Jacob wandered onto the playground, not intending to use the play equipment, just to see what was going on. He looked around and saw a few people scattered here and there. It seemed like everyone out here had already found someone to socialize with. Drat. He hated to admit it, but that was part of the reason he'd come out in the first place. He was hoping to find someone sitting alone and reading a book or something. (Books were built-in conversation starters, and he needed plenty of those.) His social skills were alright at best, but he would be darned if he was going to go through his OWL year without a single friend. Now seemed like the perfect time to try to meet some people, before things got too serious in the term.

He spotted two girls who looked to be around his age talking. He didn't want to be rude and just butt in, so he instead wandered a bit closer to them and sat down on a bench inconspicuously. Well, he thought he was being inconspicuous, anyway. Oh, Merlin. Maybe this was a bad idea. What if they saw him and thought he was creepy or eavesdropping or something?! He truthfully couldn't even hear what they were saying.

Actually, maybe he should get to where he could hear, because then that would mean first, that they might see him and invite him to join their conversation, and second, that he would know what they were talking about so that if they did invite him, he would be able to keep up with the conversation.

Hmm. Yes. Moving a bit closer seemed like a good idea. He got up from the bench and moved slowly toward one that was closer to the girls. He whistled a bit while he walked, looking around and trying to act casual. He felt a blush begin to creep up his cheeks. They were probably watching him and thinking he was such a freak. Actually, that's probably exactly what they were talking about. He could imagine the conversation: "Hey, see that weird Ravenclaw boy? What is he doing? Is he spying on us?"

On second -- or was this third? -- thought, maybe it would be better to leave well enough alone and just retreat back to the common room. He stopped suddenly where he was, about halfway between the two benches, debating whether to continue or to make his escape. Funny, he seemed to be having a fight-or-flight response to... Well, nothing.