Disclaimer: They are not mine, but I will gladly take the maimed versions you read about below.

A/N: I still think I am way too old to be writing a HS fic. Way way too old... as high school ended five years ago for me. BUT I am weak when it comes to Julia's prodding. So here it is. A high school fic. This means I have to relive the whole High School experience... which wasn't that bad. Except word of advice... if your two best friends hate each other and then both become cheerleaders... save yourself the aggravation and dump them before they can dump you.

P.S. I am not using their show monikers in this one because without the FBI, why would they call each other by their last names? Okay, except for Mulder, but really.

Dana Scully tossed the basketball from one hand to the other, wrinkling her nose at the dirt that remained on her skin. Her cousin John Doggett stole the ball from her, then leaned back on the grass and tossed it up into the air before catching it.

"It's hot," Dana groaned, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. "I'm sticky."

"Yeah, and you smell too," John added. Dana glared and smacked the ball from his hands and watched it bounce across the driveway.

"What about Adam Henderson?" their friend Kenny asked, chewing on a blade of grass.

"Adam? That kid has been warming the bench so long you could cook eggs on it," Dana scoffed, grabbing the grass from Kenny's mouth and tossing it to the ground. "Stop pulling up my dad's lawn."

"Dana, correct me if I'm wrong, but you just said Adam Henderson had a hot butt."

She rolled her eyes and stood up from the grass.

"I'm done helping you guys. You're not going to find a third for your team, so you might as well just throw in the towel."

"Dana, we have played Hoopfest every year since we were eligible."

"I know. And every year Scottie B played with you, but this year he broke his arm. Believe me, I've heard the story a time or two."

The screen door slammed opened, then shut.

"Quit slammin' my door!" came a slightly amused, slightly annoyed voice from inside.

"Sorry Maggie!"

Monica Reyes hopped down the front steps and tossed everyone a Popsicle before collapsing next to Kenny.

"It's so hot out here. DK, when is Pops going to fix your AC?"

"Like the fourth of never. They sold him a faulty part, and now he and mom are in negotiations about getting a new system altogether. It's like ninety degrees in my room and I live in the basement."

"I said you could stay with me," Monica said, biting the end off her grape Popsicle. "It'll be just like when we were little. We'll even make forts out bed sheets."

"Yeah, no boys allowed."

"You always let me in!" John announced.

"You're not a boy," Monica retorted.

"You're nothin' but a cousin," Dana finished.

John rolled his eyes.

"Guys, we have to have the registration forms in by this weekend if we want a good match-up. Help us think of someone."

"We've been at this for hours. We have talked about everyone in our class, and all the underclassmen. No one is good enough, and if they are, they are up at the lake until further notice. I beg of you. Please, just forget it."

All four of them sighed together. The city-wide basketball tournament was in a matter of weeks, and playing in it was the only highlight of John's summer. As long as he got to play every July he would die happy.

"Hey Dana, what about your new neighbor?"

She quirked her eyebrow at him as he gestured down the street.

"What about him?"

"He's tall."

"And?"

"Maybe we could get him to play with us."

"You don't even know him!"

"Yeah, but didn't you say that Charlie is friends with his sister?"

"They played Kick the Can with the other kids a while ago."

"Get Charlie to ask him."

"John, if you want him to play with you guys, go ask him."

"Think he's home?"

"He's out there mowing his lawn, Magoo."

"Go ask him. He's your neighbor."

"You ask him. It's your team."

"I'll ask him," Monica offered, sliding her sunglasses on.

"Down girl."

"What?"

"Come on, Mon, you flirt so hardcore you'll forget why you're over there."

She shrugged.

"Got me there."

"Fine," Kenny said, standing up. "I'll go ask him."

He walked down the street turning around only once to roll his eyes at his friends.

"Man, we can get him to do anything."

"That's why we keep him around."

"That and his mom always has tons of food in the house."

Monica finished her popsicle and broke the stick before rolling over on her stomach.

