Schoolyard Romance -Trade-

It was recess time, and the schoolyard was noisy.  All the students were here and there, doing this and that.  Bobby Reticulus glanced back and forth as he wandered across the yard, looking for a suitable victim for his next prank.

No, I got her yesterday... no, he'd tell on me for sure... who else is around?

"Hey, Bobby!"

Bobby turned his head, spotting another reticulated python dashing up to him.

"Jacob!" Bobby greeted his twin.  "Did you bring the spider?"

Jacobi nodded, then knelt down and took his shoe off, revealing a rubber spider on a string he'd hidden in there.  Carefully he took it out, unwound the string, and showed it off.  Bobby nodded in satisfaction.

"Nice.  We'll have LOTS of fun with this.  C'mon, help me scope out a target."

The two pythons roamed the schoolyard together, looking at student after student and silently discussing possible pranks, dismissing one potential target after another.

"Hey-- how about her?" Jacobi finally said.

Bobby turned.  A female rattlesnake was sitting by herself under a tree, her eyes closed.  Something about her caught his attention and refused to let go.

"Hm... alright.  I'll get her attention while you prepare.  Two means go; three means abort."

The two pythons split up.  Jacobi disappeared behind the tree while Bobby knelt down in front of the rattlesnake.

"Hi."

The rattlesnake's eyes blinked open.

"...Me?"

"Of course, you.  I'm Bobby."

"Rebar."

"What are you doing here by yourself?"

"Listening."

Bobby blinked (and for a snake that was something of a feat).  "Listening?"

"Listening.  There are so many interesting sounds in the world.  The birds singing, the other kids playing, the leaves rustling in the wind... it's all so melodious if you really stop and listen."

Heh.  Cute.

After a moment, the python turned around, taking a seated position beside Rebar.  She seemed like an easy mark; so idle, so distracted.  It was... well, it was kind of adorable.

By now, Jacobi was perched up in the tree, rubber spider at the ready.  He awaited Bobby's signal.

...But it didn't seem to be coming.

I don't get it, Jacobi mused.  She's vulnerable, I'm ready, nobody's looking.  Why isn't he giving the signal?

Slowly, Bobby closed his eyes and listened alongside Rebar.  At first the background noise was just background noise, but soon it began to arrange itself.  The little sounds played off against each other in a wonderful manner.

A sudden tap on the back of the head called Bobby back to reality.  He'd forgotten he was supposed to be playing a prank on Rebar.

...No.  I'd hate to leave that sort of impression on her.

Holding a hand behind his back, Bobby held up three fingers.  Jacobi blinked at the signal, cocking his head to make sure he was reading it correctly, but deciding to trust his brother's judgment.

After putting the spider away and climbing down, Jacobi approached the two from the side.

"Bobby?"

Bobby opened his eyes.  "Go," he whispered.  "She and I are having a moment here."

Jacobi shrugged and left to find another target.  Bobby stayed where he was, listening to the music of the world alongside his new friend.

Minutes later, a loud bell rang, signaling the end of recess.  Bobby and Rebar both opened their eyes and began to head back into the school, hand in hand.  They were halfway back when a stray cat suddenly darted in front of them, forcing them to pause for a split second.  Then a voice (actually two voices, but they were in such perfect tandem that they sounded like one) called out from nearby.

"Hey, Bobby!  A black cat just crossed your path!  That's bad luck!"

"Shut up, you two!" Bobby called back, not having to single out Isis and Stacy as the shouters.  He felt like he had found his soulmate, and he didn't want this moment to be ruined.  Still, he couldn't explain why, but that black cat gave him a bad premonition...