INT. DORMITORY — DAY
There's a sudden volume increase outside in the corridor as what appears to be a bunch of teenage boys in muddy, torn up kits batter their way through, yelling and laughing loudly to each other.
One of these boys stops directly outside their open dorm, not yet noticing James or Thomas he yells something loudly to someone at the other end of the hall, and is met with a hearty chorus of laughter.
This is LEWIS JONES O'SULLIVAN.
LEWIS
(Turning frantically to Theodore)
(Laughing)
It was the stupidest malarkey ever Theo — Eoin went straight for the ball right; that eejit full booted it over the walls and whacked the old groundsman. He's actually with nurse Maccy right now. Coach flipp—
Finally noticing the two strangers in his room, Lewis stands in shock for a moment before his smile doubles in size and he beelines for Thomas, immediately embracing him in a hug.
LEWIS
You didn't tell me they were coming today Theo!
THEODORE
(laughing at Thomas' shock)
I didn't know.
(BEAT)
But the one you're after suffocating is Thomas.
LEWIS
(Stepping back to study Thomas)
It's great to have you here Tommy!
THOMAS
(Clearly bewildered)
Uhuh—
Thomas doesn't have time to compose himself before Lewis hones in on James, smiling brightly at him.
LEWIS
Which means you must be James?
JAMES
(Nodding and stifling a laugh)
That's right.
THEODORE
Maybe don't traumatise this one on his first day too.
LEWIS
(Attention back to a still startled Thomas)
Right… sorry about that, the adrenaline's still pumping through me.
Lewis plops himself down on his bed, hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling.
THEODORE
You're still stinkin' Lou
LEWIS
(Turns his head to face him)
I'm not that bad — you should've taken a whiff of McClaren.
Though after a moment he gets up, grabbing a towel from his trunk and throwing it over his shoulder and sauntering with a smile out of the room.
THOMAS
Well, he's something.
JAMES
I like him — he's funny.
Still laughing lightly, James turns to start unpacking his trunk before Thomas begrudgingly starts to unpack too. It seems to be the first time he hasn't had a confident comeback since they arrived, and James is clearly basking in it.
THEODORE
(Smiling and moving to James)
Need a hand?
JAMES
(Smiling more than he has since they got here)
Sure.