11th chapter- enjoy!

And after my week-long vacation, I am ready to write! And would you look at that? It's been two years since I put this up. Yey!

I'd like to thank rrfanman, PokemonandPJO, XDReadingPersonXD, miramisa90212, and Hope-Hikari for reviewing. Stay loving and keep on reading! Ooh, ninety-seven reviews? I can feel so much love... Hehe.

Tnx for the Favorites and Alerts! :3

Sadly, I do not own PJO but I do own my OCs. :):


Making a Scene

ARTEMIS'S POV

If Sophie didn't start to pull me back, we would've probably been hit by a car. An exaggeration, of course, but it was the perfect description to show how completely oblivious I was of my surroundings.

"That was, like, the best diss I've ever seen! Which is saying a lot, since not most people do that to her. I mean, the most my friends say is 'Stupid effing brat' and that's usually behind her back! And... Alodia, are you okay?" Sophie stopped her excited babbling when she noticed how quiet I was.

I hesitated to reply, my eyes searching the ground as if I would be able to spot to the answer scratched on the stone. To be honest, I wasn't really sure how to respond; there was a confusing mix of emotions brewing in the pit of my stomach. I found it quite odd, actually, as arguments—and even sabotages—would pop up frequently in Mt. Olympus, and exercising my freedom of speech, I'd join. Sometimes those would end up much more than verbal abuse (it only happened once, I swear on the River Styx!). More often than not, when the fight would be over, I'd end up feeling guilty and anxious with a hint of pride. And that's what I'm feeling right now. Only five times multiplied.

I wasn't sure why, though. Was it because I had insulted Elise? Personally, I don't think I should feel guilty. I don't think I should feel anxious. In fact, I shouldn't feel anything. So what in Tartarus was making me feel this way?

"I don't know," I finally admitted. "I feel pretty... victorious but there's something else."

Sophie looked at me for a moment, her dark eyebrows scrunched up together. "Ohhh, I know what you're feeling," she started, giving me a friendly pat. "You're feeling nervous because of what you did."

"No," I snorted at the thought of it. But what she said made sense. I just wasn't going to admit it so easily. "I told you I'm happy because I stood up to her!"

"You said there was something else. It's most likely you're scared of what Elise might do later on," Sophie explained. "But no worries, it happens to us kids whenever we go insult someone with a high spot in the social hierarchy." She added this with a roll of her eyes.

I pursed my lips, not entirely convinced. I wasn't a kid and most definitely not a mortal. I'm an Olympian goddess while Elizabeth Knight was simply an egotistical mortal.

"Alodia, listen. Elise, the queen bee—"

"Queen bug, if you will," I interjected.

Sophie smirked. "—had just been insulted by a mere bee worker in her hive. It's only normal for her to act like a raging beast and normal for you to act so worried."

I started laughing at her comparison, but quickly silenced myself when I noticed some onlookers. "Fine, you got me," I gave in, deciding to give Sophie her moment. Everything she said was probably right, but I had a thought that the vulnerable feeling I got was an aftereffect of Hecate's potion. Like it was designed to make me act more mortal than god. I might have to inquire the magic goddess about that.

It was becoming pretty obvious that I did not enjoy feeling like a mortal.

I cleared my throat, side-glancing at my friend. "So what do you want to do now? I am sure that watching the basketball teams practice is not option."

"Well..." Sophie's voice trailed off as she cocked her head thoughtfully, rubbing her stomach. "...I am kind of hungry..."

"Because insulting Elise is hard work?" I joked.

"Please," she scoffed, playing along, "it was you who did most of it."

"True to that," I conceded. "So we go to the cafeteria?"

"What about Andrew?"

I waved the question away. "He's still busy, I'm sure. I can just text him since I bring my phone to school now." I assured her, patting my backpack.

Sophie nodded slowly, like she was considering the idea. Then, with sudden enthusiasm, she blurted out, "Okay! Which cafeteria do you want to go to?"

We were standing on a sidewalk, leaning against the stoned wall to give way to the few people passing by. If we continued our path, we would end up in the grade school building's lobby, where the nearest cafeteria was. It had a lot of food choices, but nothing nearly as good as the ones served in the middle school building.

"The nearest one?" I offered. "They're almost going to close, anyway."

"The grade school cafeteria it is!" Sophie exclaimed. She took me by the hand and began pulling me away. When we reached the building's lobby, we took a shortcut to the cafeteria by going down the stone steps near the end of the hall. Once we reached the base, we took a few turns and walked pass a security guard having a small snack by the entrance of the cafeteria.

Not much people were hanging out in the cafeteria, as an hour after dismissal had already gone by. The foods displayed in the cases were limited now, and it was obvious that Sophie wanted to place her order before someone else swooped in and grabbed the few remaining burgers.

"Aren't you coming?" she called. She had just seen me plopping down on one of the chairs and heave a great sigh.

"Later," I promised as I set my Jansport on the table, but not before making sure the spot was soy sauce-free. "I just need to text Andrew." Sophie nodded in acknowledgement and continued her way to the food service area, a purple plastic wallet in hand.

After a few temple massages, I unzipped the front pocket of my backpack, shuffled through my belongings until I brushed the stiff leather that protected my Nokia.

Grinning slightly, I took it out, unlocked the phone, and searched for my brother's name in the contacts list. Although I am embarrassed to admit, I will be lying if I said I wasn't excited about having a phone. Since I was usually surrounded by my Hunters—mostly composed of demigods—I dared not to use gadgets, always preferring to use my the wolves for communication, or the occasional eagles.

Alodia Mason: Hey, I'm in the GS cafeteria with Sophie. Do you want to meet us here or somewhere else?

Ping!

