The Five Musketeers

Chapter 4 - Four Square

"I am, my lord, as well derived as he, as well possessed. My love is more than his. My fortunes every way as fairly ranked (If not with vantage) as Demetrius'."       

~Lysander, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Act 1 Scene 1.

        "Great, they found us," Jess grunted as she crawled out from behind the armchair she had been hiding behind. Standing up so her knees popped in their joints, she stretched her arms toward the ceiling and pinned Jack and Peter to the wall with her stare.

        "Hey Jess, long time no see. You look. . ." Jack took in Jess's huge t-shirt proclaiming some charity she had joined, her multi-colored rainbow shorts, and wildly curly hair. "Interesting," he finished lamely before spotting Nicole. "Nic, Nic, Nicky, Nic. How you been?"

        Giving him a smile, Nicole joined Michelle by the door. "I'm great, J-bomb. How's the weather?"

        "Utter shit," Jack grinned back, used to their old inside joke about the forecast whenever they hadn't spoken in a week. Nobody thought it was funny except them.

        Peter walked over to Jess with his arms crossed. "Where's Jeff? I thought he'd be here," he said, looking around the room as if Jeff were hiding behind a potted plant or side table.

        "He's busy consuming his weight in Oreos and watching Futurama, or something. I tried to talk to him about coming over, but he dove under his blanket and refused to speak further," Jess responded gravely, unconcerned about her twin brother's extreme lack of a social life.

        "But I want Jeff," Peter stubbornly said, putting his hands on his hips. Jess felt one of his diva fits was in order. "He hasn't been to summer track camp in a few days. I thought you would invite him," Peter stared at Jess accusingly.

        Blowing out a long breath of air, Jess rubbed her eyes. "God, he's your friend, why didn't you invite him? Do I look like I want to hang out with my brother all day for god's sake?"

        Shuffling over to the other three, Jess and Paul overheard their riveting conversation.

        "I dunno. What do you wanna do, Michelle?"

        "Not sure. What about you, Jack?"

        "I don't know. What's your plan, Nicole?"

        "I dunno."

         Flinging the door open, Jess ran outside before she went insane. Literally bat-shit insane from her stupid friends. Unfortunately they filed out after her, like sheep following their herder. 

        "Okay, here's what we're going to do," Jess panted, winded from frustration. "We are going to play four square. And my god you guys are going to have so much fun you'll feel like throwing up!"

        "That's disgusting," Jack muttered as he played with a pebble by his sneakers. 

        Peter diligently went into his garage and grabbed a box of chalk to draw a square. Squatting in the middle of the road, he went to work. "Peter!" Michelle snapped from behind him.

        "What:?" He looked up irately.

        "That is the worst square I've ever seen. I could draw a straighter line in kindergarten. Give that to me!" As Michelle tried to grab the chalk away from him, Peter scrambled backwards on his butt trying to evade her grabby hands.

        "No way, I'm doing just fine, thanks." Peter resumed drawing, pausing for a minute to assess a spot on the sidewalk. Drawing a distinct squiggle around that spot, he valiantly continued.