Chapter 2
I guess I never mentioned my name. It's Artemis. My mother has always liked the solar system, Milky Way, planets, stars, you get the idea. She likes astrology. None of our family believes in magic, and all that stuff. It's not real. Anyway, right now I'm getting on the bus for school.
"Hey!" I greeted my best friend, Jaimi Gallagher. She and I have been best friends ever since kindergarten.
"Hey!" she replied.
"Ugh, you know that new girl, Fiona Mergyno? She has such perfect technique. Totally not fair."
Since Jaimi was in my ballet class, she knew what I was talking about.
"Yeah, I know. She's hitting off at our school! Fiona's been here for, what, only about a week? And its not like all of us accept newcomers with open arms."
"Yeah." I was still half-asleep; I'm definitely not a morning person.
Reaching the school, we separated to go to our different classes. I had math first, lucky for me; math's my worst subject. I have a 93% average...okay, I admit, not exactly bad, but still, compared to the rest of my grades....I just wanted to get through. I wish I didn't have math first period because in first period I'm always groggy. [Artemis is done with math]
Having gotten through, my next subject's English. Now that was truly lucky, because English is my best subject; I had gotten a perfect score on my fourth grade ELA's. But today I was busy thinking about Fiona. How did she get so good?? It's not fair that the rest of us have to work so hard, and there's Fiona with perfect everything. I had heard she was smart, as well. [Not a Mary-Sue! Faults come up later..] It was just a rumor, but I wouldn't be surprised .She's so lucky. I guess she works hard...the other day in dance, I overheard the Artistic Director telling one of my teachers, "That Fiona is such a talented dancer. She even looks like Margo Fontieyn! That's a sign to a professional career; talent, and beauty."
I hadn't listened to the teacher's response because I was busy thinking about what the Artistic Director had said. Professional career? Jeez...she was beautiful, I guess, but she looked strange. Beautiful, but strange. I don't know why...she doesn't seem like the rest of us.
"Artemis!" my English teacher said. "Have you been paying attention at all? I don't suppose you can tell me what book we are reading right now."
"Um...uh..." I stammered, and sneaked a peek at the book the person next to me was holding. She made an effort to hide the title, but I saw the title anyway. A Midsummer's Night's Dream. Already read it, anyway.
"A Midsummer's Night Dream, Miss Harley," I replied with an innocent look. She looked surprised, and after a moment amused.
"I'm assuming you have already read this?" she asked.
"Yes, Miss Harley," I said.
She smiled at me. Whew, I thought. Close one. Right now, I was really thankful for the great reputation I had in English class. She knows that I don't usually daydream. I would, but my mother says that grades matter, even in the world of ballet. I'm not quite sure how, but I'm not taking chances for my career.
"Then you will be so kind as to tell us what this is about?" she requested.
I launched into a summery of A Midsummer's Night Dream. When I finished, the bell rang. I grinned, and rushed out the door.
I caught up to Jaimi, and waved. She waved back, and quickly ran to me.
"You won't believe what I found out about Fiona!" she exclaimed. Jaimi is one of those people who always knows the inside scoop.
"What, what???" I said, excited.
"She's adopted, and her stepmother got arrested!"
"Wow. Does Fiona care?"
"Actually, it doesn't seem like it. She accepted the news without the slightest bit of sorrow and grief on her face.
I stared. I would be hysterical with tears if my mother got arrested or something.
"Do you know what she got arrested for?" I asked.
"Supposedly she...well..." Jaimi looked uncomfortable.
"What??" I insisted. "Tell me!"
"She murdered someone."
Again, I stared. "No.." I murmured. "No...."
The bell rang. Jaimi looked quite relieved, and said, "See you later!"
I walked to my next class in a daze. Murder? I wondered who she had murdered. Ex-boyfriend, I bet. I don't know. I started hurrying to science. I was going to be late.
