"We're keeping them."

"Ignore Erica, she's badly socialized. We're working on it."

The siblings have a silent conversation, conducted entirely through exaggerated facial expressions and rather quieter body language. 

Rowan hugs Liam.

"I like you," she says to Erica. "Please don't do that again, though, or Liam won't."

"The guessing what's in his head or the insulting him? Or saying it out loud."

"The..." - why are words so hard - "analysing him, out loud. You can think what you like," and her tone suggests this is so obvious it barely needs to be stated.

Nod.

Nom nom nom.

"Sorry," mumbles Scott, although it isn't clear who to.

"It's fine." He's only half lying. 

They continue eating in silence until it's time for everyone to go to class. 

That sure is a thing they're doing.

Class! And after class, there are after-school activities for those who wish to take part.

Liam shows up for baseball tryouts as instructed.

He looked up the rules last night, but doesn't think he'll be very good at it having never played before. Might as well find out, though.

Is he feeling competitive?

Tryouts begin. David is pitching first.

Not especially, but he'll give it his best shot. 

Turns out some of the relevant skills transfer across from cricket, but so do a lot of bad habits. He can hit the ball alright most of the time, but has to spend too much time thinking about where to run, since that's the part that's the most different. And he was never outstanding at cricket anyway, at least not the batting side.

David is a good pitcher, so it doesn't matter that much. 

Eventually, it's Liam's turn to pitch.

Here, he does slightly better. There's only so much variation you can get in 'throw the ball at the thing'.

There are still a few habits from cricket to unlearn, and his style is probably very different to what the Americans are used to, but after a couple of false starts he's actually a pretty decent pitcher. Probably not the best, or even in the top few, but far from the worst.

The coach seems to approve! 

After practice, they can each apply to three positions (preferably one they performed well in, but it's up to them.)

Liam will apply for pitcher, why not.

He doesn't think he'll make the team, though, even if David was his only competition.

And now he can stop playing strange American sports, drag his sister out of the library, and go home, right? 

Certainly! Nothing strange or unpleasant happens to him on his way home.

That makes a nice contrast to what happens when they get home. 

"You're late. Again." 

"Sorry, dad. I was trying out for the baseball team, and it overran." 

It didn't, not noticeably; he spent the extra time extracting Rowan from the library, and then waiting for the next bus because they missed the one he intended to catch. But it's an excuse that their father will believe, and that isn't something obviously and entirely his fault. That's more important than it being true. 

Sports are an Approved Activity, which scores him a few points. Even if it's a strange American sport.

"Did you get in, then?" his dad asks in a hopeful tone. 

There's an undercurrent of I would much rather you took an interest in this than anything else you've shown interest in.

"I don't know yet; the coach hasn't decided."

That was the wrong answer, but the right one would have been 'yes, of course', which, if false, could easily have spiralled into a conspiracy of fake baseball practices, matches...sometimes lying isn't worth it.  

He goes upstairs to get started on homework. Rowan, of course, already finished hers.

School proceeds. 

Stiles is punctual for chemistry, Scott and Erica demonstrate vaguely hostile bafflement that Liam and Rowan talk to them, and classes vary from mind-numbing to slightly challenging. 

After school is the first meeting of the animation club. 

Liam goes, having told his dad the club finishes half an hour later than it actually will. If it overruns, he'll leave on time anyway.

Rowan is doing homework in the library again, and has promised to leave promptly when he comes to get her.

Anyone he recognises in this club?

There's Matt, who waves at him. 

The club's activities are apparently fairly vague; there is as much study and practice of techniques as there is analysis; they will be watching animation and discussing it, and he can offer suggestions on content. Today is mostly for watching Fantasia and discussing that, apparently, 

Matt is talking quietly with Isaac.