Chapter two: Lovesick Genius

I forgot to say this but this takes place BEFORE TLC. None of that ever happened. This is after TOD

Artemis sat on his bed smiling out the window. Today was the day he would meet Collette again. He heard a ring on his bedside table. It was the communicator Holly Short had left him a year ago after he had outsmarted Opal Koboi.

"Hello, Holly," he smiled. "How are you?"
"Good, thanks," Holly said. "I've got a new case for you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Holly told him how a man who ran the grocery store down the block came to the PI office saying that someone came in the night and stole twenty one boxes of ice-cream sandwiches.

"Oh, alright," Artemis said. "Um…I don't know."

Holly's mouth dropped open. "'Don't know…' How can the great child genius and criminal mastermind, Artemis Fowl II, not know something?"

"Um…"

Holly frowned and shook her head. "I'll call you when you can think clearly."

"Okay. Bye." Artemis smiled and slipped his shoes on. He was out the door in seconds.

………………….

"Artemis Fowl II," Collette said. "So you're the infamous Artemis Fowl II. I should have known."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "'Infamous'? What do you mean 'infamous'? I'm not exactly that well-known."

"Of course you're not well-known," Collette laughed. "At least not well-known around the world of normal everyday people with everyday lives. The world of criminals knows you quite well. You're the little boy who forged and auctioned the Lost Diaries of Leonardo da Vinci and sold the Pyramids to a businessman. I know all about you."

Not all about me, Artemis thought. "Oh? And how would you know that?"

"I'm very familiar with a little thing called internet explorer."

Artemis chuckled. "Very funny, Miss DeSantos."

"Really, Artemis," Collette said, fluttering her long eyelashes, "I think by now you should have started calling me Collette."

"Very well, Collette. I shall remember that in the future." Artemis and Collette talked for hours. Artemis learned that Collette was a strait A student and an excellent figure skater. What's more, she was only fourteen years old.

"Well, Artemis," Collette said, "do you play any sports?"

Artemis' eyes opened wide. "No, no, no," he said. "I'm much to busy for any games. The school rugby team tryouts are coming up soon and all the boys in school are going to try out. And that's a lot of boys, considering that the whole school is made up of boys. But I'm not even going to consider it."

"A school rugby team?" said Collette. "Why don't you try out?"

"I'm too busy for games."

"Try out. I want you to try out."

"Why?"

Collette fluttered her eyelashes in a way which made Artemis' heart pound like a marching band. "Because I like boys who play rugby."

…………………

"She told me to try out for the rugby team!" Artemis said.

"The rugby team…?" Butler sounded skeptical over the phone.

"Yes, the rugby team. I don't…I don't know what…"

"You don't know what to do?"

"That's it."

"If you're asking my advice, don't do it."

"Why do you say so?"

"Because you shouldn't change yourself for others. Just be yourself."

"Heavens. You're starting to sound like a cheap movie."

"I mean it, Artemis. If some girl tells you to try out for the rugby team, don't listen to her. You should just do what you think is right."

"But if I don't listen to her, she might never like me!"

"You shouldn't pour your heart out all over a girl who would only like you because you're on a rugby team. Save it for a girl who likes you for who you are."

"But I…but I…"

"But you like her?"

"More. I love her."

"Because what, Artemis? You've known the girl for less than forty-eight hours."

"I can't help it."

"She's pretty, right?"

Artemis rolled his eyes. "That's the understatement of the year."

"Artemis," Butler sighed, "if you only like her for how she looks, you should really rethink this. Get to know her better before you do something you'll regret."

"As I said, Butler, you're beginning to sound like a cheap movie. Anyway, I've got to go. I have a date with Collette, and I wouldn't be late for the world." He hung up the phone and ran out the door, barely stopping to put on his shoes.

Umm…reviews please!