"Thank you, Artemis, for being so kind as to join us," Mr. Holland said. I rolled my eyes as he turned his back. Abruptly, he turned back to me. I blinked, and gazed at him. "Yes, Mr. Holland?"
"I was just wondering, Miss Artemis, if you would please excuse yourself from this room."
Aghast, I stared up at him. Then I rose, slowly, to my feet.
He smiled. A nice smile, I noted. Then why was he sending me away? It didn't seem like he was going to send me to the principal's office, and he's a terrible actor. Don't ask me how I know. "Go out and see Miss Jaimi Levrett."
I was shocked. What was Jaimi doing here? This was school. Cedarhurst Middle School, to be exact. I swiftly left the room.
There she was, waiting for me in the hall. "I'm getting all the dancers in Fiona's class," she said, answering my questioning eyes. "Her mother got arrested, you know."
I nodded, looking down. I was embarrassed, delighted, and nervous at the same time. Mostly nervous.
I realized she was talking.
"So I think that getting all her classmates from dance will help her deal with this situation. You realize that Fiona's living by herself? Her stepmother's been in jail; she just never told anyone."
I glanced up at her, and sighed. "Okay. I'll try to make her feel better."
Jaimi beamed at me. "Thank you, Artemis, for being so considerate."
"Have you gotten Fiona herself, yet?" I asked. I could not help being curious.
"No, not yet. I haven't got everyone. You're the first. Now help me find Jaimi, your best friend. What room would she be in now?"
As I directed her to Jaimi's room, I thought about Fiona. Her perfect technique. Perfect everything, I had thought. I guess she didn't have everything. Would I give up my family? If I could have either my family or perfect ballet dancing, what would I pick? I couldn't decide, not now. Perfect dancing, loving family. Perfect dancing, loving family. I thought about it. I still didn't know. I felt guilty, that I might give up on my own family for perfect dancing. I don't know!!! I felt extremely frustrated, and...I guess I feel sorry for Fiona. But she has everything so perfect, in dance, I thought. But.....
I guess I never mentioned my name. It's Artemis. My mother has always liked the solar system, Milky Way, planets, stars, you get the idea. She likes astrology. None of our family believes in magic, and all that stuff. It's not real. Anyway, right now I'm getting on the bus for school.
"Hey!" I greeted my best friend, Jaimi Gallagher. She and I have been best friends ever since kindergarten.
"Hey!" she replied.
"Ugh, you know that new girl, Fiona Mergyno? She has such perfect technique. Totally not fair."
Since Jaimi was in my ballet class, she knew what I was talking about.
"Yeah, I know. She's hitting off at our school! Fiona's been here for, what, only about a week? And its not like all of us accept newcomers with open arms."
"Yeah." I was still half-asleep; I'm definitely not a morning person.
Reaching the school, we separated to go to our different classes. I had math first, lucky for me; math's my worst subject. I have a 93% average...okay, I admit, not exactly bad, but still, compared to the rest of my grades....I just wanted to get through. I wish I didn't have math first period because in first period I'm always groggy. [Artemis is done with math]
Having gotten through, my next subject's English. Now that was truly lucky, because English is my best subject; I had gotten a perfect score on my fourth grade ELA's. But today I was busy thinking about Fiona. How did she get so good?? It's not fair that the rest of us have to work so hard, and there's Fiona with perfect everything. I had heard she was smart, as well. [Not a Mary-Sue! Faults come up later..] It was just a rumor, but I wouldn't be surprised .She's so lucky. I guess she works hard...the other day in dance, I overheard the Artistic Director telling one of my teachers, "That Fiona is such a talented dancer. She even looks like Margo Fontieyn! That's a sign to a professional career; talent, and beauty."
I hadn't listened to the teacher's response because I was busy thinking about what the Artistic Director had said. Professional career? Jeez...she was beautiful, I guess, but she looked strange. Beautiful, but strange. I don't know why...she doesn't seem like the rest of us.
