Canadian Chica: Wow, didn't really expect such a positive response. So I guess I continue. Cheers
Chapter 2
Athena knew something was different because Atlanta was not yet up for breakfast. She usually was the second one down to the table, beaten out only by over eager Jay, but now they were only waiting for Neil and the girls to show up. Peculiar indeed.
"Where's Atlanta?" Archie's concern had been growing all through breakfast.
"Don't know, I know she's up though. I heard her in the bathroom" Jay answered as he finished his orange juice.
Neil walked into the kitchen, "Good morning all you lucky people!". He was always too chipper after coming from a personal grooming session. Now Athena was certain she entered the twilight zone. Neil was always the last to arrive, making the rest of the team dangerously close to being late for school. Where were the girls?
The goddess had at least part of her answer when Theresa entered the room. "Neil, I'm borrowing some mousse. Atlanta tried to do her hair herself".
"What? After all my hard work yesterday? Ugh! How could she?" and Archie thought Theresa was a drama queen.
"I know. I've been doing damage control for like 20 minutes now" she turned back to the hallway. "By the way, you guys can leave when you're ready. Atlanta and I will be taking my car to school today" and the red head went back upstairs.
Neil was grumbling, but the rest of the guys looked at each other in confusion. Damage control?
"You boys best be off then" Athena grinned a little and went about putting some toast on for Atlanta to eat on the way to school.
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"So, anyone seen the girls yet?" Jay looked around the hallway for a glimpse of the two red heads. It was almost first period, and the male teammates were waiting outside their lockers.
"Not yet" Odie kept glancing at his watch. His and Atlanta's first class was chemistry, and he wanted to be seen with his pretty lab partner.
"You don't think something happened do you?" Archie was paranoid.
"Nah, Atlanta and Theresa are big girls, they can handle themselves" Herry knew the guys didn't have to worry about the girls, they could kick butt when they wanted to.
"Yeah, Atlanta is just probably mobbed with boys asking for her phone number" Neil's jibe was both at his ability to make Atlanta pretty, and Archie's blatant crush on her.
"Yeah, well… No way. She's still plain-old Atlanta underneath all that fancy gunk" Archie tried to cover his concern over the prospect badly.
"They don't seem to think so" Odie pointed down the hallway where the girl in question was trailed by three other males, all chatting away amiably. Theresa followed, a wide smile on her face.
"Atlanta, I never would have pegged you for a skirt kinda girl" one guy looked down at the green skirt ensemble.
"You should wear one more often, you look really cute in it" another openly stared at her legs.
"Thanks guys" Atlanta blushed a light pink and held her books tighter to her chest.
"Can I walk you to class Atlanta?" the third asked hopefully. Archie glared.
"Ummm…"
"She'd be delighted!" Theresa jumped in. "We just need to grab something from our lockers and she'll be right back" the elder girl dragged Atlanta away before she could protest.
"What was that Theresa?" Atlanta hissed under her breath as they approached the guys.
"He's really cute! And you wouldn't have said yes".
"I might have, but I usually walk with Odie"
"It's okay Atlanta, I'll go now" Odie closed his laptop, stood and turned to leave for the chemistry wing.
"No Odie, you can walk with me and…. Wait what was his name again?" Atlanta grabbed her textbook from her locker.
"Was either Jeff or Josh" Theresa supplied before the two youngest left for class with Atlanta's walking buddy. The bell rang to dispel any further conversation. "C'mon guys, we'll be late". The rest of the troupe left, leaving a glowering Archie staring down the hall at the laughing trio.
Lunch hadn't improved Archie's day at all. Atlanta was constantly being hounded by over hormonal males, Herry and Odie included. She was blushing and smiling, and being all girlie around them, making the descendant of Achilles willing to unleash the wrath upon the school. Worse was that any time Archie tried to get close to the girl, he ended up being so tongue tied he couldn't get even a single word out.
When the last bell rang, Archie tried to get to Atlanta's locker before she left, only to be pushed aside by her crowd of admirers. She didn't see him fall, the males were too thick and loud. Theresa did see him though, and gave him a hand up.
"Careful Archie, I had no idea guys could be so enthusiastic over a girl" she gave him a small smile.
"Thanks" Archie mumbled half heartedly rubbing the back of his head.
"Tell the guys that we'll see you later tonight okay?" Theresa gave him one last smile before she disappeared into the crowd leaving with Atlanta in tow. The younger waved at him before the pair of girls left the school grounds.
Archie wouldn't stand for this. HE was still Atlanta's best friend. HE was the one who fell in lo… liked with her before all this. He would reaffirm his position there, and then everything would go back to normal soon. If only Archie could look her in the eye now.
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It was nearly dinner when the two girls stumbled into the brownstone arms laden with bags.
"So I see it went well" Jay looked up from the couch next to Herry.
Atlanta apparently wasn't as chipper looking as Theresa, "If I have to try on one more dress I'm gonna shove my crossbow up somebodies…"
"She's not quite used to power shopping" Theresa gently tried to nudge the fuming junior up the stairs, away from the growing curiosity from the males as to what they had bought.
"Hey Lan? Archie stood near the door, with his board and helmet at his side. He did not look towards the two girls on the stairs, but just off to the side. "Wanna go boarding?"
"Oh heck yeah!" Atlanta was just about to leap over the banister when a pair of female hands grabbed her from behind.
"Atlanta you can't do that" Theresa stated, as if it was as common as saying the sky was blue.
"Why the heck not?" Atlanta was not pleased, and was getting angrier by the second.
"What's going on?" Neil entered from an upstairs bathroom. He was immaculate as always, fresh from a recent primping.
"I'm going boarding with Archie", Atlanta shook off Theresa only to be grabbed by Neil.
"YOU CAN'T!" Neil's scream was way to girly.
Atlanta's face was growing as red as her hair as the two overly feminine teammates gave her all the reasons she shouldn't go boarding.
"You'll bruise!"
"You'll get all sweaty!"
"And dirty!"
"You could break a nail!"
"You'll muss your hair!"
"What if you scrape something!"
"You'll ruin all our hard work!"
Just when Atlanta was ready to kill either if not both of them Jay tried to placate all three. "Hey hey hey! Why doesn't Atlanta go for a run with Arhcie instead?" his arms held up in a non-defensive manner.
"Well…. I guess…" Theresa paused a moment too long, for Atlanta bolted past them and came back in her sweats.
"See ya later!" Atlanta was out the door before anyone of them could even blink.
"HEY! Wait for me 'Lanta!" Archie stumbled ungracefully after his crush while Athena smiled to herself in the kitchen at the antics of her charges.
Canadian Chica: R+R please