Disclaimer: I'm not Eoin Colfer! If I were, do you really think I'd be working on something this lame?! I'd be penning The Opal Deception!

"Artemis?"

"Yes, mother?" Artemis asked her, vaguely interested.

"Do try to be polite."

He scoffed. "Of course, mother."

She smiled. "We're leaving in fifteen minutes." Artemis watched her walk away. His mother had accepted that the dance had been a bad, bad, very bad idea. He hadn't told her about the slender blonde girl he met- he couldn't stand her anyway.

Angeline Fowl was a good woman, who wanted only what was best for him. But she insisted that he meet people. That was why she was dragging him along to her dinner party, where she and his father were meeting some of his old business partners, and their families.

They got in the car and butler drove them down to the house where they were expected.

"Come on, Artemis!" said his strangely optimistic father. Ever since his return, Artemis had noticed, he had been content with the amount of money they had, which Artemis did not think was a good course of action.

"Yes, Father, I'm coming," he said, and nodded to Butler before leaving.

They walked up the steps, where a servant greeted them and took their coats, and they then headed out to the veranda.

"Ah, Angeline!" cried a woman with curly brown hair, rushing towards her. The women embraced.

"Kelly, it's been so long!" exclaimed Angeline. "You know Timmy, of course- have you met my son, Artemis?" She asked, placing her hand in his shoulder.

"Oh, he's handsome- how old is he?" Kelly asked.

"Fourteen," answered Angeline.

"Oh, I have a daughter, she's thirteen, she'll be fourteen in a few months," continued Kelly amiably. Artemis noticed his father talking to who he presumed to be Kelly's husband- although the men seemed to have a rather strong dislike for one another.

Artemis was very curious about the matter, but he payed attention to his mother.

"I'm sure Arty's quite bored, and lonely," Angeline was saying. "He hasn't really got any friends." Artemis felt like rolling his eyes, but he had sufficient self-control.

"Oh, my daughter's like that, can't stand these big parties, would probably stay in her room all the time, in front of her computer if she was given the chance."

"Maybe they should meet?" asked Angeline. "Then we wouldn't have to watch them the whole time."

"Good idea," remarked Kelly. "Becky!" she called. "Come here!"

Artemis heard a young girl's vice answer: "Yes, mother! Coming!" He spun towards the sound- a girl his age had walked up to Kelly's side and when their eyes met, they were both shocked. It was the girl from the dance! Judging by the look on her face, her mother hadn't told her who was coming.

"Becky, dear, meet Arty." Said Kelly.

"And Arty, dear, this is Becky." Angeline said, smiling.

Artemis bowed and she curtsied simultaneously, then they stood and she offered her pale hand. Never once looking away, he brushed her knuckles against his lips. Then they stood facing eachother.

"Artemis Fowl the Second," he informed her.

"Rebekah Woods," she answered. "Charmed."

"Likewise, I'm sure," he replied coldly.

She turned to her mother and mentioned, "Mother, you didn't tell me the Fowls were going to be here." Artemis detected a hint of irritation in her voice.

"Didn't I?" rambled her mother.

Kelly and Angeline walked off, leaving their children to what each adolescent believed to be the worst punishment; the other.

"So," began Becky.

"So indeed."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'll have you know that I did not want to be at that dance, and I do not want to be at this party- and I can tell that you do not want to attend it either."

Artemis said formally, "You are quite right. The powers that be have declared that I must put myself in situations that require, ah, socialization."

"I am not fond of socialization."

"That much is obvious. I am wholly sympathetic, Miss Woods. "

She peered at him carefully. "Whoever said first impressions are lasting ones was wrong. You're actually quite charismatic, Mister Fowl."

She inclined her head. He offered her his arm and said, "Shall we, then?"

She looked at him appraisingly and accepted, and they walked down to the dinner table to endure the party in silent and still dislike of one another.

Hahahahahah... .for anyone who liked the first chapter, this is for you, my friends! To clear up some misunderstandings.... This is after Eternity Code, thus he hasn't gotten his memories yet. So sad. I was depressed for a week.