"Artemis!" my English teacher said. "Have you been paying attention at all? I don't suppose you can tell me what book we are reading right now."
"Um...uh..." I stammered, and sneaked a peek at the book the person next to me was holding. She made an effort to hide the title, but I saw the title anyway. A Midsummer's Night's Dream. Already read it, anyway.
"A Midsummer's Night Dream, Miss Harley," I replied with an innocent look. She looked surprised, and after a moment amused.
"I'm assuming you have already read this?" she asked.
"Yes, Miss Harley," I said.
She smiled at me. Whew, I thought. Close one. Right now, I was really thankful for the great reputation I had in English class. She knows that I don't usually daydream. I would, but my mother says that grades matter, even in the world of ballet. I'm not quite sure how, but I'm not taking chances for my career.
"Then you will be so kind as to tell us what this is about?" she requested.
I launched into a summery of A Midsummer's Night Dream. When I finished, the bell rang. I grinned, and rushed out the door.
I caught up to Jaimi, and waved. She waved back, and quickly ran to me.
"You won't believe what I found out about Fiona!" she exclaimed. Jaimi is one of those people who always knows the inside scoop.
"What, what???" I said, excited.
"She's adopted, and her stepmother got arrested!"
"Wow. Does Fiona care?"
"Actually, it doesn't seem like it. She accepted the news without the slightest bit of sorrow and grief on her face.
I stared. I would be hysterical with tears if my mother got arrested or something.
"Do you know what she got arrested for?" I asked.
"Supposedly she...well..." Jaimi looked uncomfortable.
"What??" I insisted. "Tell me!"
"She murdered someone."
Again, I stared. "No.." I murmured. "No...."
The bell rang. Jaimi looked quite relieved, and said, "See you later!"
I walked to my next class in a daze. Murder? I wondered who she had murdered. Ex-boyfriend, I bet. I don't know. I started hurrying to science. I was going to be late.
"Thank you, Artemis, for being so kind as to join us," Mr. Holland said. I rolled my eyes as he turned his back. Abruptly, he turned back to me. I blinked, and gazed at him. "Yes, Mr. Holland?"
"I was just wondering, Miss Artemis, if you would please excuse yourself from this room."
Aghast, I stared up at him. Then I rose, slowly, to my feet.
He smiled. A nice smile, I noted. Then why was he sending me away? It didn't seem like he was going to send me to the principal's office, and he's a terrible actor. Don't ask me how I know. "Go out and see Miss Jaimi Levrett."
I was shocked. What was Jaimi doing here? This was school. Cedarhurst Middle School, to be exact. I swiftly left the room.
There she was, waiting for me in the hall. "I'm getting all the dancers in Fiona's class," she said, answering my questioning eyes. "Her mother got arrested, you know."
I nodded, looking down. I was embarrassed, delighted, and nervous at the same time. Mostly nervous.
I realized she was talking.
"So I think that getting all her classmates from dance will help her deal with this situation. You realize that Fiona's living by herself? Her stepmother's been in jail; she just never told anyone."
I glanced up at her, and sighed. "Okay. I'll try to make her feel better."
Jaimi beamed at me. "Thank you, Artemis, for being so considerate."
"Have you gotten Fiona herself, yet?" I asked. I could not help being curious.
"No, not yet. I haven't got everyone. You're the first. Now help me find Jaimi, your best friend. What room would she be in now?"
As I directed her to Jaimi's room, I thought about Fiona. Her perfect technique. Perfect everything, I had thought. I guess she didn't have everything. Would I give up my family? If I could have either my family or perfect ballet dancing, what would I pick? I couldn't decide, not now. Perfect dancing, loving family. Perfect dancing, loving family. I thought about it. I still didn't know. I felt guilty, that I might give up on my own family for perfect dancing. I don't know!!! I felt extremely frustrated, and...I guess I feel sorry for Fiona. But she has everything so perfect, in dance, I thought. But.....