright with the adults, it just wasn't the same.

"I never mind a new face, Jacob," she said warmly, holding out her hand. "I'm Serena and you are a lifesaver. I was going to wither away from boredom."

[quileutejacob]

"I don't want to be responsible for that," Jacob said, grinning broadly. "I always like to help a girl in need."

[turnthebadinme]

"Oh, a gentleman," Serena said with a laugh, charmed in spite of her teasing. "Well, we never have enough of those. Have you been here long?"