"Guys, I'm bored."

"Go get me another Popsicle."

She threw her stick at him, hitting him in the head. He smirked and threw the stick back at her.

"Man these things turn you into three year olds," Dana muttered, chewing on her own Popsicle stick.

"Don't chew on that, it's bad for your teeth," Kenny said as he flopped back down on the grass.

"Did you talk to him?"

"Yeah. He said he'll do it. Played Varsity at his old school."

"Did you get a name?" Monica asked, sliding her sunglasses off and glancing down the street.

"Didn't ask."

Monica rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Let's go somewhere."

"Like? There's nothing to do around here."

"DK, we're in one of the largest cities in the whole state. There has to be something."

"And just how long have you lived here?"

"True."

Kenny stood up and ran a hand through his hair.

"I gotta get to work, guys. I guess we'll practice here at 10 tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me."

Kenny nodded and got into his car, then sped off down the street.

"And then there were three."

"Two. Grandma wants me to grab some hot dog buns at the store before I go home."

"Want a ride?"

"Nah, I'll walk."

"It's two miles. In this weather? Grab a water bottle before you go."

"Aw, you take such good care of me, Danny-Kate."

"Don't call me that or I'll stop. Besides, with you out of the picture I get more inheritance money."

"Greed is one of the seven deadly sins."

She rolled her eyes as he went inside.

"Hey MJ?"

"Hmm?"

"Want to see if they turned the sprinklers on at the park?"

"Why?"

"So we can run through them. Duh."

"I outgrew that about the same time I outgrew a training bra."

"That was only last week."

Monica leapt off the ground and took off running down the street.

"Hey!"

"Race ya!"

"Are you 7, MJ?"

"Only just!" Monica hollered back, rounding the corner. Dana ran after her, finally catching up to her just as they hit the park.

"No sprinklers. That was a waste."

Monica smiled and headed for the swings. She hopped on one and began to swing, and was soon flying through the air, her dark hair whipping behind her like a hurricane.

Dana smiled and jumped on the swing next to her friend.

"This is our last summer of freedom," Monica said suddenly, slowing her swing down.

"Yes, it is."

"And you have to work."

"Not much. I'm done working by the time you get up in the afternoon."

"Yeah, but then you go to bed at 10."

"I have to get up at 4!"

"You're the one who decided to work on the farm for the summer."

"I'm the one who made enough last year to buy a car."

"Well some of us aren't that lucky, and others of us shouldn't rub the noses of the unlucky people in it."

"This is getting ugly. Let's be friends again."

"Yeah."

"Hey, next weekend let's go up to the lake. You, me, and John, maybe Charlie. We'll go fishing and cliff jumping."

"Sounds like fun."

"We'll only stay one night. We can sleep in the car and the boys can sleep on the ground."

"The plan just keeps getting better and better."

"Plus we'll bring dad's camp stove this time so we have more to eat than PB&J."

"Good. I was so sick of it last time."

"It was John's responsibility to get the camp stove, but could he be relied on for that one little thing? No, of course not."

"You should have learned your lesson when he failed to remember to bring you your My Little Pony in kindergarten."

"I should have, but I didn't. I never got that thing back. I think he might still play with it."

"Hey, we need to start thinking about Homecoming."

"What about it?"

"We should go."

"Why?"

"Because it's our last one."

"MJ, are you going to be like this all year?"

"Like what?"

"Sentimental and annoying?"

"Probably."

Dana giggled and stopped her swing.

"Okay, so we'll go to Homecoming."

"What are you going to wear?"

"I don't know. I'll figure something out. You?"

"I'm going to beg mom to buy me a new dress."

"And when she says no?"

"I will tell her that your mom is buying you one and we should all go shopping together."

"That hasn't worked since we were five."

"You win some you lose some," she shrugged, getting off the swing. "What were we thinking running all the way over here? It's hot!"

"Monica, you never cease to astound me," Dana remarked, hopping off the swing and following her friend out of the park.