Andrew: So that's where u 2 went. we all thought u were gonna escape to atlanta or something. :p Elise is FURIOUS, by the way.

My breath hitched as I read the text, but I forced myself to keep calm. Gods, what was wrong with me?

Andrew: Oh, and i'll just go there myself. u think you can buy me something? i'll pay u, swear on the river styx!

Alodia Mason: Better keep that promise, brother. Who knows what may happen to you?

Andrew: Thanks, sis. ur always looking after my safety...

Alodia Mason: You're welcome. What do you want me to buy?

Andrew: Fries and that lychee fruit drink. i think they call it mogu-mogu.

I shoved my phone back in its place with a roll of the eyes. After Sophie returned with a plate of burger and iced tea, I stood up and made my way over to the cashier. After paying for the two regular fries—one sweet corn for Apollo, one barbeque for me—, a strawberry-flavoured Mogu-Mogu, and a bottled water, I headed back to the table and placed the foods on the surface with a slight slam.

Sophie looked up in surprise, a piece of dry lettuce sticking out of her mouth. "Whoa, what happened?"

I regarded her expression with a startled face of my own. "Oh, sorry. I was... My mind was just occupied about something."

"About what?"

I shook my head slowly as I slid onto my seat. "Andrew told me that Elise was furious, which I expected, of course. I was thinking about the events in the gym, and that kind of had me angry." I paused momentarily as I gave my next question much thought. "Out of curiosity, what is the different of making a scene and making the scene?"

"Hmm..." Sophie jutted out her lower lip in thought. "Well, making the scene is having the coolest clothes, attending the best parties, hanging out with the most envied group. Basically being the 'it' girl. While making a scene is, well, what happened earlier in the gym."

I nodded my head in understanding. So Elise is both an expert in making a scene and making the scene, huh?

"Why're you asking?"

Shaking my head, I pulled out a fry from its container. "Oh, nothing. Nothing at all," I replied, trying to restrain a smile.

oo00oo

THIRD PERSON'S POV

Elise wasn't furious, at least not anymore. She was simply not pleased.

It was obvious by the way her darkened eyes were charged with such ferocity that it made people shrink back even though she wasn't looking at them. Her nostrils were flared ever so slightly, and the way she tapped a finger on waist was similar to the Morse code of I will find you and kill you.

"Here they are," Dominique awkwardly said.

The Elites turned, and to their relief, found the Samson's family driver and Amelia, Dominique's younger sister, walking towards them. As soon as they heard the familiar chirp that signalled them that the sleek black car was open, the Elites gladly piled in. Their eagerness to avoid standing with a displeased, freshly-insulted Elise in the middle of the school parking lot was too noticeable for the blonde, but she didn't say a word of it as she slid into the available spot beside Brittain.

The engine purred to life, and the driver hit the gas. There were a lot of things going on in her mind right now, and she decided to take advantage of the quietness to think. And by think, mentally insult Sophie and her new-found partner in crime, Alodia.

How dare they offend her like that in public? Sure, a lot of people had stood up to her and her friends in the past years, but never had she been compared to a freaking mosquito! And what was worse was that she had been compared to a mosquito in front of the boys' and girls' basketball teams—

"Dominique, guess what?" And just like that, Amelia's shrill, fourth grade voice managed to pierce through Elise's thoughts. "Sandy started a cleek and called it 'The Populars.' It's just like yours, right?"

"It's clique, not cleek,"

"And I believe that Sandy's clique—whoever she may be—is definitely not like ours. Not by a long shot," Brittain added.

Amelia dismissed the correction with a shake of her head. "You think I can join it? I really want to, but I just hatehatehate Sandy! She is so annoying and loud. I bet nobody's gonna join her cleek."

"How can she start a group without any members?" Ella wondered.

"Isabel Collins joined," Amelia pointed out.

"Why would you join her if you don't like her?" Dominique asked. Upon hearing this, Mackenzie let out a snort. In response, Dominique shot her a look, glancing at Elise to check if she noticed. Amelia watched the exchange with interest.

Yep, now Elise couldn't think straight. Gosh, she really hated having to ride with Dominique. It was usually Elise's driver that drove them to and from school, but Ronald was out sick and so Dominique had volunteered for her driver to drop them off in their respective houses. If Elise only remembered how annoying Amelia sounded, she never would've agreed.

"You okay?" Ella, who was sitting to Elise's left, asked. Her dark eyebrows were knitted with concern.

"How can I be okay when my being has been compared to a mosquito?" So maybe she was overreacting, but how would you react if someone mistook you for an insect?

Brittain overheard the conversation and leaned in to whisper, "Don't worry, we'll get her."

"But it wouldn't be easy, right?"

Elise's jaws tightened involuntarily. What exactly did Ella mean by "it wouldn't be easy"? And how come the comment made Elise's nerves jump? Could it be she was scared of what Alodia could do to her? The thought of it made her even more jumpy. No, that couldn't be right. Why would Elise, out of people, be scared of Alodia?

"Who cares," Elise murmured, trying to keep her anger in check. "When we're done with her, she's gonna regret transferring here."

If Alodia wants to make a scene, then so be it. She didn't care how many scenes they would cause as long as she's taught a lesson.

Nobody messes with the Elites.

Nobody.


NO: I get your point, but I am basing Artemis's hard time in Math when adults tend to forget what they learned during their childhood. But don't worry, just because Artemis failed in one test doesn't mean she's gonna fail in the others. ;)
Kayla: Sorry, but I didn't quite understand your review. If you're still reading this, maybe you can re-write your review so I can read it again?

Well, that went really... unplanned. ;_; And I really wanted this chapter to be good as it's been two years since publication. Guess this means I have to go through major editing tomorrow.