Artemis stepped out of the back of his sleek black BMW and started for the steps. The fifteen year old Irish boy closed his eyes at the door and thought of the days turn out.
He forced himself to go to a Christmas party with his friend Vanessa and she left, not being much into "People" either so Artemis bid her goodbye and had Butler drive him to Fowl manner.
He had also found out Vanessa was leaving for Tokyo, Japan for several years. She claimed it was for her father's job, plus it has a great black market, but Artemis had a feeling in the pit of his stomach it was more about him than anything else.
He and Vanessa had been friends, best friends and partners, for the good portion of two years. She was not a "Special friend" as Angeline Fowl liked to call her. She was just a close friend who got Artemis the way Butler got how to defend himself.
The door opened in a "whoosh" and Juliet Butler stood before Artemis in a casual T-shirt and jeans.
She caught one look at Artemis's forlorn face and got the drift that this kid needed comfort. Now.
She was the only one Artemis would a low to do such things to him. Besides Butler, Angeline, and Artemis Fowl senior.
"Artemis, what's wrong?" she asked and pulled him inside.
"Vanessa is going away."
"I'm sorry Artemis. Come here," Juliet pulled him into a hug and they stood there for several moments in their own bubbles of thought.
That's when Juliet realized she actually liked Artemis. As a brother that is.
That's when Artemis figured out he loved Juliet. Like a sister, anyway.