Is this the start of the rest of my life?
Chapter Five.
Disclaimer: I don't own Artemis Fowl.
A/N: Well. What can I say? I am so sorry, I haven't updated since July… (On any of my fics…) I am very ashamed. But there you go, that's my busy schedule for you… Ha! Well this is a very short update, to let you know that I'm not dead. Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews. And for those of you who are following Endurance, I will update. But I am having serious plot issues right now…
"So, are you gonna tell me what's bugging you?" Trouble leant his elbows on the table, drinking steaming hot coffee.
Holly sat back in her chair and shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing to tell really. But sometimes, being the only female in the entire squad can get a little heavy."
Trouble nodded, "I can imagine. Still, you must enjoy being surrounded by men all day?"
Holly snorted, "Pfft! Yeah, sure I do… I have my own personal stalker who goes by the name of Chix Verbil, I get treated far worse than the male officers and despite all these men, I'm still single. But hey, I'm in love with my job, can't have it all, can ya?"
Trouble's brain was supplying him with thousands of comments and prospective chat up lines, but his mouth wouldn't follow through. They all seemed far too corny to bother with. "Well, with all the shifts you work, I'm surprised you have the energy to stand up, let alone go anywhere. Can't you cut down your work hours?" Ok, now he was just making small talk, but he really enjoyed talking to Holly. She seemed to ooze charisma.
She sat forward, "You see, you're lucky enough to be looking at it from a biased male opinion. But if I cut down my shifts, Root would go crazy, and bring up Corporal Frond, for sure. I can sacrifice my personal freedom… for now at any rate."
"Fair enough…" Trouble was cut short by the buzz of Holly's mobile phone.
"Holly Short?" She rolled her eyes at Trouble as she addressed herself down the phone line.
"Heya Holls…" It was Chix.
"Oh god." Holly muttered under her breath, just loud enough for Trouble to hear, but not enough for Chix to pick up. "My name is Holly. Not Holl, or Holls, it's Holly. Now who did you bribe to get my phone number? Didn't you think calling my apartment was enough?" She didn't bother waiting for a reply and was about to stab the 'end call' button when Trouble took it from her grasp.
"Hello?" He said down the line. "Chix, it's Trouble. Can you do me a favour? Stop bugging Holly. It's harassment, for a start. She's not interested in you, not now, not next week, not ever, got it? Now why don't you find someone else to stalk, I mean admire, someone else to admire." He hung on up on Chix, and placed Holly's phone on the table.
"Thanks. Now you see what I mean? I get this all the time." She glanced at the clock on Trouble's kitchen wall. "Uh oh, I better go." She stood up, her chair scraping on the floor. "Thanks for the coffee, Trouble."
Trouble too, stood up. "No worries. Anytime." He followed Holly to the door, Hey, Holly, what are you doing tomorrow?
She chewed her bottom lip, "It's my day off, so I have a fitness session in the morning." She paused, "Root's orders." She explained, after seeing Trouble's puzzled glance. "Then I'm free."
"Great. Do you want to meet up sometime?" Trouble couldn't believe his own words. Was he actually asking Holly on a proper date? Surely not, he didn't have the confidence for that.
"Sounds pretty cool to me. My fitness sessions are usually about two hours, so any time after eleven, is fine."
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." He opened his front door, "Do you want me to walk you home?"
She shook her head, "Nah, I'll be fine; I'm only a couple of blocks away, anyway." She started out of the door, when Trouble called her back.
"Holly, if Chix thought you weren't available; maybe he'd stop pestering you."
Holly raised an eyebrow, "Are you suggesting, that I would want to have anything to do with you?" She said in a mock serious tone, but she couldn't keep a straight face.
Trouble tried to appear offended, but didn't think he managed too well.
Holly leant forward and kissed him gently on the mouth, short and sweet. "Let's just say, it's a definite possibility."
Then she was gone, walking down the steps to the pavement in a second, and didn't look back.
Well, Holly Short, she told herself, congratulations. You've managed to get yourself a guy, and break every LEP rule in the process…