The class erupted into conversation.
'I didn't realise I was so sorely missed,' said Artemis quietly.
'He's - ARTEMIS FOWL?!' exclaimed Emma and Jane.
'Guess so,' said Phoebe.
'He was so scrawny before… what happened?' asked Jane.
'You tell me,' asked Emma. 'Not that I'm complaining.'
'Emma, you are a disgrace!' said Roxanne. 'Lusting after some genius boy.'
'I can't help it,' argued her friend.
Roxanne shook her head and sighed.
'Class! Please!' said the teacher, Ms Gray, the noise dying down slightly but whispers of Artemis Fowl still hung in the air.
'Artemis, would you care to explain to the class why you have been away for so long? It seems as if they're dying to know,' said Ms Gray.
'I don't care to explain it to them,' said Artemis.
'I didn't ask whether you wanted to,' said Ms Gray.
'But in fact you did,' said Artemis. 'You said 'would you care to explain…'. The only logical answer to that question is whether or whether or not I want to explain to the class. I have just stated that I do not wish to tell them why I have been away,' said Artemis.
'You still like him?' said Roxanne, to Emma.
'I didn't understand half the words in those sentences,' said Emma.
'Glad to see you know what a sentence is,' said Phoebe sarcastically.
'Shut up!' said Emma, hitting her on the shoulder.
Ms Gray sighed.
'The counsellor has told me about you, Artemis Fowl,' said Ms Gray.
'I'm glad he did,' said Artemis. 'You'll know that I know every answer to whatever you care to ask.'
The teacher looked angry.
'Look, Artemis Fowl. I don't care how smart you think you are, or if people say you're a genius, while you're in my class you shall do what I say!'
'Shall I now? And what is the obligation behind it?' he asked.
She decided ignoring the genius was the best option.
'There is a music assignment you will have to complete,' she said. 'I want you to get into pairs-'
As soon as she said this girls linked their arms with their friends and boys moved slightly closer to their friends.
'No, we shall be pairing you up in alphabetical order.'
There was a groan from the class as everyone tried to figure out who they were with.
'You can thank Artemis Fowl here for annoying me substantially to pass it on to you,' said Ms Gray. There were many glares sent in his direction - not that he cared.
Ms Gray started to read out who was with whom. A few people were paired up with their friends; this was followed by squeals of delight for girls and hi-fiving for boys, but others were not so lucky - being paired up with total strangers or their enemies.
Roxanne waited to see who she was being paired up with.
'Roxanne Fawkson?' asked Ms Gray.
'Yeah?' she answered.
'You're with Artemis Fowl.'
x.x.x
'Lucky!' said Emma.
'Not so lucky!' said Roxanne. 'He's a genius. I don't know him. I have no idea what he's like. He seems awfully reserved and not someone I'm going to get along with.'
Boy, was she wrong about the latter part of that sentence.
'The music assignment will require you to work with your partner to compose and perform a duet for two instruments,' said Ms Gray. Emma put her hand up.
'Yes, Emma, we all know you can't sing and can't play an instrument to save your life. Not my problem. It's your partner's,' said Ms Gray. Emma glared at her.
'I expect the composition to be fully rehearsed and ready to be performed in two weeks time. You will not get class time to work on the project. You must make your own time. Go to each other's houses and practise. Whatever you schoolkids do.'
'But Miss!' said Phoebe. 'I'm with a guy!'
'Deal with it,' said Ms Gray. 'You can have 10 minutes to arrange with your partner what you are going to do. Now you have 9 minutes and 50 seconds.'
The class sighed and got into their pairs.
'Umm…' said Roxanne, not quite sure what to say.
'I can do this project on my own,' said Artemis.
'No, I'll help,' said Roxanne. Artemis was quite surprised. He expected her to take up the offer quickly and go back to chatting with her friends rather than spending time helping him. Then again, he had written an article once about how different people become when removed from their friends - especially the ones that spend the most time with their friends. This girl seemed like quite an interesting case.
'Where shall we meet?' asked Artemis.
'Well, I board at school, and my house is around 400 km away…' said Roxanne.
'Then we shall work at my house?' asked Artemis.
'Guess so,' said Roxanne.
Artemis didn't quite know what to say next. Due to his limited understanding of social situations. He should have said something along the lines of - 'well are you free this Saturday?', but in his mind, it sounded far too much like a date.
Roxanne waited for the question, eventually realising she would have to ask it herself.
'Are you free this Saturday?' she asked him.
Artemis nodded.
'Well, then, I'll come at, let's say, 10?' she asked.
'That's a good time,' said Artemis.
'Can I get your address?' asked Roxanne.
Artemis paused. He didn't want to give out the address of Fowl Manor.
'How about I come to school and pick you up?' he asked.
'Alright,' said Roxanne, shrugging. 'I don't mind.'
'I'll be waiting,' said Artemis.
He would actually. He thought this assignment would be a lot more interesting than the others he had done countless times before at school. Roxanne seemed like quite an interesting psychological case. With her friends she was headstrong, outspoken and looked like she thought she was queen of the world. Without her friends, however, she was a different person altogether.
'Umm, ok. See you then,' said Roxanne, walking back to her friends.
'What's he like?' asked Emma.
'He's odd,' said Roxanne truthfully. 'Not as bad as I thought, though.'
'I'm stuck with Jim,' said Phoebe, groaning. The rest laughed.
In her heart, Roxanne knew she shouldn't have been laughing. Jim was a boy in their class considered an outcast or a loner, simply because his family was not very rich and he only had one pair of pants and one shirt. He had only managed to get into St Bartleby's through a full scholarship. Roxanne looked over to him and saw a look of sadness on his face - as if he knew they were laughing at him.
Roxanne felt guilty.
'What's wrong?' asked Emma, sensing her discomfort.
'Oh, nothing guys. Just thinking,' she lied.
'Emma, by the way, that's what people do when they have a brain,' said Phoebe.