The Four

Chapter 1-Summer

Now——

Granville, Ohio. June 1998.

"Absolutely not" Venus laughed shoving her friend Antony. He wobbled to the side smiling, while the rest of the group kept walking. The houses slowly passing by as they took steps. Trees were overgrown in the yards, and leaves were everywhere. Not because it was fall, but because the trees were so big, they couldn't hold on to most of the green leaves anymore.

The group included Antony, a strong witted jokester. Ella, sweet and caring, yet feisty if you ever got on her bad side. Freddy. The talented jock, whom was way smarter than he looked, aka the leader of the group. And Venus, an Openminded and witty girl.
Together they were inseparable.
Each one of them being juniors in high school.

"Come on guys," Antony encouraged, "What's wrong with a little trouble?" He said, stopping in front of an old house. Antonys Light brown hair was almost falling into his eyes, since he hadn't had a haircut in awhile.
Freddy crossed his arms, giving Antony the death glare, one he had witnessed much to often.
The boy huffed and stomped his foot like a child. "Your all no fun" he pouted staring at the house in front of them.

The old house that sat before them was one of their teacher Ms. Rogers. Rogers was a feisty old lady the whole school despised. She was known for failing even the smartest of kids at Granville high. Venus considered that she had no good bone in her body. She may be right.

"No Antony, your just crazy," Venus sighed stomping on a leaf by the side of the road.
Ella nodded in agreement, "Yeah, as if Ms Rogers didn't already hate us. Now you want to egg her house?" Ella asked staring at him.
Antony rolled his eyes, also stomping on a leaf that had fallen from the giant oak tree in the front yard.
"She hates us for no reason though." Antony said crossing his arms. "I bet she'd like me, if she got to knew me." He said.
Venus laughed in unison with the rest of the group. They all knew that if anyone here would be liked by Ms Rogers, it wouldn't be Antony.
"What's so funny?" He stared at Ella as she started to laughed even harder. Venus wiped her eyes and sighed, "Oh Ant. Your so funny." She said slightly giggling still.
Freddy chuckled and turned to Antony,  "Don't take it as an insult Ant." Freddy patted him on the shoulder, "But you would definitely not be liked by Ms Rogers, either way." He explained brushing back some of his dirty blonde hair. Antony rolled his eyes and started walking again.

The sun was slowly setting as they moved. Occasionally Antony would make some snarky remark, and then they would go into silence again. It wasn't awkward though, it was more peaceful.
Ella groaned pulling out her phone, "I have to go to work in less than an hour." The rest of the group sighed, also realizing most of them too had work too.
Ella worked at a fast food restaurant, as did Antony. Freddy worked the cashier spot at a local Grocery-mart in town, while Venus worked the cashier at a Donut shop, near the Grocery-mart. Each of them were fairly new to their jobs. They had all just turned old enough to even apply for one.

"Haha." Venus mocked, "You all should have gone with early shifts like me." She said as they all walked down the road strolling past house after house. Her brown hair was tied at a low pony tail.
Freddy laughed, "Not all of us work at a Donut shop." He said with his hands in the Letterman jacket.
Ella nodded, "Yeah, not all of us are as fortunate to have Fannie as our boss." She agreed with Freddy. Ella's finely dark curled hair blowing in the wind.
Venus tilted her head to the side lifting her brows, that was true. Having Fannie as a boss was like working for your sweet and caring grandma. Fannie would let Venus take off any day she desired, Heck! If she was tired that day, she could just not show up, and Fannie would be fine with it.
"Fair point." Venus said as they reached her house. They all came to a halt and looked at her. The setting sun putting an orange glow on each of their faces.
"Tomorrow. Usual place?" Freddy asked, causing them to all nod.
They stood there for a moment before saying their goodbyes and splitting paths.

Venus walked into her house, slowly opening the door. There in the reclined sofa, lied her sleeping father. The only thing lighting up the living room was their small box tv. Cans of Coca Cola practically filling the floor.
He did not have a job, instead Venus's mom was the one who took care of the bills, and payments. He just kind of, well.. laid around all day.
She sulked up the stairs and into her room. The day was over, so she was unusually slow. Another fun day of hanging out with her friends was really exhausting. Especially when she gets up at 4:00 am.
Plopping on her bed she sighed pulling aside a book.
It: chapter 1
She loved horror. Name Anything horror, and she has seen it, or even read the book. It was an unsettling addiction.

About thirty minutes into her reading she heard a growl come from her stomach. She slowly sat up, realized how hungry she was.
For dinner she resorted to having a TV dinner. It was all that she could find in the refrigerator, and it was all that she was bothered to make. She preferred eating anything else, but today she was not particularly picky.

After that she went back to bed, reading as she drifted off to sleep.

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